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9. SysML v1 — Visual Modeling

SysML v1 projects use a visual canvas editor: you place nodes and connect them with edges.

9.1 Supported diagram types

9.2 Creating and managing diagrams

• Use the diagram explorer (left sidebar) to see and open all diagrams in the project.
• Create a new diagram by opening a new tab and picking a diagram type.
• Empty diagrams are automatically seeded with an initial frame so you always have a boundary to work in.
• Rename a diagram from the title bar.

9.3 The canvas control panel

The control-panel toolbar gives you full control over the visual canvas:

• Zoom In / Out and Fit-to-View to adjust scale.
• Select vs Pan (Grab) tool switching for node interaction vs canvas movement.
• Auto-Layout (ELK engine) to instantly arrange complex diagrams.
• Canvas Minimap for wide-area navigation.
• Search Node to locate specific elements across large models.

9.4 Working with nodes (elements)

9.5 Working with edges (connectors)

• Create: drag from one node's connection handle to another.
• Change type: select the edge and pick a different relationship type (connector type switching) in the right sidebar.
• Delete: select and press Del.

9.6 Selection & clipboard

9.7 Grouping

• Group (Ctrl + G) links selected nodes so they move together.
• Ungroup (Ctrl + Shift + G) breaks the group.
• Groups can be named (edit the name in the right sidebar).
• Moving any member moves the whole group. Double-click a node to temporarily isolate and edit it individually.

9.8 Alignment, layout & the collision engine

Select two or more nodes (box selection), then use the alignment controls:

• Auto-Layout is powered by ELK (Eclipse Layout Kernel): it recalculates node placement and routes connecting edges to tidy up complex, densely populated diagrams in one action.
• Dynamic Collision Avoidance keeps diagrams clean automatically: as you drag or resize elements, overlapping nodes are repositioned (or removed from overlap) in real time, so you rarely need manual cleanup.

Caution — shortcut collision: Ctrl + Shift + H means Align Middle in the SysML v1 canvas, but Hide/Show Node in SysML v2 mode. The action depends on which editor is active. See Appendix A.

9.9 Locking elements

There are two distinct locks — do not confuse them:

• Edit lock (Ctrl + L to lock, Ctrl + Shift + L to unlock) — a persistent flag that prevents specific nodes from being moved or edited. Use it to protect finished parts of a diagram.
• Collaborative lock — a short-lived, automatic lock taken while you drag or resize a node, so teammates can't edit the same element at the same instant (see Collaboration).

9.10 Undo / redo

• Undo: Ctrl + Z
• Redo: Ctrl + Y or Ctrl + Shift + Z
• Up to 100 actions are retained in history. All undoable actions are synced so collaborators stay consistent.

9.11 Canvas navigation

9.12 Saving

SysModeler auto-saves your work:

• Changes save automatically a moment after you stop editing (debounced).
• The save-status indicator shows saved, saving, pending, or error.
• Your pan/zoom viewport is saved alongside the model, so you return to where you left off.
• Manual save on the v1 canvas: Ctrl + S.

9.13 Menus & context actions

• File — export and file-level actions.
• Edit — undo/redo, clipboard, select, manual save.
• View — display options.
• Help — keybindings and guidance.
• Right-click context menu — quick actions on the canvas or a specific node.

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