Assignments Panel
The Assignments panel is used to create and manage assignments between objects and models. Assignments allow objects to be linked to related models, enabling structured navigation and hierarchical modeling.
By default, the Assignments panel is located in the lower-left area of the Canvas, positioned between the Attributes and Occurrences panels.
The panel displays the model that is currently assigned to the selected object.
Creating Assignments
At the bottom of the Assignments panel, two options are available for linking a model to the selected object:
-
Link new model
-
Link existing model
These options allow users to either create a new model and assign it directly or link an already existing model.
Linking a New Model
When selecting Link new model, a dialog opens for creating a new model.
In the dialog, enter a model name and select a model type. By default, the model name is prefilled with the name of the object to which the model will be linked.
The following additional options are available:
-
Open model after creation
Opens the newly created model immediately after it is created. -
Create object occurrence
Creates an occurrence of the object that is linked to the model within the newly created model.
After confirming the settings, click Save to create the model in the selected folder and establish the assignment.
For more details on occurrences visit page Reusing Objects and Occurrences.
Linking an Existing Model
When selecting Link existing model, a dialog opens displaying all models that are available for assignment.
Select the model to which the currently selected object should be linked. After confirmation, the assignment is created and displayed in the Assignments panel.
Additional Assignment Options
In addition to assigning models to objects, the current model itself can also be linked to other models, either newly created or existing ones. This enables the creation of hierarchical model structures and supports navigation across different modeling levels.
Assignments between models are commonly used in combination with navigation symbols. Navigation symbols are dedicated objects that represent navigation paths and allow users to move between hierarchically linked models directly from the Canvas.
Besides navigation symbols, navigation buttons in the Model Toolbar can also be used to move through the model hierarchy. These buttons allow users to navigate:
-
to the previous model (one level up), or
-
to a linked model on a lower level
Navigation via the Model Toolbar is only possible within established assignments. This means that navigation is available only if models are hierarchically linked through assignments.
For more information about navigation symbols, see the Navigation Symbol section in the Objects documentation. For details about navigation using the Model Toolbar, refer to the Model Toolbar section.
Assigned model preview
If an object has an assigned model, an Assignments icon is displayed next to the object on the Canvas.
The Assignments icon is only visible if the Hide Assignments option in the Model Properties panel is disabled.
When hovering over the Assignments icon, a preview of the linked model is displayed.
The model preview is shown only if the the Show on Assignments option is activated in the User Preferences menu.
Clicking the Assignments icon opens the linked model in the current tab. To open the linked model in a new tab, hold down the Ctrl key while clicking the Assignments icon.