Palette Creation Tools

Apart from the Selection Tools there are other tools available on the Palette used to create new ArchiMate elements, Notes, Groups and Relations between elements (connections). To add a new element or to the canvas select one and drag it onto or click onto the canvas.

Relations

There are eleven types of ArchiMate relation and three types of junction elements (the latter are not strictly connections but they are grouped with the relations on the Palette).


The Relations Creation Tools in the Palette

The first tool is the Magic Connector, used for drawing connections. This is followed by creation tools for Specialisation, Composition, Aggregation, Assignment, Realisation, Triggering, Flow, Used By, Access and Association relations. Junctions follow these.

Notes and Groups

Used for adding a Note, Group Container, or Note Connection to a View.


Note, Group and Note Connection Creation Tools

ArchiMate Elements

These are divided into 5 areas corresponding to the "Business", Application and "Technology" ArchiMate layers and the extensions "Motivation" and "Implementation & Migration":


The Creation tools

Note that a sub-set of these elements will only be available if the current View is restricted to a given Viewpoint.

Tip: Press the shift key when selecting a palette tool to keep it selected

By default, once an element or connection has been drawn on the canvas the default selection tool (arrow) is re-selected on the palette. If you wish to keep the current palette tool selected hold the “Shift” key down when you select it.