When you open a model from the explorer tree service panel, a second tab will open, displaying the model on the diagram pane. This is where you design your BPMN model.

The diagram pane consists of different areas:

Customizing the Diagram Pane

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You have several options to adjust the diagram pane. When you open the pane for the first time, the default view is displayed:

The Diagram Pane is displayed in the centre at the top
(see Managing the Diagram Pane for details).
The Execution Pane is displayed below the diagram pane
(see chapter Modeling Execution for further information).
Three Designer Panels are shown in the left sidebar
(see Managing Panels for details):
- The Service Panel
- The Attributes Panel
- The Validation Panel

Managing the Diagram Pane

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To gain more space for modeling, you can hide the whole execution pane by clicking the icon Image Removed in the model toolbar.

Managing Panels

Modeling on the Diagram Pane

While modeling, some general functionalities help you to browse through your model, and to adjust your working location within the model. Refer to Customizing Editors and Panels for more details.

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The Toolbars

Two toolbars are available for work on the diagram pane:

The Model Toolbar

Image Added	The model toolbar assists you during modeling on the diagram pane.
Image Added	Enabled options are highlighted in blue.

The following table explains the available tools:

Tool Icon

Tool Name

Description

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Export

Use this icon to export your BPMN model in JSON format.

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Share

If you click the Share icon, the URL of your BPMN model is copied to the clipboard and you can paste it elsewhere, for example in an email.

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Hide Execution Pane

Use this icon to hide the execution pane. This allows to gain more space during modeling.

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Toggle grid

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Modeling on the Diagram Pane

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Insert/Remove horizontal space

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Insert/Remove vertical space

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Undo

ActionExampleDescription

Navigation

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You can use the Overview Panel to navigate in your BPMN model. The panel displays your model and a blue frame, representing the content shown on the diagram pane.

If you want to work on another part of the model, you can use the frame to quickly change the display.

Zoom

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When modeling, you have several options to apply the zoom on the diagram pane.

Press the Ctrl button and use the mouse wheel.
Use the zoom bar at the bottom of the pane.
To zoom, you can use the pin or press the plus or minus button of the zoom bar.

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You can also use the Overview Panel to zoom in or out the model: Hover over the right bottom corner of the blue frame. The cursor changes and you can resize the frame.

Shifting Content

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You have also several options to shift the content on the pane:

Use the mouse wheel to move the pane and its content vertically.
Press the Shift button and use the mouse wheel to move the content horizontally.
Use the scroll bars for both directions.
Use the overview panel.

Scaling

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The Toolbars

Two toolbars are available for work on the diagram pane:

The Model Toolbar

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Redo

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The Elements Toolbar

The elements toolbar contains all BPMN elements that you can create on the diagram pane.

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By default, the elements toolbar only displays the icons of the available BPMN elements.

But you can also expand the toolbar by using the Image Addedicon.

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In its expanded version, the names of all elements are also displayed.

Tip
In chapter Supported BPMN Elements all elements and their specific properties are described.

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The Diagram Context Menus

Various context menus support the user during modeling on the diagram pane:

Elements Context Menu

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If you click on an element, the element context menu opens. You can use it to create new elements instead of using the elements toolbar.

Choose one of the icons to create the corresponding element:

Icon	Element
Image Modified	End Event
Image Modified	Plain Event
Image Modified	Message Event
Image Modified	Timer Event
Image Modified	Service Task
Image Modified	User Task
Image Modified	Receive Task
Image Modified	Exclusive Gateway
Image Modified	Parallel Gateway

If you create a new element using the context menu, the relation to the current element is drawn automatically.

Tools Context Menu

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If you right click on an element, the tools context menu opens. Use it to edit the current element.

The following options are available:

Icon	Description
Image Modified	Delete the element.
Image Modified	Copy the element.
Image Modified	Cut the element.
Image Modified	Paste format of the element.
Image Modified	Bring the element to the front.
Image Modified	Send the element to the background.

Extended Tools Context Menu

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If you have selected more than one element on the pane, the tools context menu is enhanced with additional options:

Icon	Description
Image Modified	Align left
Image Modified	Align right
Image Modified	Align center
Image Modified	Align top
Image Modified	Align bottom
Image Modified	Align middle
Image Modified	Auto layout
Image Modified	Distribute horizontally
Image Modified	Distribute vertically
Image Modified	Align relation

Info
The number of displayed options depends on your selection on the diagram pane.

Relation Context Menu

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Right-click a relation to open the relation context menu. Only the following options are applicable to relations:

Icon	Description
Image Modified	Delete the relation.
Image Modified	Paste format of the relation.
Image Modified	Bring the relation to the front.
Image Modified	Send the relation to the background.
Image Modified	Align the relation.

Diagram Context Menu

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With a right-click on the diagram pane itself, you open the diagram context menu:

Icon	Description
Image Modified	Paste a copied element.

Shortcuts

You can also use shortcuts on the diagram pane. The following list of shortcuts can be searched. Enter your search term in the Global Filter field.

CTRL

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Shortcut	Description
Arrow down	Moves the selected element(s) downwards by increments of one gridline. If no elements are selected, the whole diagram pane is moved downwards.
Arrow left	Moves the selected element(s) to the left by increments of one gridline. If no elements are selected, the whole diagram pane is moved to the left.
Arrow right	Moves the selected element(s) to the right by increments of one gridline. If no elements are selected, the whole diagram pane is moved to the right.
Arrow up	Moves the selected element(s) upwards by increments of one gridline. If no elements are selected, the whole diagram pane is moved upwards.

CTRL

Ctrl + 1, 2, 3 ... 9

Opens the tab corresponding to the chosen number. The first nine opened models are offered for activation. Press a number to activate the corresponding model and bring it to the foreground.

CTRL

Ctrl + A

Selects all elements on the diagram pane.

CTRL

Ctrl + Arrow down

Moves the selected element(s) downwards by increments of one pixel.

CTRL

Ctrl + Arrow left

Moves the selected element(s) to the left by increments of one pixel.

CTRL

Ctrl + Arrow right

Moves the selected element(s) to the right by increments of one pixel.

CTRL

Ctrl + Arrow up

Moves the selected element(s) upwards by increments of one pixel.

CTRL

Ctrl + C

Copies the selected element(s) to the clipboard.

CTRL

Ctrl + D

Closes the active model window.

CTRL + left mouse button

Allows you to add or remove individual elements from the selection one by one.

Ctrl + Mouse Wheel

Reduces (scrolling down) or enlarges (scrolling up) the zoom factor of the model.

CTRL

Ctrl +

SHIFT

Shift + D

Closes all tabs and switches to explorer tab.

CTRL

Ctrl + V

Generates copies of the selected element(s).

CTRL

Ctrl + X

Cuts the selected element(s) and copies them to the clipboard.

CTRL

Ctrl + Y

Repeats editing steps that have been undone.

CTRL

Ctrl + Z	Undoes previous editing steps.
Ctrl + left mouse button	Allows you to add or remove individual elements from the selection one by one.

DEL

Del

Press Del to remove selected elements from the diagram pane.

ESC

Esc

Pressing the Esc key aborts the following processes:

adding a new element
closing a dialog
drawing a relation
moving elements
reattaching a relation
changing the relation path
creating an image
changing the name of an element

Mouse Wheel

Moves the model up or down.

SHIFT

Shift + Mouse Wheel

Moves the model to the right (scrolling up) or left (scrolling down).

SHIFT

Shift + Page down

Switches to the next tab from left to right.

SHIFT

Shift + Page up

Switches to the next tab from right to left.

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Page tree

Versions Compared

Old Version 8

New Version Current

Key

Customizing the Diagram Pane

Managing the Diagram Pane

Modeling on the Diagram Pane

The Toolbars

The Model Toolbar

Modeling on the Diagram Pane

The Toolbars

The Model Toolbar

The Elements Toolbar

The Diagram Context Menus

Shortcuts

Page tree

Page History

Versions Compared

Old Version 8

New Version Current

Key

Customizing the Diagram Pane

Managing the Diagram Pane

Modeling on the Diagram Pane

The Toolbars

The Model Toolbar

Modeling on the Diagram Pane

The Toolbars

The Model Toolbar

The Elements Toolbar

The Diagram Context Menus

Shortcuts