You can open diagrams either in the same tab or in a new tab – just like in the most popular Internet browsers.

The benefits of using tabbed browsing include:

  • Ability to analyze different aspects of the system (such as requirements, architecture, test cases, or domain models) in separate tabs. Both backward and forward navigation are supported for each aspect (tab) separately. Navigation does not open new tabs by default, which greatly helps in limiting the number of open tabs.
  • Ability to compare separate views of the system side-by-side. For example, business and IT architectures can be displayed in two tabs side-by-side and analyzed by drilling down in their hierarchies. Navigation deeper in the structures will not open new tabs, which allows smooth analysis of the modeled system.
  • Smooth work with multiple screens. Browsing in a tab of the second screen never opens diagrams in the first screen, which means you stay in the same screen. New tabs open in the same screen, to the right of the active one.


To open a diagram do one of the following:

  • Double-click the diagram.
  • Select the diagram and press Enter.
  • Right-click the diagram and then click Open in New Tab.
  • Select the diagram and press Ctrl+Enter. The diagram opens on the top of the active tab.
  • Right-click the diagram and then click Open. The diagram opens on the top of the active tab.


To open a diagram from the diagram pane: 

  • Double-click the model element to which the diagram is assigned. The new diagram opens in the same diagram tab.


To open a diagram from the content diagram (available in the Standart, Professional, Architect, and Enterprise editions): 

If the diagram is added to the table of contents or a shape of the diagram is drawn on the diagram pane, do one of the following:

  • Double-click the diagram shape. The diagram opens in the same diagram tab.
  • On the diagram pane, right-click the diagram shape, and then click Open. The diagram opens in the same diagram tab.
  • On the diagram pane, right-click the diagram shape and then click Open in New Tab


To open a diagram from Diagrams menu, do one of the following:

  • On the main menu point to Diagrams and then click Recently Opened. The Recently Opened Diagrams dialog opens. Double-click the diagram you want to open or press Enter.
  • Press F12. The Recently Opened Diagrams dialog opens. Double-click the diagram you want to open or press Enter.


  • You can change the default diagram opening behavior in the Environment Options dialog, the General options group, under the Navigation category.
  • Press the Ctrl key when opening diagram, to turn on the opposite diagram opening mode. For example, if by default opening in the same tab is active, by using the Ctrl key, the diagram will open in the new tab and vice versa.
  • To load all diagrams that have been created in the project, from the Diagrams menu, select Load All Diagrams.
  • In the General pane of the Environment Options dialog box, you can select a method for loading diagrams while opening a project. Three options are available:

a) Load all Diagrams – loads all diagrams existing in the project.
b) Load Only Open Diagrams – loads only diagrams that were not closed in earlier usages of the project.
c) Do not Load Diagrams – all diagrams are not loaded and closed after opening a project.


To navigate backward and forward between diagrams in the same diagram tab, do one of the following

  • On the diagram toolbar, click the  or  button.
  • Press Alt+Left Arrow or Alt+Right Arrow.

Related pages