What is Guided Modeling for?

Guided Modeling supports you in placing or moving items. When you place or move objects or connections in a model, lines and arrows appear informing you of the orientation and distance of the items from adjacent items. The items snap into place at the point where Guided Modeling "suggests" that they be positioned. If Guided Modeling and the grid are switched on, Guided Modeling has priority when you position items.

Lines show the horizontal and vertical alignment to the adjacent items.

Guided Modeling - Orientation

Guided Modeling always takes into account the nearest relevant items for the alignment lines.

Arrows indicate the distance between the moving object and the adjacent items.

Guided Modeling - Distance

Distances are only displayed for items that are in the visible area of the modeling area.

When placing objects, the default distance is indicated by the following cursor: Default distance cursor

Guided Modeling - Default distance

The default distance is the distance set for the horizontal and vertical item spacing of an optimized layout. To set the default distance, you must perform an optimized layout with an item spacing setting.

Guided Modeling is also provided for multi selections and connections.

Guided Modeling - Multi selection

The item of several selected items that you click to drag is used as the reference item. It is highlighted in bold when dragged and the orientation and distance guides are displayed for this item.

Guided Modeling for connections allows you to connect connections centrally at the border of the object regardless of the grid. (The blue highlighting of the guides in the screenshot serves only for clarification.)

Guided Modeling - Connections

See also

Place object symbols