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The project properties dialog allows you to customize the graphical default properties for the current project. They affect the apparence of all Work Flow nodes, links, and labels, that will be added inside the Work Flow canvas. Nodes, links and labels already present inside the Work Flow, aren't affected by the changes commited within this dialog, however you can apply the project defaults to nodes, links and labels by clicking the reset to defaults button as described in Section 4.2.1, "Changing the appearance of nodes", Section 4.2.2, "Changing the appearance of links" and Section 4.2.3, "Changing the appearance of labels".
When you start a new project the default properties for nodes, links and labels are taken from the modeFRONTIER project defaults, these defaults can be accessed via the -> menu as described in Section B.2.2, "Project Defaults".
Furthermore project properties can be exported and imported from a specified file, so you can share you preference between your projects or with other modeFRONTIER users.
To invoke the project properties dialog box you need to bring up the canvas contextual menu, and then select the Edit Properties item. At the top of the dialog box you can find a toolbat that let you to export, import, save as modeFRONTIER defaults and reset to modeFRONTIER defaults your set of project properties. Instead, at the bottom of the dialog box you will find a set of buttons that allow you to commit the changes you made (Ok), preview the effects of such changes, or reject the changes (Cancel).
The exported set of properties can be later imported in other projects and can be provided to other modeFRONTIER user.
The project properties are diveded into six groups. If only the group title is visible, just click on the triangle that precedes it, and the properties will appear. We will now examine in detail each of these groups of properties.
Node Positioning Grid Spacing: Set the size of the positioning grid for nodes, links, and labels. This represents the minimum distance by which elements can be moved over the canvas. Beware that setting this value too high can cause severe link routing problems.
Default Routing Algorithm: Select the routing algorithm that should be used by default to compute a link route from the origin to the recipient connector.
Snap Knots to Grid: If set indicates that knots should be snapped to the positioning grid like nodes, links and labels. If not set knots can be positioned anywhere.
Show Exit Conditions: If set the condition associated with each conditional link is displayed alongside the link.
Here you can impose the font size, style and color to be used for the various labels that are automatically drawn.
Node Labels: Select the font to be used to draw node labels. The color is the same as the node border, and cannot be set here.
Subsystem Node Title: Select the font to be used to draw subsystem titles. The color is the same as the subsystem border, and cannot be set here.
Subsystem Inner Labels: Select the font to be used to draw the description of subsystem connectors. The color is the same as the subsystem border, and cannot be set here.
Condition Labels: Select the font to be used to draw the condition label for conditional links.
Here you can define a set of colors that are used as indicators of some state.
Background Color: Select the color for the canvas window background
Subsystem Background Color: Select the color for subsystem windows
Color for Print Area: Select the background color to be used to indicate the print area.
Here you can define a set of default graphic properties to be used for each type of node. You must start off by assigning default values for a generic node, and for a generic dual axis node (i.e., nodes with connectors on all four sides). Then you can decide to further customize individual node type. To do so, you need to select the checkbox corresponding to the node type you're interested in. Note that for generic nodes you cannot set any control to the "default" value, as here is where you define the defaults. Controls for customizing individual node types can instead be set to the "default" value, as in that case the value for the generic node (or generic dual axis node, if appropriate) will be used.
The parameters you can set here are the same that you find in a node graphic properties dialog (see Section 4.2.1, "Changing the appearance of nodes") and are thus not described here.
Here you can define default values for the line color, width and style for each type of link.
Process Flow Link: Select the line type you want to use for process links.
Data Flow Link: Select the line type you want to use for data links.
Expression Components Link: Select the line type you want to use for expression links.
Here you can define a set of default graphic properties to be used for labels. The parameters you can set here are the same that you find in a label graphic properties dialog (see Section 4.2.3, "Changing the appearance of labels") and are thus not described here.
