Create a New Visio Drawing from the Start Dialog
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Select the template category if the desired template is not recent
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Now pick the template from the category, then click Create
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Elements of a Visio Drawing
Ribbon
Palette or Page
Shapes
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Setting the Page Layout, select Design, then size, then orientation
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Recommended Settings: 8 by 11, orientation to fit goals
The working page after page setup
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Set the Snap Settings Select View, then Visual Aids
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Snap & Glue Dialog Box Recommended Settings
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Set up how the shapes are displayed Right click the Shapes title bar, select your style
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Example Add a column
Change Zoom settings to fineadjust
Select the shape group
Drag & Drop to approximate location
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Control Points, square & green, change length & height of shape Click and drag the control point
Use these to change height
Use these to change width
Use the corner points to enlarge or diminish keeping the aspect ratio constant
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Control Points, round & green, rotate the shape Click and drag the control point
To move a shape, click and drag it (The cursor will become a 4 headed arrow) To move multiple shapes, either select them by dragging a box or use Ctrlclick to select them
To Copy a shape, use one of the following: Click on the shape, copy, paste (Edit menu or right click) Click on the shape and press the keys Ctrl and D Or click the shape, drag it to the new location, hold control key down, release the mouse button
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Labels move with the shape
To add your own label, click on the shape and type in the label
To modify an existing label, click on the shape and press F2
To format the label box or text, right click the text, select Format
To move the label relative to the shape, drag the yellow diamond shaped control point
To make the label disappear, right click on the object and select Hide Tag. To make it re-appear, right click the object and select Show Tag.
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Shapes overlapping other shapes
Use these menu selections to change the order of the shapes
E-12 is in front of E-11 E-10 is in front of E-9
Or right click the object to change its order
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Shapes can have opaque color or be transparent Right click on the shape to get the menu
Use this menu selection to change the pattern of the shape to none to make it tranparent Use this menu selection to get the Fill dialog box Use this menu selection to change the color of the shape
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Summarizing what has gone on before, a simple example
These items were added by drag & drop, then adjusted by size and rotation
Nudge shapes with fine control using the shift + arrow keys
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Connecting the Shapes
Click on this menu selection to change to the connector pointer
Click on the connection point, a blue x, on the first shape, then drag to the desired connection point on the second shape
The connectors are dynamic, if either shape is moved, Visio will automatically re-route the connector
Connectors have labels just like shapes
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About Connectors
Use this menu selection to add arrows to a connector
Connectors dont have to start or end on a shapes connection point. This connector starts in free space.
If the end of a connector is green, it is not attached to anything. If it is red, it is connected to a connection point
To break a connection, click on the red end point and drag it away from the shape.
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Tweaking the connectors
Right click on a connector, select this menu to get the line format dialog box
These connectors were rounded from the dialog box
The upright of this connector was moved by clicking on it, then dragging its square control point to the left
The width or weight of this connector was changed in the dialog box
This connector was made a dotted line by changing the pattern in the dialog box
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Everything put together
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Opening other shape collections
Use the More Shapes option to open other shape collections Or use Search for Shapes to find a specific shape
This coupling set is from the Mechanical Engineering Fluid Power Valve shape collection
When you are done with a shape collection, right click its title and select Close
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Exporting to Word
After you have saved as VSD, do a Save As
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Exporting to Word
Select WMF as the type
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Exporting to Word
In WORD, do an Insert Picture Select your saved file
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Exporting to Word
Resize & Tweak to your hearts content
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Advanced Topic: Using Grouping
Drop the components on the page
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Advanced Topic: Using Grouping
Arrange the components
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Advanced Topic: Using Grouping
Use Ctrl+click to select the desired components
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Advanced Topic: Using Grouping
Right click on any selected shape, select Group
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Advanced topic Adding connection points
Suppose you want to connect a connector line here, but there is no connection point
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Advanced topic Adding connection points
Select the connection point tool
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Advanced topic Adding connection points
Click and drag an existing connection point to a new location, or Ctrl-click to create a new connection point
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Advanced topic Finding more shapes
Where would we be without Google?
Google Visio Shapes Download
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Advanced topic Finding more shapes
Microsoft provides some free Educational shapes
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c4d6f3d5-1b4a-4a6bad12-197b8e2a0c61&displaylang=en
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Advanced topic Finding more shapes
Microsoft provides some free Educational shapes
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c4d6f3d5-1b4a-4a6bad12-197b8e2a0c61&displaylang=en
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Advanced topic Finding more shapes
After installation, new shapes are in MyShapes menu selection
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Advanced topic Finding more shapes
This is the organic compounds shape collection
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Advanced topic Finding more shapes
Some manufacturers will supply Visio shapes, some call them stencils. This is from Cisco communications.
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Get Visio Cheap (Students)!
Visio Professional 2007 - $55.95
http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatest eal-us/terms.aspx
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes
Select the Options
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes
Select Customize Ribbon
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes
Check the Developer box, then OK
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes
Now you have a Developer tab
The Operations box is a powerful tool
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
Select the ellipse pointer
Use Shift + drag to create a circle
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
Do it again to make a smaller circle
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
Drag the small circle on top of the larger one, center them
Click on the large circle, then Control + click on the smaller
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
In the Developer tab, select Operations, then Subtract
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
Now you have a torus, the center is not part of the shape
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
We can save the torus so we can use it later
Select More Shapes, then MyShapes, then Favorites
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
Use Control + drag the torus to the Favorites stencil
Answer Yes to put your shape into the stencil
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
Click on the Save icon to save the stencil with your torus
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
Use the rectangle pointer to draw a rectangle covering the upper half of your torus
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
Click on the torus, Control + click on the rectangle, select Operations from the Developer tab, then Subtract. This gives you a half torus
Repeat this process with a rectangle covering half of the half torus, now you have an elbow
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a 90 degree elbow
Use the connection point tool with Control + click to make connection points, then use Control + drag to put your elbow in the Favorites stencil, then save the stencil
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a tubular reactor with a feed
To make the shape on the left:
Use the line pointer to draw the reactor feed vessel
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a tubular reactor with a feed
Use the rectangle pointer to draw the reactor tube
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Advanced topic Making your own shapes Example: Make a tubular reactor with a feed
Click on the vessel, Control + click on the tube, then from the Developer tab, select Operations, then Union Add connection point to your reactor, then Control + drag it to the Favorites stencil You can also create new stencils from the Developer Tab, for example a Reactors stencil, and save shapes there
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