On this page

Introduction

You can link text directly to internal or external resources by adding hyperlinks. This enables you to open a document, wizard, diagram, or other hyperlink type by clicking the hyperlink.

Places to add hyperlink in text

You can add a hyperlink in the following places:

  • In all elements of the text format (e.g. Note, Anchor, Comment).
  • In all element property values of the text format (e.g. To Do, Documentation, Body, Body and Language, Text, Min, Max).

    You can insert a hyperlink only for LiteralString and OpaqueExpression Value Specifications (e.g Default Value property, Value property, and Argument property values).

  • In all element Specification window > Documentation/Hyperlinks property groups.

Adding hyperlinks in text

Before adding a hyperlink, select the text format, either HTML or Plain text. If you select:

Adding a hyperlink in text to any hyperlink type

To add a hyperlink in text to any hyperlink type


  1. Select a place to add a hyperlink. All places to add hyperlinks in text >>
  2. Click Insert Hyperlink or press Ctrl+K.
  3. In the Edit Hyperlink dialog, select the tab according to hyperlink type.
  4. Specify the boxes and options in the selected tab.

    Descriptions of boxes and tabs

    Please see the following for more in-depth information about the boxes and options on each tab:
     - Address tab
     - File tab
     - Element/Symbol tab
     - OSLC Link tab

  5. Click OK.The hyperlink added in text becomes underlined and blue. For example, the figure below shows where the hyperlink on the text "Car" will open the Specification window of the Car Class. The hyperlinked text will be represented with icon and will be automatically updated after changes.

    The Element/Symbol tab in the Edit Hyperlink dialog where the text "Car" refers to the Car Class from the model. It is represented with an icon and will be automatically updated after changes.

Adding hyperlink in text to element/symbol

Two additional ways to add a hyperlink in text to an element/symbol include:

This method of adding hyperlinks in text is useful only when inserting a hyperlink to element on Note or Text box shapes.

To add a hyperlink to an element by dragging an element on a Note or Text box shape


  1. In the Model Browser or Specification window, select one or more elements.
  2. Drag the selected elements onto the Note or the Text Box shapes on the diagram pane.
    The hyperlink to the element Specification window is created on the Note or Text Box. The text become underlined and blue.

    The Update Mode and Text to display values are selected according default settings. How to change the default settings of hyperlinks to model elements >>

Adding hyperlinks to elements on Guard expressions, Change Event expressions, and State Invariant

This method of adding hyperlinks in text is useful when inserting hyperlinks to properties on:


To add a hyperlink on a guard expression, State Invariant, and Change Event


  1. Select one of the following:
    • guard expression on Transition in State Machine diagram.
    • guard expression on Flow in Activity diagram.
    • State Invariant in Sequence diagram.
    • Change Event expression in State Machine diagram. 
  2. Press Ctrl+Space or Ctrl+ Backspace.

    If you press Ctrl+K, the Edit Hyperlink dialog opens and you can insert a hyperlink to an appropriate property. Make sure the selected property is correct.

  3. Select the property from the list.

    The list provides all parameters, structural members of behavior, and structural members of the contextual classifier of behavior.

    The hyperlinked property is added according to the default setting of the Update Mode and Text to display list boxes. How to change the default settings of hyperlinks to model elements >>

    For example, in the figure below, the hyperlink to the currentSpeed Property is added on the guard expression. It is updated after renaming the currentSpeed Property to speed.

The hyperlink to the currentSpeed Property is added on the guard expression. It is updated after renaming the currentSpeed Property to speed in the Model Browser.