Creating Links Between Objects and Connection Points

Link is a workspace object determining correspondence between objects by connection points. Links can be represented by arrows or lines.

Connection point is an object point used to link it with another object.

Creating Links

To create a link between objects, do the following:

Activate line creation mode:

Lines. It creates a straight line between objects by connection points. It is visually presented as straight line without angles:

Click the Line button on the toolbar and select the Line option in the drop-down list.
Press ALT+2.

Links. It creates a link between objects by connection points. It is visually presented as straight line with arrow without angles:

Click the Line button on the toolbar and select the Link option in the drop-down list.
Press ALT+3;

Connecting Lines. It creates a straight line between objects. To create a connecting line, hold down the CTRL key when moving the cursor from the anchor point of one object to the anchor point of other object. Connecting line will be automatically changed to the straight line with right angles:

Click the Line button on the toolbar and select the Connecting Line option in the drop-down list.
Press ALT+4.

Curved Connecting Lines. It creates a straight line between objects:

Click the toolbar button and select the Curved Line option in the drop-down list.
Press ALT+5;

To create a connecting curved line, hold down the CTRL key when moving the cursor from the connection point of one object to the connection point of other object.

After activating any of modes except for connecting line creation mode, move the mouse pointer to one of the object connection points on the object for binding. Then click the main mouse button. Connection point in this case is shown as a red square:

NOTE. Connection points of connecting line may be joined to any object point as well as to connection points of other lines.

Then hold down the mouse button and move the cursor to the connection point of other object, which is highlighted with a red square:

To create a connecting curved line, hold down the CTRL key when moving the cursor from the connection point of one object to the connection point of other object.

Release the mouse button. The link is established:

Links can be edited after their creation.

To use figured arrows and lines displayed on the workspace as a link, hover over the arrow or line anchor point containing the + sign, hold down the mouse button, and drag the cursor to anchor point of another object. Release the mouse button. After the link is established, connection point of figured arrow or line is highlighted with another color.

Connection Points

There are five basic connection points for workspace objects (except for lines and polygons):

All perimeter points are fixed. A link connected to such a point remains anchored to this point regardless of the object position. Central connection point is floating, that is, the link is anchored to one of the perimeter points depending on the object position.

See below an example that shows the difference between perimeter connection points and the central connection points. Initial object position:

Object 1 and Object 2 are linked via perimeter points, while Object 3 and Object 4 are linked via the central points. Change positions of the objects:

In the first case (Object 1 and Object 2) the link is still connected to the points, with which it was initially set; in the second case (Object 3 and Object 4) the link has changed connection points and this resulted in a better look.