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Spotlights

Introduction​

Spotlights provide a comprehensive view of a model element's relationships across all diagrams it may be used in. With one click, you can see how a system, container, component, or actor interacts with other elements, regardless if they are used in one diagram or several.

This feature helps you:

  • Understand dependencies across your architecture
  • Identify hidden connections that may impact design decisions
  • Ensure consistency by tracking relationships beyond individual diagrams

Overview​

The Spotlights page provides you with an overview over all model elements in your project as a starting point for your spotlight. With a click on one model element label, its spotlight view is opened in an overlay that can be closed again by clicking the X icon in the top right corner or ESC on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can open the spotlight via the table row actions by selecting Open spotlight.

Spotlight view​

The spotlight view show the corresponding model element in the center of the canvas with all the relationships of all diagrams the element is used in displayed around it.

With one click on a model element card, you can open its details; here you can view and edit the same information that is also provided in the Model elements overview:

  • Details: Master data of the model element (see also Create a model element); all writable fields are editable here as well.
  • Usages: Displays where the model element is already in use. This can be Diagrams to which the element has been added, as well as Systems (for Containers) or Containers (for Components), if the element is already part of a system/container.
  • Relationships: This tab comprises all Incoming and Outgoing relationships to other model elements of the project. In a diagram, these relationships are visualized as arrows between model element cards. Clicking on one of the elements in this section highlights the corresponding element in the canvas as well.
  • Loop: Here, you can find links and connections to other parts of the project.

All changes that are done here are automatically reflected in the Model elements overview, and vice versa.

Similarly, you can view the details of each relationship between model elements.

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You can also open the spotlight view from the Model elements overview by selecting Open spotlight in the overflow menu in the element details or within its table row actions.