Sticky Spots

Sticky spots are the named connection points on a shape that connectors attach to. You can add your own, move them, and delete them to control exactly where connectors meet a shape.

The Sticky Spot Tools

Sticky spots are edited with the Sticky Spot Tools button in the toolbar. Its dropdown has three modes:

ModeWhat it does
Move Sticky SpotDrag a sticky spot (or a connector endpoint) to a new position
Add Sticky SpotClick a shape to add a new spot where you click
Delete Sticky SpotRemove a spot from a shape

These tools have no keyboard shortcut. Right-click or press Esc to return to the Select tool.

Adding Sticky Spots

  1. Choose Sticky Spot Tools → Add Sticky Spot in the toolbar
  2. Click a shape — its existing spots are revealed, and a new spot is added at the point you clicked
  3. Keep clicking to add more spots

Spots are kept within the shape's bounding box.

Moving Sticky Spots

  1. Choose Sticky Spot Tools → Move Sticky Spot
  2. Drag a sticky spot (or a connector endpoint) to its new location
  3. As you drag, the endpoint snaps to the shape's exact contour, with the target highlighted so you can see where it will land
  4. Release to drop it — attached connectors update automatically

In the Add and Delete modes you can also drag an already revealed spot to move it.

Deleting Sticky Spots

  1. Choose Sticky Spot Tools → Delete Sticky Spot
  2. Click the shape to reveal its spots
  3. Click the spot you want to remove

Deleting works on the sticky spots of notation symbols.

Connecting to Sticky Spots

  1. Select the Connector tool (press C)
  2. Drag from one shape to another
  3. As you drag near a sticky spot, it highlights
  4. Release to attach the connector to that spot

Use Cases

  • UML class diagrams — spots at the top and bottom centre of class boxes for inheritance lines
  • Flowcharts — consistent exit points, e.g. Yes/No branches always leaving from the left and right
  • Network diagrams — spots at the exact port positions of servers, routers, and switches

Tips

  1. Add spots before connecting — define connection points first, then draw connectors
  2. Use consistent positions on similar shapes
  3. Combine with Smart Connectors — sticky spots control where a line attaches, smart routing handles the path