Keyboard Shortcuts: UML Diagram Editor

See Also

Keyboard shortcuts commands are available to activate commands available via the Diagram editor and the Diagram toolbar.

Diagram Editor

The following keyboard commands can be used to manipulate every UML diagram type in the Diagram editor window:

Keys Action
ESC Does one of the following actions:
  • Exits the element creation mode
  • Deselects the selected items
  • Clears the current compartment selection mode
Alt+ Zooms in the view of your diagram.
Alt- Zooms out the view of your diagram.
Alt-ENTER Adds a message after the currently selected message in a sequence diagram with two lifelines and a message selected.
Alt-Shift-A Inserts attribute into selected element on diagram, if applicable.
Alt-Shift-C Adds class to diagram.
Alt-Shift-G Adds generalization to diagram.
Alt-Shift-K Adds package to diagram.
Alt-Shift-L Adds implementation between two selected elements.
Alt-Shift-N Adds interface to diagram.
Alt-Shift-O Inserts operation into selected element in diagram, if applicable.
Alt-Shift-S Adds non-navigable association between two selected elements. The first element you select will have no navigation, the second will have an association end.
Alt-Shift-Y Adds dependency between selected elements.
Ctrl-A Selects all elements and links in the active diagram.
Ctrl-C Copies the selected element.
Ctrl-T Places the current focus on the track bar above the active sequence diagram.
Ctrl-V Lets you paste the most recently copied or cut element. When you press Ctrl-V, the IDE displays a temporary placement icon. Move the placement icon to the desired location and click to paste the element.
Ctrl-X Cuts the selected element.
Ctrl-ENTER Does one of the following actions:
  • Adds the selected elements in the Projects window to the active diagram in the Diagram editor.
  • Adds the selected component from the Modeling Palette window into the Diagram editor
  • Associates the selected requirement in the Design Center window with the selected element in the Diagram editor.
  • Adds a message before the currently selected message in a sequence diagram with two lifelines and a message selected.
Ctrl-Shift + Adds the current element to a group of selected elements.
Ctrl-Shift - Removes the current element from the group of selected elements.
Ctrl-Shift-5 Locates and highlights the active diagram in the Projects window.
Ctrl-Shift-A After selecting an element or link, pressing Ctrl-Shift-A selects all similar elements or links in the active diagram.
Ctrl-Shift-F Rearranges your diagram to fit into the current size of the Diagram Editor window.
Ctrl-Shift-K Rearranges your diagram into a hierarchy pattern, with most elements falling below a lead element.
Ctrl-Shift-I Rearranges your diagram without disturbing styles that you already applied to pre-existing diagram elements.
Ctrl-Shift-B Rearranges your diagram into a square-lined, roughly rectangular pattern (orthogonal).
Ctrl-Shift-Q Cleans up the layout of the target Sequence diagram. This layout option is enabled only when a Sequence diagram is displayed in the Diagram editor.
Ctrl-Shift-X Displays the Export as Image dialog to allow you to save your diagram into an image file.
Ctrl-Shift-Y Rearranges your diagram into a symmetrical pattern centered around a single element.
Ctrl-Shift-Z Displays a Print Preview of your diagram.
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-G Adds activity edge to the active diagram in the Diagram editor.
F8 Toggles (opens or dismisses) the Overview window.
Tab Selects the next (non-relationship link) diagram element in the current diagram. The order of traversal corresponds to the order of element creation.
Shift-F10 Displays the pop-up menu for the selected element.
Shift-Tab Selects the previous (non-relationship link) diagram element in the current diagram. The order of traversal corresponds to the reversed order of creation.
Shift-Up Arrow Selects the next relationship link element in the current diagram. The order of traversal corresponds to the order of creation.
Shift-Down Arrow Selects the previous relationship link element in the current diagram. The order of traversal corresponds to the reversed order of creation.
Shift-Right Arrow Traverses, top to bottom, through the compartments of the selected diagram element.
Shift-Left Arrow Traverses, bottom to top, through the compartments of the selected diagram element.
Shift-Page Up Traverses, top to bottom, through the labels of the selected diagram element.
Shift-Page Down Traverses, bottom to top, through the labels of the selected diagram element.

Diagram Toolbar

Use the following keyboard commands to activate the action for each of the buttons in the Diagram toolbar.

Keys Component Toolbar Icon Action
Ctrl-Shift-S Select Select Returns the cursor to its default mode.
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-P Pan Pan Moves the entire diagram around in the Diagram editor.
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-Z Zoom with Marquee Zoom with Marquee Zooms into a diagram by specifying an area for zooming. You can drag a box or marquee over the diagram.
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-I Zoom Interactively Zoom Interactively Lets you zoom into and out of a diagram by dragging your pointer along the diagram's y-axis.
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-L Navigate Link Navigate Link Click any line in any diagram to immediately navigate to one of its components or lifelines.
Ctrl-Shift-Z Print Preview the Active Diagram Print Preview Displays a Print Preview of the current diagram.
F8 Overview Window Overview Window Displays an entire diagram in an inset window, scaling the view as necessary.
Ctrl-Shift-X Export the Image Export as Image Exports the diagram as a JPEG image, a Portable Network Graphics (PNG) image, or a Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) image.
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-R Diagram Synchronization Diagram Synchronization Synchronizes the information displayed in a diagram with the metadata in the .etd file.
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-H Relationship Discovery Relationship Discovery The IDE discovers and displays project relationships between elements, if those relationships were not displayed before.
Ctrl-Shift-F Fit to Window Fit to Window Automatically brings an entire diagram into full view in the Diagram editor, offering a good overview of the components that make up the diagram.
Alt+ Zoom In Zoom In Incrementally zooms in and enlarge your diagram gradually.
Alt- Zoom Out Zoom Out Incrementally zooms out and reduce the size of your diagram gradually.
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-U Move Forward Move Forward Brings the element forward one element in the stack.
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-F Move to Front Move to Front Brings the element to the front of the stack.
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-D Move Backward Move Backward Sends the element back behind one element in the stack.

Ctrl-Alt-Shift-B

Move to Back Move to Back Sends the element to the end of the stack.
Ctrl-Shift-K Hierarchical Layout Hierarchical Layout Rearranges your diagram into a hierarchy pattern, with most elements falling below a lead element.
Ctrl-Shift-B Orthogonal Layout Orthogonal Layout Rearranges your diagram into a square-lined, roughly rectangular pattern.
Ctrl-Shift-Y Symmetric Layout Symmetric Layout Rearranges your diagram into a symmetrical pattern centered around a single element.
Ctrl-Shift-I Incremental Layout Incremental Layout Rearranges your diagram without disturbing styles that you already applied to pre-existing diagram elements.

See Also

Diagram Editor
Diagram Toolbar
Keyboard Shortcuts: UML Modeling
Navigation: UML Modeling

Legal Notices