Extracting

The extraction functionality allows for moving a selected part of a diagram to a newly created diagram. A referencing element will be created in a place of the extracted element(s) in the source diagram.

In order to make the diagrams more readable and usable, you can extract a specific part of the diagram to another diagram. By using the extraction, you can reuse that part of the diagram to simplify a complicated system.

Definitions

Source diagram

A source diagram is the diagram from which the elements are extracted.

Target diagram

A target diagram is the newly created diagram resulting from the extraction. The selected elements are moved from the source diagram to the target diagram.

Extracting

Extracting means moving selected elements from one location to another. In other words, the selected elements are deleted from the source diagram and moved to the newly created target diagram.

Referencing element

A referencing element is created as the result of the extraction. The referencing element is created in the source diagram and represents the elements moved to the target diagram during the extraction.

A referencing element contains the reference to the target diagram. Therefore, double-clicking the referencing element on the diagram pane or in the Model Browser will open the target diagram.

Intersected relationship

An intersected relationship is the relationship selected in the source diagram. The intersection appears when the selection intersects the relationship - one end element of the relationship is selected, but not both.

You can use the extraction functionality in the following diagrams:

• Extracting in Sequence Diagram
• Extracting in Activity Diagram
• Extracting in State Machine diagram
• Extracting in Composite Structure diagram

To extract a selected part

1. On the diagram, select a part that you want to extract.
2. From the selected part's shortcut menu, select Refactor > Extract. An extract wizard specific to the particular type of diagram opens.