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Features for the end-users

Tools created with Sirius Desktop offer a rich modeling experience for the end-users having to manage very specific or complex models.
In addition to classic graphical modeling features (arranging, zooming, palettes, etc), Sirius provides extended mechanisms that can be adapted to each domain.

Complete Modeling Workbench

Natively integrated in Eclipse, end-users benefit from a complete and widely adopted workbench offering a large set of pre-built features:

  • frames organization,
  • serach,
  • errors management,
  • navigation,
  • etc.

Conditional Styles

Elements on a diagram created with Sirius can dynamically adapt their graphical style (size, color, label, etc) to the values of their properties.

It allows the end-user to easily detect the objects of interest.

Synchronized Diagrams

With Sirius it is possible to create diagrams that automatically populate and update their content.

This kind of diagram allows the end-user to benefit from representations that are always synchronized with the current model state.

Layers and Filters

Layers and filters on a diagram allow the end-user to hide or show some diagram elements depending on specific conditions.

They help in dynamically adapting and simplifying the diagram for focusing on particular aspects.

Validation

Validation rules can be applied by the users to detect problems in their models.

The rules can relate to semantic or graphical elements. They can have several severity levels and provide quickfixes to automatically apply solutions.

Features for the tools makers

Instead of coding your modeling editors from scratch, Sirius provides an innovative approach supported by
a set of integrated features for defining, testing and packaging your modeling workbench.

EMF-based

Relying on EMF (Eclipse Modeling Framework), Sirius benefits from very powerful features for defining and managing structured data model: domain model definition, reflective API, change notification, etc.

It also facilitates the integration with a large ecosystem of modeling technologies also based on EMF (Acceleo, Xtext, EMF Compare, etc).

DSL for Modeling Tools

Creating a modeling tool with Sirius consists in using a dedicated DSL for defining model editors (diagrams, trees, tables, sequences) and properties views without writing any code.

This DSL is supported by a specific editor and productivity tools.

Interpreted Mode

The definition of a modeling tool defined with Sirius’ internal DSL is interpreted at runtime.

It allows the tool maker to rapidly evaluate the tool under construction and facilitates the deployment of a new version.

Java Extensibility

Complex or specific behaviours can be implemented by writing Java code.

It also allows to easily reuse external components providing additional features not supported natively by Sirius.

What's new in the latest release?

Latest features

Discover the latest major features recently added to Sirius Desktop.

Learn more

Release Notes

See also the release notes for the full details.

Learn more

Detailed features

Interpreted Mode

Create a graphical designer without writing any code

XML serialization format The graphical designer is described in a configuration which is serialized in an open XML format.
Graphical Designer Editor The graphical designer is edited with a dedicated graphical editor
Dynamic evaluation The specification of the graphical designer (diagrams, tables, matrices, ...) and their associated tools are specified and interpreted at runtime. The designer can be tested directly from its specification environment .

Fully Customizable Viewpoints

A graphical designer provides viewpoints adapted to the user's role or activity. Each viewpoint corresponds to a set of representations (diagrams, tables, matrices or trees) which can be completely customized.

Customizable Diagrams You can specify diagrams to graphically represent the model elements with your own graphical choices. On each diagram you can choose the model elements to display and how to display them: the kind of mapping (node, container, port, edge), the graphical style (square, ellipse, image, size, colors, font, etc...), conditional styles (depending on a condition), decorators, etc... You can also define the tools available on this diagram: the palette content, optional layers (to show additional information on the same diagram), filters (to hide elements depending on a condition), validation rules and associated quickfixes, element edition tools (drop, reconnect, delete, paste, edit label, element selection wizard), model element creation tools, diagram creation tools, navigation tools, predefined automatic layouts, etc...
Customizable Tables You can specify tables to represent model elements as lines, where each cell corresponds to a feature. Cells are editable and can be graphically customized (font, color, etc...).
Customizable Matrix You can specify matrices to represent model elements as lines and columns, where each cell corresponds to a link between the objects in the line and the column.
Customizable Trees You can specify a tree to represent model elements, where each node corresponds to a model element with related objects as child nodes.
Customizable Sequence Diagrams You can specify a sequence diagram to represent your model elements with lifelines, messages and combined fragments. Inspired by UML, this kind of representation can be used with any DSL.
Customizable Properties Views You can specify custom properties views to display and edit model elements features.
Customizable Colors Palette You can define your own colors: Interpolated (a set of colors associated to a set of values) , User Fixed (RGB), Computed (from a model element) .
Java extensibility As Sirius is based on EMF and GMF, you can use Java to implement complex services or reuse external components .
Viewpoint elements reuse Many elements can be shared between representations. It allows you to reduce the amount of work by reusing existing viewpoints elements .

Complete Modeling Workbench

A Graphical Designer created with Sirius offers a complete modeling workbench to manage your models and their corresponding representations (diagrams, tables, matrices, trees and sequence diagrams).

Viewpoints selection When working on a model, you can select the viewpoints corresponding to your role or activity . It will restrict the available representations only to those needed for your working session .
Navigation between representations From any representation, you can click and create new representations or navigate to those already created .
XMI import/export Based on EMF, Sirius natively supports XMI format to import or export models.
Split XMI files (Control model elements) The XMI file containing a model can be splitted into several files to facilitate collaborative work with source control systems.

Diagram Edition

Each diagram defined with Sirius provides features to facilitate the visualization and the manipulation of the displayed model elements.

Zoom It is possible to zoom on a diagram from 5% to 400% .
Layers A layer shows additional objects on the current diagram. It can also add its own section of tools in the Palette. Several optional layers can be activated simultaneously. Each layer must be defined by the creator of the Graphical Designer .
Filters A filter hides objects on the current diagram depending on their type and properties . Several filters can be activated simultaneously. Each filter must be defined by the creator of the Graphical Designer .
Conditional styles A conditional style changes the appearance of a model element according to specific conditions (property values, relations, ...). It allows to highlight some model elements of interest.
Outline The outline shows a complete vision of the active diagram. It is a convenient way to navigate on the active diagram when it is too big to be seen entirely on the editor .
Automatic layout Sirius provides a default automatic layout to graphically reorganize the model elements . The automatic layout strategy can be customized by the creator of the Graphical Designer.
Validation Diagram can be validated to detect modeling rules violations defined by the Creator of the Graphical Designer . Each violated rule triggers either an Information, a Warning or an Error. They are shown both in the Problems view and the diagram via decorators on model elements.
Quickfixes Problems detected by a validation rule can be automatically corrected by quickfixes. Quickfixes are defined by the creator of the Graphical Designer.
Undo/Redo Undo/Redo is available to cancel last modifications and go back to a previous state .
Automatic initialization When creating a new diagram, it is automatically populated with available model elements. The query executed to retrieve model elements is defined by the creator of the Graphical Designer.
Rule and Grid On a diagram, it is possible to display two rulers (vertical and horizontal) and a grid. When moving model elements, they can be snapped to the grid .
Layouting mode This optional mode allows you to protect the underlying model while reorganizing a diagram . It avoids mistakenly changing properties or links related to model elements present on the diagram.
Elements show/hide Each model element visible on a diagram can be hidden on-demand .
Image export Each diagram can be exported as an image (JPEG, PNG, SVG, BMP or GIF). It is also possible to export all diagrams at once .
Elements alignments To arrange model elements on a diagram, it is possible to automatically align them with each other (from left, top, right, bottom, center or middle) .
Elements pin It is possible to fix the location of specific elements in a diagram. Fixed elements are not moved by the Arrange All action .
Synchronization mode With "Synchronized" mode, the diagram is automatically populated with all the candidate elements (for example all the classes of a package). However, with "Unsynchronized" mode, you choose the elements which are represented on the diagram.
Layout copy/paste It is possible to duplicate layout of diagram elements to replicate their mutual organization from one diagram to another .
Custom style Although the style of the diagram elements is defined by the creator of the Graphical Designer, it can be customized for each diagram element (background color, border size, foreground color, label alignment, label size and format, etc) .
Resizing Model elements can be resized manually or automatically. Automatic resizing can be performed by calculating the most appropriate size or by applying the size of another selected element .
Notes and texts To graphically document your diagram, you can add annotations (notes or texts). A note can be attached to a model element .