How to: Add Members to Application Systems
In System Designer, you can design an application system by adding members to its definition. These members include other systems and applications. The definition for this system appears on a system diagram. For more information, see Overview of Application Systems.
Note
Before you can design a system, you must either add a new or existing system diagram to your solution, or you must create a new solution with a blank system diagram. For more information, see How to: Add System Diagrams to Solutions and How to: Create System Diagrams.
You can add members to a system definition in the following ways:
You can add new systems or applications whose definitions do not yet exist in your solution.
You can add existing systems or applications whose definitions already exist in your solution.
You can copy members across the same diagram.
You can copy members between system diagrams in different instances of Visual Studio. For more information, see How to: Copy Between Solutions or Instances of Visual Studio.
After you add members, you can connect them, override their settings, expose their behavior, and so on. For more information, see Overview of System Designer.
You can also add endpoints to a system definition or to its members. This action defines and exposes behavior of the system. For more information, see the following topics:
To add new systems or applications to a system definition
From the system diagram, perform one of the following steps:
- To add a system, point to Add on the Diagram menu, point to System, and then click the type of system you want to add.
-or-
To add an application, point to Add on the Diagram menu, point to Application, and then click the type of application you want to add.
Tip
You can also drag a system or an application from the Toolbox to the system diagram.
The system or application appears as a new member inside the system definition.
When you add members, Visual Studio adds the corresponding definition, and diagram, if it is required, to your solution as follows:
If the new member is a system, its definition appears on a new system diagram. This new system diagram appears automatically in your solution.
If the new member is an application, its definition appears on the application diagram in your solution.
To add existing systems or applications to a system definition
From the System View window, drag an existing system or application to the system diagram.
Note
You can also right-click the application or system in the System View window, and then click Add to System Diagram. If you cannot see the System View window, open it. For more information, see How to: Display the System View Window.
The system or application appears as a new member inside the system definition.
Note
The current system that you are designing does not appear in the System View window because you cannot add a circular reference to that system. The System View window will include the current system when you create or open another system diagram.
See Also
Tasks
How to: Rename Members in Application Systems
How to: Delete Members from Application Systems
Walkthrough: Designing Application Systems by Using a Bottom-Up Approach
Walkthrough: Designing Application Systems by Using a Bottom-Up Approach