Astah User Interface
When you start Astah Professional or UML for the first time, you may get this blank screen.
But once you create a project or a diagram, the left pane will open:
Astah User Interface
Astah Professional and UML consist of six sections:
- Main Menu: Lists of the basic menu
- Project View: Show model information in a tree, list and where you search and set alias…etc.
- Map View: View controller of the diagram view
- Property View: Edit detailed information of the selected model
- Diagram Editor: A canvas where you draw diagrams
- Extra View: This pane will be added after you install plug-ins that require this view such as State transition tables, M Plus…etc.
Project View
Project View provides an overview of the whole project. Tabs at the top can be used to switch the Project View between “Structure Tree”, “Hierarchy Tree”, “Inheritance Tree”, “Map”, “Diagram”, “Search”, and “Alias” views.
Structure Tree
The Structure Tree is the default view in this Project View where you can see the structure of your project in a hierarchy. You can organize diagrams and models using packages.
Filter by keyword
Simply type a keyword, and hit the [Enter] key. The *, ? and camel cases are available.
Filter by type
You can filter by specifying the model type. If you want only Classes to appear in the tree, hit “type=class“.
You can also add a keyword to filter by its name too. (e.g: type=classEngine)
| Description | |
|---|---|
| type=class | This shows Classes only and the following keyword works for Classes only. |
| type=package | This shows Packages only and the following keyword will work for package names only. |
| type=er | This shows [ER] package and models under the [ER] package and the following keyword will work for ER models only. |
| type=diagram | This shows diagrams only and the following keyword will work for diagram names. |
Jump to related diagrams
When a model is used in other diagrams or in the same diagram within your project, you can find where they are used and jump to the specific model.
- Open a structure tree (the left-top pane).
- Right-click on a model and select [All Related Diagrams].
- A list of diagrams where the model is used will appear. Choose one.
- The diagram will open with a focus on the model you selected.
Map View
Map View is a controller of the diagram view. The yellow rectangle indicates the area that is currently shown in the Diagram Editor. 
Move
You can drag the yellow rectangle to change the area you want to see on the diagram editor.
Zoom in/out
You can create a yellow rectangle by a right-drag to pinpoint where you want to see.
Hide Map View
If you do not need an independent map view, you can hide it.
- Go to [Tools] – [System Properties] and select [Project View] from the left menu.
- Unselect [Show Map view below Project view (Restarting Astah is required.)] option, click [Apply] – [OK].
- Restart Astah.
- Map View will be gone, but it can be opened from [Map] tab in the top-left pane when needed.
[Diagram] Pane
[Diagram] view shows a list of all the diagrams in the project file. You can sort this list by its name, diagram type, the model type and also packages where the diagrams belong to.
You can open the diagram or jump to where the diagram is in the structure tree from the context menu of the diagram in this list.
[Search] Pane
In this Search view, you can search models and diagrams within a project.
You can use search options to access the specific models or replace strings, and clean up the project by finding unused models or broken hyperlinks…etc.
Search Options
You can filter out models that are not on any of the diagrams or referenced by any other models and also find broken hyperlinks.
To learn more about Search features, please read this guide.
Light Theme and Dark Theme
Dark theme is available since version 9.0. To change the theme, go to [View] – [Look & Feel].
After changing the theme, you will need to restart Astah.
TIPS: 8 Best Light/Dark Themes
