The Symbol Editor for Roles works similarly to the normal Symbol Editor, except for a few details presented in this chapter.

The Symbol Editor for Roles has a line coming from the left side of the drawing area. This line represents the role line coming from an imaginary relationship left of the picture, and ending at an imaginary object in the center of the picture. The role symbol should be defined relative to the end of the line, because the end represents the position where the role line will stop as it connects to the object symbol. Symbol elements should not normally be placed to the right of the end of the line, as they would then be on top of the object symbol. The symbol should look as it would when pointing horizontally from left to right: role symbols are rotated according to the angle of the role line.

There is no need to define Connectables for role symbols, and thus there are no toolbar buttons for them. Otherwise the Symbol Editor for Roles works as an ordinary Symbol Editor.

To change the appearance of the role line, select Edit | Format Role Line... from the menu bar or press Ctrl+R. This will open the Format Dialog with a Line and Fill settings tab (see Section 3.2.1 for more information).

To align an element precisely with the end of the role line, select the element and then select Align | To Role Line End (or press Ctrl-L). The midpoint of the right hand side of the element will be aligned with the right end of the role line.

When building symbols for roles, you must take into account the rotation of role symbols with their lines. For most elements there are two options for rotating: a true rotation along the role or just moving around the line without rotating. The text fields are an exception to this: as text is only printed horizontally, they can not rotate.

To set the rotation behavior of an element, open the Format Dialog for it. Open the Rotation tab and check or uncheck the Allow element to rotate box as needed.

As an example, imagine a low, wide element above the end of the role line. In a role that points down in a diagram, that element will always be to the right of the role line: its center point has been rotated relative to the end of the role line, just like the role line itself. If the element is set to rotate, it will now be tall and thin. If the element is set not to rotate, it will remain low and wide, and thus may even partially cross the role line. Such effects must be taken into account with elements that do not rotate, and are not roughly as wide as they are tall.