Arrows, labels and tildes

Block sides and arrows

Inputs enter from the left, controls from above, outputs leave on the right, and mechanisms connect below. For example: “Order” is an input, “Rules” a control, “Confirmation” an output and “Manager” a mechanism.

1. Select the arrow tool. Start at the diagram boundary or a block, lay out the route and finish at the required block side or boundary.
2. Open the arrow properties and enter its name. Check its direction and attachment point.

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Label and tilde

Move the label so it does not overlap blocks or other names. Use the label or arrow context menu to access its properties.

1. If a label is moved away from its arrow, select the tilde tool and connect the label to that arrow. The tilde shows which arrow the name belongs to.

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Branches and joins

To send a flow to several destinations, start a branch on an existing arrow and finish at the target block. To merge flows, bring a branch to another arrow and use the available join action in its context menu. Check the names of both the shared segment and its branches.

A tilde connects a name to an arrow. Tunnelling controls an arrow’s relationship across model levels; it is a separate operation covered in the next chapter.

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