List of Figures

Chapter 1: Getting Started with Visio 2003

Figure 1-1: Visio provides you with diagramming tools that are specific to the type of drawing you choose to create.

Figure 1-2: When you drag a shape that’s connected to other shapes, Visio’s built-in “intelligence” takes care of the connections for you and reroutes lines automatically.

Figure 1-3: When you start Visio, you can preview sample diagrams for each template within a category.

Figure 1-4: If you start a new diagram based on the Basic Flowchart (US Units) template, Visio opens a letter-sized drawing page with three stencils.

Figure 1-5: The New Drawing task pane provides shortcuts for creating new diagrams and opening existing ones.

Figure 1-6: Many screen elements include tips that appear when you pause the mouse over an item. A shape’s tip describes a shape’s purpose.

Figure 1-7: As you drag a shape on the drawing page, the status bar tells you its exact position.

Figure 1-8: You can drag a toolbar to a more convenient location. To dock it again, drag it back to the top, bottom, or side of the Visio window.

Figure 1-9: To display a stencil, click its name on the stencil window’s title bar.

Figure 1-10: Dock your stencils in a new position by dragging the Shapes title bar to the top, side, or bottom of the Visio widow.

Figure 1-11: 5In a large diagram, you can get a close-up view of the drawing page by zooming and maintain a bird’s-eye view in the Pan & Zoom window.

Figure 1-12: The Drawing Explorer provides a hierarchical view of the shapes, pages, and other objects in your diagram.

Figure 1-13: To conserve screen real estate, you can merge docked windows.

Figure 1-14: Type your question in the Type A Question For Help box on the menu bar and press Enter to start the Answer Wizard.

Figure 1-15: You can dock or float the Visio Help window.

Figure 1-16: When you choose a command that displays a dialog box, you can find out what each option does by clicking the Help button.

Figure 1-17: Visio includes the same Open dialog box as other Microsoft Office 2003 programs.

Figure 1-18: The quickest way to open another stencil is with the Shapes button on the Standard toolbar.

Figure 1-19: If you open a Visio drawing file that includes a built-in macro, as many Visio drawings and templates do, this message appears.

Figure 1-20: The task pane (View, Task Pane) helps you locate documents based on the text they contain.

Chapter 2: Creating a Diagram

Figure 2-1: The types of handles on a shape indicate how the shape can be used. Not all shapes have connection points or control handles.

Figure 2-2: When you select a shape, the type of handles that appear indicate whether it’s a 1-D or a 2-D shape.

Figure 2-3: When you select a shape that includes a control handle, you can pause the mouse over the handle to display a ScreenTip.

Figure 2-4: You can create connections between shapes or specific points on shapes. The difference lies in how the connector moves when you rearrange the shapes.

Figure 2-5: The Search For Shapes text box lets you search for shapes among the stencils installed on your local hard drive as well as the Web if you’re connected to the Internet.

Figure 2-6: The Search For Shapes command displays results in a template-likeresults pane.

Figure 2-7: When you point to a shape, the pointer displays a four-headed arrow, indicating that you can drag it.

Figure 2-8: For a selected shape, the Size & Position window indicates its exact size (width and height), position (x and y), and angle on the page.

Figure 2-9: Stacking order determines how shapes overlap. To change a shape’s order, select it, and then use the Order commands on the Shape menu.

Figure 2-10: When you subselect a shape in a group, Visio displays special selection handles.

Figure 2-11: Every drawing includes a document stencil that contains a copy of the shapes used in that drawing.

Figure 2-12: When you insert a page, you can give it a name, change its size and orientation, and specify other properties. In a multiple-page diagram, each page can have different properties.

Figure 2-13: When you insert a page, you can change its size, its orientation, and other properties. In a multiple-page diagram, each page can have different properties.

Figure 2-14: You can use a background page for consistent design elements, such as a logo, that appears on multiple pages of a drawing file.

Figure 2-15: You can drag any edge of the drawing page to resize it. You must press the Ctrl key while you drag.

Figure 2-16: To change the size of the drawing page, use the Page Size tab of the Page Setup dialog box.

Figure 2-17: The square is a 2-D shape formatted with a fill pattern and thick line weight. The lines are 1-D shapes formatted with line ends and patterns.

Figure 2-18: You can format individual shapes or use backgrounds, borders, and color schemes to format entire diagrams at once.

Figure 2-19: You can quickly change text, line, and fill attributes for shapes with the tools on the Formatting toolbar.

Figure 2-20: To apply multiple line attributes at once, use the Line dialog box, which lets you preview the effect of an option.

Figure 2-21: To apply multiple fill attributes at once, use the Fill dialog box.

Figure 2-22: The Color Schemes dialog box lets you apply a set of coordinated colors to an entire diagram.

Figure 2-23: Like the Fill, Line, and Text dialog boxes, the Shadow dialog box includes an option for making a shape’s color transparent.

Chapter 3: Connecting Shapes

Figure 3-1: Connectors provide additional flexibility in a diagram that lines created with the Line tool don’t.

Figure 3-2: The endpoints on connectors are designed to connect to the connection points on 2-D shapes.

Figure 3-3: Visio includes the Dynamic Connector and Line-Curve Connector master shapes on many stencils, because they work in any drawing type to connect shapes.

Figure 3-4: The shapes on top have a point-to-point connection. The shapes on the bottom have a shape-to-shape connection.

Figure 3-5: Some shapes, such as the Multi-Tree Sloped shape on the Blocks stencil, have control handles with connectors that you can attach to other shapes.

Figure 3-6: To maintain a point-to-point connection, a connector must bend to avoid the triangle. With a shape-to-shape connection, the connector can move.

Figure 3-7: To control a shape’s layout behavior, select the Lay Out And Route Around option, and then specify the settings you want.

Figure 3-8: With the Lay Out Shapes command, you can change the placement style for an entire diagram.

Figure 3-9: To change the layout, depth, and routing style in a connected diagram, choose Shape, Lay Out Shapes.

Figure 3-10: Use the Layout And Routing Spacing dialog box to adjust horizontal and vertical spacing for shapes and connectors.

Figure 3-11: To change the path of a connector, drag a vertex or midpoint.

Figure 3-12: You can specify whether Visio displays a line jump where connectors cross.

Figure 3-13: The Connector tool appears at the top of the list by default, but if you choose the Connection Point tool, Visio places it on the toolbar.

Figure 3-14: The indicator shape includes both inward (marked with an ) and outward (marked with a square) connection points.

Figure 3-15: You can change the type of connection point on a shape.

Figure 3-16: When you run in Developer mode, a rotation arrow appears when you select a connection point.

Figure 3-17: Choose Tools, Snap & Glue to control the glue settings that Visio uses when you connect shapes.

Chapter 4: Adding Text to Shapes and Diagrams

Figure 4-1: These built-in shapes position and format text appropriately—centered on the shape, below the shape, and so on. To add text to a shape, select the shape, and then type.

Figure 4-2: To add text anywhere on a page, click the Text tool, drag out a text block, and then type. The text wraps as you type according to the width of the text block you dragged.

Figure 4-3: When you select a shape with the Text Block tool, Visio displays selection handles for the text block alone, which can differ in size, shape, and location from its shape.

Figure 4-4: Many objects in Visio can have text, including guide lines and guide points.

Figure 4-5: The Note Box shape from the Borders And Titles stencil is really a group.

Figure 4-6: You can add text to any line you draw. By default, Visio centers the text on top of the line.

Figure 4-7: With the Format, Text command, you can choose a solid color to appear just behind the text to make it more readable.

Figure 4-8: These shapes from the Callouts stencil are really just lines with specially formatted text (and a few SmartShape formulas thrown in for good behavior). Use callout shapes to annotate your drawings.

Figure 4-9: The Note Box Triangles shape on the Borders And Titles stencil is a group that contains two text blocks: one for the title and one for other information.

Figure 4-10: In this office layout, comments (which are shapes from the Callouts stencil) appear on a separate review layer so that text can be hidden or printed separately.

Figure 4-11: By setting the comments layer to not visible, you can see your drawing alone, without the text.

Figure 4-12: You can create a variety of preformatted tables with Visio shapes or create bulleted lists and other columns of tabbed text simply by typing.

Figure 4-13: Tabs and margins for a shape’s text are measured from the left edge of the text block. For this ellipse, the left margin is indented 0.25 inch and tabs are set at 1 inch and 2.25 inches.

Figure 4-14: You can create tables like these using Visio shapes.

Figure 4-15: To adjust the width of a column in your table, select all the cells in the column.

Figure 4-16: When you right-click a table shape, you may select Set Grid to display the Custom Properties box.

Figure 4-17: You can quickly format lists with a bullet character by using the Bullets button on the Format Text toolbar.

Figure 4-18: Both the Formatting and Format Text toolbars contain shortcuts for formatting text. The Formatting toolbar has the advantage of including the font formatting buttons, but the Format Text toolbar includes shortcuts for changing margins and creating bulleted lists.

Figure 4-19: The first line of the paragraph in this shape is indented from the text block margins, which are measured from the edges of the text block.

Figure 4-20: Visio typically centers text vertically within a text block. As you type, the top and bottom margins remain equal. To add text in word processor fashion, use top alignment for the text block.

Figure 4-21: Although you can apply a text style from either the Formatting or Format Text toolbar, you’ll have more control when you use the Text Style list on the Format Text toolbar.

Figure 4-22: When you apply a style from the Text Style list on the Format Text toolbar, Visio asks whether you want to apply the style’s nontext formatting.

Figure 4-23: By selecting these shapes with the Text Block tool, you can see that the text block doesn’t match the shape. You can move, size, and rotate the text block to adjust the position of a shape’s text.

Figure 4-24: When you want to call attention to something in a diagram, use a callout shape.

Figure 4-25: When you attach a custom callout shape to another shape that includes custom properties, you can display the properties, such as Department and Asset Number, in the callout.

Figure 4-26: Visio includes an assortment of title blocks that you can use to provide identifying information in a diagram or technical drawing.

Figure 4-27: The Title Block Elegant shape on the Borders And Titles stencil includes a field that displays the date in long form.

Figure 4-28: When you select a group and then choose Edit, Open, the group appears in a new window so that you can more easily work with individual shapes in the group.

Figure 4-29: Padlock handles appear around a subselected shape in a group when a protection has been set for the shape. Here, the shape is protected against changing its width and height and protected from deletion.

Figure 4-30: You can set up headers and footers that print at the top or bottom of every page in a diagram.

Figure 4-31: These shapes from the Forms Shapes stencil include fields that display file and page properties, such as author and date, automatically.

Chapter 5: Using Visio Diagrams on the Web

Figure 5-1: When you define one or more hyperlinks, Visio adds the links to the shape’s shortcut menu.

Figure 5-2: When you choose Insert, Hyperlinks, you can link to Internet addresses, files, or other pages in the current drawing file.

Figure 5-3: You can specify a relative path for a hyperlink by choosing File, Properties.

Figure 5-4: When you use the Hyperlink Circle 2 (at left), Hyperlink Button, or Hyperlink Circle 1 shape from the Borders And Titles stencil, you can select the icon that appears on the button.

Figure 5-5: Visio creates a Web page from your diagram that includes the shapes’ custom properties. You can pan the drawing with the scroll bars, change the zoom level, and use the shapes’ hyperlinks.

Figure 5-6: When you choose File, Save As Web Page, this dialog box appears.

Figure 5-7: Custom properties appear in a frame by default when you save a diagram as a Web page.

Figure 5-8: If a shape includes hyperlinks, they’ll appear when you point to the shape in Internet Explorer 5 or later.

Figure 5-9: If a shape includes multiple hyperlinks, you can find the one you want by clicking the shape and choosing from the list that appears.

Figure 5-10: If you save a custom theme in the Visio directory structure, it appears as an option on the Advanced tab.

Figure 5-11: When you save shapes or a diagram in a Web-compatible graphic format such as GIF, you can specify options for how the image is downloaded and displayed.

Chapter 6: Storing Data in Diagrams

Figure 6-1: Many Visio shapes include custom properties, which you can define to store valuable information with a drawing.

Figure 6-2: This outlet shape includes custom properties for configuring the symbol (Outlet Type) as well as optional properties for tracking data (Base Elevation).

Figure 6-3: When custom properties are defined for a master shape, every time you drag that master onto the drawing page, your shape will include the same set of properties.

Figure 6-4: To edit custom properties in a way that affects only the shapes in a drawing, you can edit the master shapes on the document stencil.

Figure 6-5: To prevent the Custom Properties window from obscuring your diagram while you work, you can dock the window below the drawing page.

Figure 6-6: When you right-click some shapes with custom properties, the Properties command appears on their shortcut menus. Not all shapes include this command.

Figure 6-7: You can work in a shape’s Custom Properties dialog box instead of the Custom Properties window, but both include the same set of properties. This dialog box is for a shape from the Basic Network Shapes stencil.

Figure 6-8: Cells in the Custom Properties section of the ShapeSheet show the labels and values that you see in the Custom Properties window.

Figure 6-9: In this organization chart, shapes include a custom property for employee telephone extension. By entering data in the Telephone field, you can create a visual phone list.

Figure 6-10: You can change the definition for an existing custom property in the Define Custom Properties dialog box; for example, you can type a new label, which then appears in the Custom Properties window.

Figure 6-11: With the Edit Custom Property Set add-on, you can create a new custom property set and define its properties as well as add and remove individual custom properties.

Figure 6-12: With the Report tool, you can create new reports based on the custom property data in your drawing, or you can run one of the existing reports.

Figure 6-13: When you set up a report, Visio lists not only the shapes’ custom property fields, but also default shape properties and internal properties used by the solution called user-defined properties, which appear in the ShapeSheet’s User-Defined Cells section.

Figure 6-14: You can specify quite precisely the set of shapes and properties to report on by defining criteria in the Advanced dialog box. When you run a report, Visio includes only the shapes with properties that meet the criteria in the finished report.

Figure 6-15: In the Report Definition Wizard, you can choose how to organize the contents of your report.

Figure 6-16: You can perform calculations on groups of data.

Figure 6-17: This report is sorted in chronological order by date of hire. For each date, employees are sorted in alphabetical order.

Figure 6-18: For custom property values that specify dimensions, you can specify the precision and display units of measure.

Figure 6-19: You can specify a name and description that appear in the Report dialog box for your new report definition.

Chapter 7: Using Visio Diagrams with Other Programs

Figure 7-1: With OLE, you can embellish an ordinary Word memo by linking or embedding a Visio diagram in the document.

Figure 7-2: To embed an entire diagram, use the Copy Drawing command to copy each page, and then paste in the desired document.

Figure 7-3: A quick way to add Visio shapes to another document is to open only a Visio stencil file (.VSS) using Windows Explorer. Then, you can drag the shapes you want into the document.

Figure 7-4: When you edit a Visio diagram in place, you can use the Visio tools to create a diagram within your application window.

Figure 7-5: Whether you’ve embedded one shape or an entire diagram, you can edit it within the document that contains the embedded data by double-clicking the Visio image.

Figure 7-6: You can open stencils from within the Visio editing window when you’re working on an embedded diagram.

Figure 7-7: To paste Visio shapes into another document without embedding them, choose Edit, Paste Special to display these options.

Figure 7-8: Visio can save a shape or diagram in many different formats.

Figure 7-9: The View Thumbnails option makes it easier to find the picture you want but slower to scroll through many picture files.

Figure 7-10: Adjust contrast, brightness, midtones, and other options with the Format Picture command.

Chapter 8: Saving and Printing Your Work

Figure 8-1: You can save files in different locations and formats in the Save As dialog box. Place the pointer over the buttons in the Save As dialog box to display a Screen.

Figure 8-2: If you enter file properties in Visio, the information can help you differentiate among Visio diagrams when you’re looking for a particular drawing file.

Figure 8-3: If you open a file that someone else has opened, Visio asks whether you want to open a read-only copy.

Figure 8-4: If a message like this appears when you try to save a diagram, the drawing file has been saved as a read-only file. The original file can’t be edited unless you reset the file’s read-only status in your file manager.

Figure 8-5: In the Print dialog box, you can specify page ranges and other options.

Figure 8-6: If the drawing page is too large to fit on a printed page, Visio tiles the drawing page along the dotted lines, as shown in the Page Setup dialog box.

Figure 8-7: Choose View, Page Breaks to display gray lines on the drawing page that show how the page will be tiled to fit on the printed page.

Figure 8-8: You can size the drawing page to fit its contents alone, which can make it easier to work with small drawings like this business card.

Figure 8-9: You can control where a small drawing prints on regular-sized printer paper. By default, Visio prints small drawings in the top left corner, as the preview here shows.

Figure 8-10: This diagram is larger than the specified printer paper, so gray lines appear to indicate how Visio will tile the printed diagram.

Figure 8-11: This preview shows that your drawing page and printer paper match in size and orientation.

Figure 8-12: This preview shows that the drawing page and printer paper do not have the same orientation. You need to set the Paper Orientation option on the Print Setup tab to match the Page Orientation option on the Page Size tab.

Figure 8-13: This preview shows a drawing page that is much smaller than the printer paper. To control where the diagram is printed, you can center the drawing page on the printed page or adjust page margins, or you can enlarge the drawing to fit the printer paper.

Figure 8-14: This preview shows a drawing page that will tile across several printed pages. To clearly see where the pages will break, display the diagram, and then choose View, Page Breaks.

Chapter 9: Creating Flowcharts

Figure 9-1: You can use a flowchart template to create a variety of diagrams, all of which organize information in a sequence or hierarchy.

Figure 9-2: Visio Professional includes templates for creating diagrams based on business and process modeling methodologies.

Figure 9-3: Even simple flowcharts look polished when you add a background and title and apply a color scheme.

Figure 9-4: The dynamic grid shows you the perfect alignment as you drag shapes on the drawing page.

Figure 9-5: You can use the Number Shapes command to number flowchart shapes sequentially as you add them or after you add them.

Figure 9-6: You can control the order in which shapes are numbered when you number them manually.

Figure 9-7: In a cross-functional flowchart, functional bands show interdependencies in a process. You can orient the diagram horizontally (as shown here) or vertically.

Figure 9-8: To add a functional band, drag it onto the flowchart. When you release the mouse button, Visio automatically realigns the bands.

Figure 9-9: You can rearrange bands in a cross-functional flowchart even if you’ve added and connected flowchart shapes. Visio resizes shapes that span functional bands.

Figure 9-10: To show that a step spans multiple functions, use the Pointer tool to drag a selection handle and resize the shape.

Figure 9-11: To indicate a new phase in a process, use the Separator shape, which automatically sizes to fit the flowchart.

Figure 9-12: You can create a fishbone diagram with the Cause And Effect template.

Figure 9-13: Visio sets up the bare bones of a fishbone diagram when you start a diagram with the Cause And Effect template.

Figure 9-14: To move crowded shapes, select a primary cause shape and all the secondary cause shapes, and then drag. If you drag only the primary cause shape, secondary cause shapes stretch to remain attached.

Figure 9-15: To show the continuation of a process, use an off-page reference shape as both a visual cue and a quick way to insert a new page with hyperlinks.

Figure 9-16: You can right-click an off-page reference shape to configure it as an outgoing or incoming symbol, a circle, or an arrow.

Figure 9-17: A flowchart with the Title Block Deco shape (Mistral Font) from the Borders And Titles stencil, the Background World shape from the Backgrounds stencil, and a color scheme.

Chapter 10: Visualizing an Organization

Figure 10-1: You can use a diagram to track information about employees as custom properties, which you can create or import.

Figure 10-2: Quickly rearrange departments or the entire chart with these Organization Chart toolbar buttons.

Figure 10-3: The Organization Chart menu contains commands specifically designed for working with organizational data.

Figure 10-4: You must convert organization charts created in Visio 2000 or 2002 to work with the tools in Visio 2003.

Figure 10-5: Unlike flowcharts and other Visio diagrams, organization charts build connections for you when you drag a shape on top of another shape.

Figure 10-6: The Organization Chart Wizard can generate a multiple-page chart from a variety of data sources, including Excel.

Figure 10-7: On the first screen of the Organization Chart Wizard, you can choose whether to import information from a data source or to create a file that can be imported.

Figure 10-8: The wizard assumes that your data source provides the full employee name in a single field. If not, use both the Name and First Name lists on this screen.

Figure 10-9: On this screen, you can choose the text that appears on shapes.

Figure 10-10: You can add additional fields of information as custom properties that Visio stores for each shape in the organization chart.

Figure 10-11: You can specify where to break a large organization chart across pages or let the wizard do it for you.

Figure 10-12: On this screen, the wizard shows you the top-level employee on each page of a multiple-page organization chart.

Figure 10-13: To specify where pages break in an organization chart, identify the top-level employee that you want to appear on the new page.

Figure 10-14: The Organization Chart Wizard can add hyperlinks between synchronized copies of shapes. To navigate, right-click a linked shape, and then choose the name of the hyperlink.

Figure 10-15: Use the Compare Organization Data dialog box to compare the employee information in two versions of an organization chart.

Figure 10-16: Visio 2003 can compare two versions of an organization chart.

Figure 10-17: You can quickly create a report that lists information for all the employees in your organization.

Figure 10-18: You can customize the look of your organization chart with design themes and text formatting options.

Figure 10-19: Use the Options command on the Organization Chart menu to specify shape and text settings for your diagram. Use the Set Display Fields command to choose the text that appears on shapes.

Chapter 11: Displaying Relationships and Processes in Block Diagrams

Figure 11-1: With block diagram shapes, you can capture layered concepts and hierarchies in an easy-to-understand format.

Figure 11-2: This block diagram represents an audio system.

Figure 11-3: Drag the yellow control handles to change the shape’s appearance.

Figure 11-4: With a tree diagram, you can document many types of hierarchical structures.

Figure 11-5: This onion diagram depicts the layered nature of computer architecture.

Figure 11-6: To change the radius of a concentric layer, drag a selection handle to resize the layer as needed.

Figure 11-7: Two Partial Layer 2 shapes suggest partitions or components on top of a Concentric Layer 2 shape.

Figure 11-8: A 3-D block diagram is a handsome way of depicting relationships and associations.

Figure 11-9: Perspective shapes must be connected to the vanishing point (V.P. shape).

Figure 11-10: You can change the shadow depth for a single shape to make it appear more or less prominently.

Figure 11-11: You can change attributes of the Vanishing Point layer to affect the V.P. shape on the drawing page.

Figure 11-12: Right-click the shape to change the depth and color of its shadow.

Chapter 12: Tracking Projects and Schedules

Figure 12-1: You can use Visio to create timelines and Gantt charts like these, as well as monthly calendars and PERT charts.

Figure 12-2: A timeline clarifies project milestones.

Figure 12-3: When you drag a timeline shape onto the drawing page, the Configure Timeline dialog box appears. If you don’t specify starting and ending dates, Visio uses today’s date and a six-month duration.

Figure 12-4: Interval shapes snap onto a timeline to show ongoing tasks.

Figure 12-5: You can use expanded timelines to show greater detail.

Figure 12-6: When you use a calendar shape, Visio prompts you for date and formatting information.

Figure 12-7: Visio locks shapes to keep them from moving, but you can still change their format.

Figure 12-8: A PERT chart shows start and end dates for project tasks in a connected diagram.

Figure 12-9: You can choose from two task styles by using either the PERT 1 (left) or PERT 2 (right) shape on the PERT Chart Shapes stencil.

Figure 12-10: For small-scale projects or high-level task management, you can create Gantt charts in Visio that show dependent tasks and milestones.

Figure 12-11: In the Gantt Chart Options dialog box, you specify the initial settings you want. Later, you can choose different options by choosing Options from the Gantt Chart menu.

Figure 12-12: Subtasks are indented below a parent task, which appears in bold. Its summary bar displays black triangles on each end.

Figure 12-13: You can add labels to task bar shapes to display project information, such as duration.

Figure 12-14: To link tasks, you can select the task bar shapes, task names, dates, or durations and then use the Link Tasks button on the Gantt Chart toolbar.

Figure 12-15: Linked simultaneous tasks show overlapping tasks.

Figure 12-16: You can choose from 21 standard and custom column types to insert in your Gantt chart.

Chapter 13: Adding Impact to Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations

Figure 13-1: Two looks at the same slide: Before Visio, the slide used only text to convey its message. After replacing bullets with a Visio timeline, the slide’s purpose is much clearer.

Figure 13-2: If you select a shape that is formatted with a style, the style’s name appears in the Styles list on the Formatting toolbar. Editing styles is a quick way to reformat shapes.

Figure 13-3: For diagram types that support the use of color schemes, you can quickly format shapes by choosing Tools, Add-Ons, Visio Extras, Color Schemes.

Figure 13-4: In the Text dialogue box (Format, Text), you can apply a solid block of color that will appear behind the shape’s text. Make sure to apply a color that’s different than the font’s color.

Figure 13-5: When you embed a Visio diagram on a slide, you can double-click the diagram to open it in place for editing.

Figure 13-6: When you paste a drawing as a link, you ensure that the most up- to-date version of the drawing is used in the presentation.

Figure 13-7: When you open a presentation containing linked objects such as Visio diagrams, you’ll see a message similar to this one. Click Update Links to update the linked objects with the latest versions.

Figure 13-8: You can right-click a linked slide to display commands for editing the link.

Figure 13-9: If PowerPoint can’t find a file that is linked to a slide, this message is displayed.

Figure 13-10: If PowerPoint can’t find a file referenced by a link, the file is listed as Unavailable.

Figure 13-11: You can convert each shape in a linked Visio diagram to pictures that can be edited with the PowerPoint drawing tools.

Figure 13-12: An animated build displays elements one at a time on a slide.

Figure 13-13: To animate a Visio diagram so that sections of it appear one by one in PowerPoint, copy and paste each section you want to animate separately.

Figure 13-14: In PowerPoint, each section you paste appears in the Custom Animation dialog box as a separate Visio object that you can animate.

Figure 13-15: In Full Screen view, you can display Visio pages without the menus and toolbars, as you would in a slide show.

Chapter 14: Creating Network Diagrams

Figure 14-1: A high-level logical network diagram provides a useful visual for reports, proposals, and presentations.

Figure 14-2: Both Visio Standard and Visio Professional include the Basic Network template, which was used to diagram this e-commerce server.

Figure 14-3: With Visio Professional, you can use the Detailed Network Diagram template to assemble a network diagram quickly.

Figure 14-4: To connect nodes to a network, drag a yellow control handle from the topology shape to a connection point on the node. When you point to a control handle, the pointer changes to a four-way arrow to show that you can drag it.

Figure 14-5: Visio tells you when you’re gluing shapes; a red square around a point shows that the line will be glued to the point. In addition, a ScreenTip appears when you position the mouse over a point that you can glue to.

Figure 14-6: You can connect devices in a network using these and other connector shapes, which appear on the Network And Peripherals stencil.

Figure 14-7: Visio assigns network shapes to layers by manufacturer, which allows you to work selectively with all the shapes assigned to a particular manufacturer.

Figure 14-8: The Drawing Explorer window lists all the layers on a page and all the shapes assigned to a particular layer.

Figure 14-9: You can automatically number devices, nodes, or other shapes in your network diagram.

Figure 14-10: With the Number Shapes command, you can number devices sequentially as you add them or after you add them.

Figure 14-11: Pause the pointer over a control handle to display a ScreenTip about the handle’s purpose. Labels on network shapes are designed so that moving the control handle repositions the label.

Figure 14-12: The Special dialog box (Format, Special) indicates which shapes are groups.

Figure 14-13: Resizing the drawing page to just fit its contents gives you more drawing space for a large diagram or eliminates extra white space for small diagrams that you plan to paste into another document.

Figure 14-14: You can link to details on another page, in another document, or on the Web by adding a hyperlink.

Figure 14-15: Basic network equipment shapes include built-in custom properties that you can use to store more detailed information about the devices in a network diagram.

Figure 14-16: You can generate a report as an Excel spreadsheet or another format, including HTML or XML. The information in a report varies depending on the report definition, which you can customize.

Figure 14-17: When you start a drawing with one of the directory services diagram templates, Visio provides numerous shapes for diagramming a directory.

Figure 14-18: Click the object as you would any other and enter the name.

Chapter 15: Planning and Mapping Web Sites

Figure 15-1: You can choose which options you want to see in the site map by selecting them in the Filter window. The List window displays all your content in a tree view.

Figure 15-2: If a page includes links to another level of site content, the shape that represents the page includes the Expand command on its shortcut menu.

Figure 15-3: The List and Filter windows display all the content referenced by the links that Visio found when it created the site map.

Figure 15-4: Visio regards the navigational structure or hierarchy of a Web site as its levels and can map a site containing up to 25 levels.

Figure 15-5: The rulers indicate that Visio resized the drawing page to fit this site map.

Figure 15-6: Choose Web, Generate Site Map to display this dialog box. Although you can configure many options by clicking Settings, all you really need to specify is an address.

Figure 15-7: You can specify how much of a Web site to analyze and how to lay out the results on the Layout tab of the Web Site Map Settings dialog box.

Figure 15-8: In the Web Site Map Settings dialog box, the Extensions tab lets you choose links to specific file types based on their file extension.

Figure 15-9: This site includes a link that specifies the MailTo protocol, which Visio displays with the MailTo shape.

Figure 15-10: You can instruct Visio to include links that reference a particular protocol on the Protocols tab of the Web Site Map Settings dialog box.

Figure 15-11: Use the Attributes tab of the Web Site Map Settings dialog box to specify tag or element attributes that include links.

Figure 15-12: On the Advanced tab of the Web Site Map Settings dialog box, you can specify scope and proxy authentication.

Figure 15-13: When you open a group for editing, Visio displays the group on its own drawing page.

Figure 15-14: To add a new shape to the model of your map, right-click the shape, choose Configure Hyperlinks, and then specify an address.

Figure 15-15: Right-click an item in the List window to locate the shape in the site map that represents that item. The same right-click technique works in the Filter window, too.

Figure 15-16: In a page-centric view of the Visio section of the Microsoft Office Web site, you can see the links to and from the Visio page.

Figure 15-17: To move a section of your site map to a new page, right-click a shape, and then choose Make Subpage.

Figure 15-18: Visio displays a red X on shapes that represent broken links. In the Custom Properties dialog box, the Error field reveals the type of error that Visio uncovered when mapping the site.

Figure 15-19: When you create a report, you can see all your broken links at a glance or review a list of links by file type.

Figure 15-20: When you compare two versions of a site map, Visio creates an HTML page that lists all the modifications.

Chapter 16: Measuring and Dimensioning with Precision

Figure 16-1: When you draw to scale, Visio displays the real-world size of objects in the rulers.

Figure 16-2: In this mechanical part drawing, 1 in. on the page represents 2 in. in real life, and in the floor plan drawing, 3/16 in. on the page represents 1 ft.

Figure 16-3: You can change drawing scale options in the Page Setup dialog box (choose File, Page Setup).

Figure 16-4: Visio Professional includes the Drawing Scale and Scale Symbol shapes, which automatically display a drawing’s scale. Visio Standard doesn’t include these shapes.

Figure 16-5: The SI Symbol indicates that the drawing uses metric units. To change its appearance, right-click the shape, and then choose an option. This shape is available only in Visio Professional.

Figure 16-6: In real-world terms, a chair is 3 ft. wide regardless of the drawing scale, as the Width box of the Size & Position window indicates. However, the chair’s apparent size on the page differs according to the scale, even though both pages are zoomed to 100 percent.

Figure 16-7: When you insert a page, you can specify a unit of measurement that differs from other pages in the drawing file.

Figure 16-8: The default units of measurement that Visio uses for a drawing are a regional setting.

Figure 16-9: As you drag a shape, its position is shown on the rulers, which display the units of measure specified with the Page Setup command.

Figure 16-10: For each office layout, the drawing scale is the same and the ruler subdivisions are set to Fine.

Figure 16-11: Hold the Ctrl key, and drag from the ruler intersection to quickly set the zero point for both rulers.

Figure 16-12: For more precision, type exact values in the Ruler Zero boxes to move the zero point.

Figure 16-13: You can change how close together the grid lines appear. Here, both drawing pages are zoomed to 100 percent, but one grid uses normal spacing and the other fine spacing.

Figure 16-14: When you enter a positive horizontal value in the Grid Origin box, the grid originates to the right of the zero point.

Figure 16-15: When snap is enabled, Visio alerts you to opportunities to snap a shape to guides or other shapes.

Figure 16-16: The Snap & Glue toolbar helps you change snap settings quickly.

Figure 16-17: When you drag a shape onto the dynamic grid, dotted lines show you where to drop it to align it with the shapes near it.

Figure 16-18: The position of a 2-D shape’s pin, or center of rotation, appears in the X and Y boxes in the units of measure defined for the drawing page.

Figure 16-19: The position of this 1-D wall shape is displayed as two sets of coordinate points that locate the shape’s begin point and endpoint.

Figure 16-20: You can move shapes by specifying linear or polar coordinates with the Move Shapes add-in.

Figure 16-21: Using the Size & Position window, you can rotate a guide and pinpoint its exact location on the page.

Figure 16-22: You can create a guide in any shape by drawing a shape and then applying the Guide style.

Figure 16-23: When you glue shapes to a guide, you can drag the guide on the page to reposition all the shapes glued to that guide.

Figure 16-24: Visio can align shapes evenly and glue them to guides so that moving the guide moves the shapes and maintains their alignment.

Figure 16-25: To align shapes to a specific point on the page, create a guide point.

Figure 16-26: For precise position, type new X and Y values for a selected guide point in the Size & Position window (choose View, Size & Position Window).

Figure 16-27: You can display the Action toolbar to provide quick access to alignment options.

Figure 16-28: You can see the alignment options more easily in the Align Shapes dialog box.

Figure 16-29: You can quickly space shapes evenly with the Distribute Shapes button on the Action toolbar or with the command on the Shapes menu.

Figure 16-30: Use the Distribute Shapes dialog box to create even spacing between shapes.

Figure 16-31: This mechanical-parts drawing uses horizontal and arc radius dimension line shapes that automatically display the dimensions of the shapes to which they’re glued.

Figure 16-32: When you glue a dimension line to a wall, the dimensions are updated as you size the wall.

Figure 16-33: You can specify the units of measure and the degree of precision displayed by a dimension line.

Figure 16-34: You can use a custom callout shape to display any custom property for a shape, not just dimensions. Here, the callout displays the Department property for the table shape.

Figure 16-35: By adding a geometry field to a shape like this sofa, you can display the shape’s dimensions.

Figure 16-36: The Shape Area And Perimeter dialog box displays values for selected shapes.

Figure 16-37: In an office layout diagram, the Format Shapes toolbar displays the layers to which selected furniture shapes are assigned—in this case, the Movable Furnishings layer.

Figure 16-38: You can see all the layers on a page—as well as all the shapes assigned to that layer—in the Drawing Explorer window.

Figure 16-39: Click in a layer’s Active column to make it the active layer. More than one layer can be active at a time. You can’t make a locked layer the active layer.

Figure 16-40: To work with all the shapes assigned to a layer, choose View, Layer Properties, and then click in a column to enable an action, such as Snap, for a layer.

Chapter 17: Using CAD Drawings in Visio

Figure 17-1: An inserted CAD floor plan provides an accurate backdrop for electrical, HVAC, network, or other shapes, which you can drop on top.

Figure 17-2: On the Visio drawing page, coordinates are measured in units that correspond with the actual size of the represented objects.

Figure 17-3: When you import a CAD file (choose File, Open or choose Insert, CAD Drawing), Visio displays this dialog box, where you choose the options you want.

Figure 17-4: When you import a CAD drawing, you can hide layers or levels by clearing the Visible option, which makes the drawing display faster in Visio.

Figure 17-5: When you import a CAD drawing as a background layer, you can use Visio shapes and text to annotate it.

Figure 17-6: ScreenTips show you where to place shapes to snap to the underlying geometry of an imported DWG file.

Figure 17-7: You can pan an imported CAD drawing to adjust the visible portion within the border.

Figure 17-8: You can crop an imported CAD drawing to reduce the visible portion.

Figure 17-9: By default, Visio establishes a scale for an imported CAD drawing that ensures the entire image will fit on the page.

Figure 17-10: Choose, File, Page Setup to display the Page Setup dialog box, where you can set the page drawing scale.

Figure 17-11: When you convert a CAD drawing, each line in the drawing becomes an individual Visio shape that you can select.

Figure 17-12: The Convert Wizard steps you through the options when converting an imported CAD drawing to Visio shapes.

Figure 17-13: The Convert Wizard can retain all, some, or none of the original layers of the CAD drawing as a display-only object. The wizard can also convert dimension lines into intelligent Visio dimension shapes. Hatch patterns can be converted to not-so-intelligent Visio lines.

Figure 17-14: You can select multiple CAD drawings to convert at once with the Convert CAD Drawings add-in.

Figure 17-15: Converting a Visio drawing file to CAD format is as simple as saving it in the format you want.

Chapter 18: Laying Out Floor and Site Plans

Figure 18-1: When you start a drawing with a template in the Building Plan folder, Visio Professional opens stencils with an assortment of architectural shapes and adds the Plan menu to the menu bar.

Figure 18-2: You can quickly create a simple building shell in Visio Professional by adding walls and other structural elements.

Figure 18-3: You can easily convert a space shape into walls and even add dimension lines, as shown here, guides, and other options.

Figure 18-4: You can change a space shape’s fill to indicate how the space will be used. In this drawing, different fills are used for offices, conference rooms, and public areas.

Figure 18-5: The Convert To Walls command creates walls around the perimeter of a space shape or shapes you draw. You can specify to add dimension lines and guides automatically as well.

Figure 18-6: Visio Professional includes the Cubicles stencil, which features a variety of workstation and panel configurations that you can use to model the modern, movable office.

Figure 18-7: The “L” Room shape creates a room with six joined walls, which you can reposition. When you select a room shape, the walls’ dimensions are displayed.

Figure 18-8: When selected, double-line walls display selection handles on their interior wall.

Figure 18-9: When you add individual wall shapes to a page, Visio joins their corners.

Figure 18-10: When you set the display options for walls, all the wall shapes on a page adopt the style. Exterior wall shapes are not affected.

Figure 18-11: You can use the Reflected Ceiling Plan template to show a ceiling grid like this one, but you can also add ceiling tiles to any floor plan.

Figure 18-12: The Array Shapes command in Visio Professional helps you create an evenly spaced grid of shapes, such as for a tiled ceiling.

Figure 18-13: You can change a single-hung door to double-hung in the Custom Properties window. To see a shape’s properties, right-click the shape, and then select Properties. Or choose View, Custom Properties Window to keep the window open while you work.

Figure 18-14: The Set Display Options dialog box controls the appearance of all the shapes on a page. The Properties button in this dialog box opens the Set Component Properties dialog box, where you can set default specifications that are used in reports.

Figure 18-15: A very simple door schedule with the default fields saved on the drawing page as a table shape.

Figure 18-16: To quickly add a door or window schedule to the drawing page, you can drag one of the schedule shapes from the Walls, Shell And Structure stencil, which adds a table shape to the page.

Figure 18-17: This home plan includes ductwork, plumbing, and electrical information.

Figure 18-18: The return and supply ducts in this plan are color coded to indicate their use. The Pan & Zoom window makes it easy to see the entire drawing while you work closely on one segment.

Figure 18-19: You can customize many HVAC shapes in the Custom Properties window. Click in a field to display a drop-down list.

Figure 18-20: Connection points on a shape show where you can connect valves, pipes, and lines.

Figure 18-21: Visio duct shapes are preassigned to the HVAC layer, as the Layer dialog box shows.

Figure 18-22: Right-click a shape to see its shortcut menu with commands for configuring the shape’s appearance.

Figure 18-23: You can change the configuration for some shapes in the Custom Properties window. This in-line valve can morph to a 3-way or 4-way valve.

Figure 18-24: This floor plan shows the placement of switches, outlets, smoke detectors, ceiling lights, and doorbell chimes with shapes from the Electrical And Telecom stencil.

Figure 18-25: This partial floor plan shows a camera (C), ceiling-mounted microwave motion detector (CM), wall-mounted smart card–type card reader (WS), ceiling-mounted burglar alarm (CB), and hidden panic button (HP) shapes. Looks like a tough nut to crack.

Figure 18-26: To see the configurable properties for security and alarm shapes, anchor the Custom Properties window on the drawing page. This shape includes options for the type of mount and base elevation.

Figure 18-27: This simple site plan includes parking spaces and landscaping.

Figure 18-28: When you drop the Room Measurements shape in a room, it sizes to fit the space and displays the word “Room” with the dimensions below. You can change the font of the measurements using the Text tool, and you can delete or edit the word “Room.”

Chapter 19: Diagramming and Documenting Databases

Figure 19-1: You can reverse engineer a database to extract tables, views, code, and other database elements and create a database model diagram.

Figure 19-2: The Tables And Views window is an anchored window that you can float or dock in a convenient location as you work on your database model diagram.

Figure 19-3: The Output window shows you every step Visio takes when reverse engineering a database.

Figure 19-4: You can view, edit, and delete the code associated with your database model diagram.

Figure 19-5: With the options on the Logical Diagram tab, you can customize the behavior of the shapes that represent your database model.

Figure 19-6: On the Logical Misc tab, you can choose how foreign keys are propagated and how to build default names and resolve name conflicts.

Figure 19-7: You can set up and select a database driver before using the Reverse Engineer Wizard.

Figure 19-8: You can connect to a database by specifying a Visio driver and then an associated data source.

Figure 19-9: You can select from the options that your DBMS makes available to Visio. An Access database does not support triggers and stored procedures, so those options appear dimmed.

Figure 19-10: You can choose the tables and views you want to include in the model that Visio creates.

Figure 19-11: You can choose whether Visio diagrams the tables and views that the wizard extracts or adds them to the model without adding them to the drawing page.

Figure 19-12: If your diagram no longer matches the target database, the wizard lists each difference.

Figure 19-13: For convenience while editing the diagram, drag the Database Properties window by its title bar into the Output window to merge the windows at the bottom of the screen.

Figure 19-14: If you’re using IDEF1X notation, Visio displays dependent tables with rounded corners.

Figure 19-15: If you’re using Relational notation, you can display primary keys, foreign keys, and indexes on the table.

Figure 19-16: OfficeLoc is the primary key (PK); StreetAddress, IsHeadquarters, and Countryname are required values and appear in bold. PostCode, StateCode, and CityName are unique indexed columns (U1).

Figure 19-17: This complete category uses the C_Code column as the category discriminator.

Figure 19-18: Relationship connectors indicate parent–child relationships between tables.

Figure 19-19: You can display the verb phrase, inverse phrase, or both on a relationship. The inverse phrase “is of” appears here.

Figure 19-20: You can see the properties of an indexed column when you select Indexes in the Database Properties window.

Chapter 20: Diagramming Software Systems

Figure 20-1: Visio displays the process, interface, data store, and data flow. The title is from the Borders And Titles stencil.

Figure 20-2: The Model Explorer contains all the elements of your model, whereas the drawing page contains assorted views.

Figure 20-3: Specify commonly used values (Stereotype, IsRoot, IsLeaf, IsAbstract) in the UML Packages dialog box, or select a package, and then click Properties to see all package settings.

Figure 20-4: The options in the UML Shape Display Options dialog box vary depending on the selected shape. Here, you can choose the values to display on a Class shape.

Figure 20-5: A new static model contains only one top package and the default data types.

Figure 20-6: In this use case diagram, the connectors represent relationships, which show where the actors participate in a use case in the deployment diagram.

Figure 20-7: A class diagram is a static structure diagram that decomposes a software system into its parts—in this case, classes that represent fully defined software entities.

Figure 20-8: Sequence diagrams show an interaction. Objects’ lifelines participate in the interaction and exchange messages.

Figure 20-9: An activity diagram is attached to a class or to the implementation of an operation or a use case.

Figure 20-10: Each class in a diagram can be associated with a state machine, which you can represent with a statechart diagram.

Figure 20-11: A collaboration diagram simultaneously shows an interaction and the relationships that facilitate the interaction.

Figure 20-12: This component diagram shows the dependencies among applications.

Figure 20-13: A single deployment diagram usually suffices to represent a system.

Figure 20-14: The UML Properties dialog box displays the attributes of the CourseRegistrationDate class.

Figure 20-15: The UML add-in adds a toolbar to Visual C++ and Visual Basic. In Visual Basic, the Visio UML Options button does not appear.

Chapter 21: Customizing Shapes and Solutions

Figure 21-1: A Visio file includes a drawing page and a document stencil. The file name extension determines whether Visio opens both a drawing page window and a stencil window.

Figure 21-2: When you open a drawing file that includes a VBA macro or other programming code, Visio displays this message to warn you about its contents. Usually the macros are needed to enable interactive features of the drawing.

Figure 21-3: You can save a shape to one of your custom stencils by right-clicking it.

Figure 21-4: You can choose a name for your custom stencil in the Save As dialog box.

Figure 21-5: If a message like this appears when you try to open a stencil for editing, the stencil file has been saved as a read-only file.

Figure 21-6: If you specify Read Only when you save a stencil file, the original stencil cannot be opened for editing until you clear the Read Only flag in Windows.

Figure 21-7: In the Save As dialog box, the XML file formats appear in the Save As Type list.

Figure 21-8: You can specify XML as the default file format for Visio documents by choosing Tools, Options.

Figure 21-9: When you drag a shape from a stencil onto the drawing page, Visio places a copy of the master on the document stencil.

Figure 21-10: You can clean up a document stencil by deleting unneeded masters. If a master is still linked to a shape on the page, Visio warns you.

Figure 21-11: You can drag a shape onto any stencil to open the stencil for editing and save the shape as a master.

Figure 21-12: When you double-click a master, Visio opens the shape in the master drawing window. Often, the drawing page is sized to the shape.

Figure 21-13: When you click the Close button in the master drawing window, Visio prompts you to save your changes with this message.

Figure 21-14: You can design a master icon, pixel by pixel, in the icon editor, which includes basic tools for setting pixel color.

Figure 21-15: When you create a new, stand-alone stencil, Visio opens the stencil in a stencil window. The document’s drawing page is closed.

Figure 21-16: You can save the settings and shapes you use most as a reusable template.

Figure 21-17: Visio saves the position and size of the open windows in your template as part of the file’s workspace list.

Figure 21-18: In the VBA window, you can write a macro program to control an object in Visio.

Chapter 22: Drawing and Editing to Create New Shapes

Figure 22-1: When you select a shape with the Pencil tool, its vertices and control points are displayed so that you can control shape geometry.

Figure 22-2: To draw new shapes, use the drawing tools on the Standard toolbar.

Figure 22-3: All shapes are made up of line segments, arc segments, or splines.

Figure 22-4: You can tell these are 1-D shapes, because each has a begin point and endpoint.

Figure 22-5: Visio applies the line end patterns to the begin point and endpoint when you select an option in the Begin and End lists of the Line dialog box.

Figure 22-6: You can tell this is a 2-D shape because of the corner selection handles.

Figure 22-7: You can use the Behavior command to convert a 2-D arrow to a 1-D arrow that can be glued to other shapes.

Figure 22-8: In merged shape A (the Swiss cheese), the dots are open paths, and in merged shape B, the rectangle is an open path. In group C, the dots are a group, and they’re grouped with the rectangle so that both the dots and the rectangle can be filled separately.

Figure 22-9: As you drag with the Pencil tool, the pointer provides useful feedback by changing to show whether you’re creating an arc or a line.

Figure 22-10: An infinite line extends indefinitely into space and is useful as a reference for dimensions or setouts in construction and architectural drawings.

Figure 22-11: You can turn on drawing aids to display reference lines at 45-degree intervals.

Figure 22-12: When you display the curve interior tangent extension line, you can draw a line that is perfectly tangent with respect to two curves.

Figure 22-13: Shape extension lines show you where to snap to precise points on shape geometry.

Figure 22-14: You can specify a series of isometric angles to provide snap-to points for an isometric drawing.

Figure 22-15: Technically, the Pencil tool creates circular arc segments, and the Arc and Ellipse tools create elliptical arc segments.

Figure 22-16: For best results with the Freeform tool, draw very slowly and keep in mind that you can always edit the results.

Figure 22-17: With the shape operation commands, you can create merged shapes.

Figure 22-18: You could try to use the Pencil tool or Group command to create shapes with complex geometry like these, but the shape operation commands work faster and produce more compact shapes (in terms of disk space).

Figure 22-19: With the Fragment command, two lines and a cross shape become four new shapes, which you can pull apart.

Figure 22-20: The result of the Subtract command varies depending on selection order.

Figure 22-21: With the Offset command, a single line becomes three lines offset by a specified distance.

Figure 22-22: Many Visio master shapes are groups. These master shapes were made by grouping several differently formatted shapes to create a single, easy-to-use object.

Figure 22-23: One sure way to identify a group is to use the Format, Special command and inspect the Type field.

Figure 22-24: Depending on a group’s behavior settings, you can subselect an individual shape that is a member of a group to edit or move it.

Figure 22-25: When a group is locked, this message appears when you try to ungroup it.

Figure 22-26: When you select a group and see solid gray handles, it’s your clue that protection locks have been set. To change the locks, choose Format, Protection.

Figure 22-27: You can switch between the group window and the main drawing page by clicking the title bar of the window in which you want to work.

Figure 22-28: The Group Behavior settings in the Behavior dialog box are available only when you select a group.

Chapter 23: Defining Styles, Patterns, and Colors

Figure 23-1: The Style list on the Formatting toolbar displays all the built-in styles that come with a template; styles from the Basic Flowchart template are shown here.

Figure 23-2: For quick access to line and fill styles, you can display the Format Shape toolbar (top). To apply text styles, display the Format Text toolbar (bottom).

Figure 23-3: A Visio style can appear in the Text Style, Line Style, and Fill Style lists. The list’s appearance shows you whether the style applies a text (left), line (center), or fill format.

Figure 23-4: If you select a style from the Fill Style list, Visio prompts you before applying the style’s line and text formats to the shape.

Figure 23-5: This flowchart’s locally formatted Decision shape remains the same before and after applying a color scheme to the drawing.

Figure 23-6: The Preserve Local Formatting check box in the Style dialog box lets you save any manual formatting you’ve applied to a shape and still apply the style.

Figure 23-7: You can restore the default styles with the Format, Style command.

Figure 23-8: Visio prevents you from editing a shape that’s been locked.

Figure 23-9: Choose Format, Define Styles to display this dialog box, where you can edit, create, and delete styles.

Figure 23-10: A style is based on the attributes of the style selected in the Based On list.

Figure 23-11: To create a custom pattern you design the single element that will be repeated when the pattern is applied; in this case it is a simple x shape.

Figure 23-12: You can design a variety of fill patterns, line patterns, and line ends, and then apply them to shapes. The same simple pattern—the x shape—looks very different when applied as a fill pattern (A), line pattern (B), or line end (C).

Figure 23-13: To create a new pattern, right-click a pattern folder, and then click New Pattern.

Figure 23-14: Patterns you create appear at the bottom of the list of available patterns. Here, custom-designed line patterns are shown.

Figure 23-15: Visio repeats a line pattern based on its pin position.

Figure 23-16: The alignment box for this pattern shape is slightly larger than the shape itself. When applied, the pattern will leave space around the repeating shape.

Figure 23-17: You can design a fill pattern that tiles when applied to a shape (A), is centered in a shape (B), or stretches to fill a shape (C).

Figure 23-18: The single, repeating element in each of these line patterns is an x shape. In pattern A the x is tiled and bent to follow the line. In pattern B the x is tiled but not bent. In pattern C the x is stretched along the line, and in pattern D the x is tiled at intervals like beads on a string.

Figure 23-19: You can design line ends to rotate in-line with the line to which they’re applied or remain upright despite the line’s direction.

Figure 23-20: An unscaled line end sizes with the line weight. A scaled line weight remains the size you created it, regardless of line weight settings.

Figure 23-21: The default, indexed colors in a Visio diagram appear in the toolbar palettes and as the numbered options in the Color lists of the Text, Line, and Fill commands.

Figure 23-22: Visio records custom colors and color scheme colors in the ShapeSheet window as exact RGB values, as the formula in the FillForegnd cell shows.

Figure 23-23: With the Color Palette command, you can edit the color palette associated with a Visio drawing file.

Chapter 24: Connecting Diagrams and Databases

Figure 24-1: The Custom Properties window displays the property labels, which are stored in ShapeSheet cells along with their value and other settings.

Figure 24-2: The FillForegnd cell reflects the setting (1, or white) in the Color box of the Fill dialog box.

Figure 24-3: When you export shape properties, Visio creates a new table in an existing database or a NewTable worksheet in an existing Excel file, as shown here.

Figure 24-4: When you export shape properties, you can change how Visio maps property names and values to database fields.

Figure 24-5: You may link database shapes to records in an Access database (Dbsample.mdb) stored in the same folder as the stencil if you wish to test your database shape-making knowledge.

Figure 24-6: You can specify which shortcut commands Visio creates with the options under Shape Actions and Shape Drop Event in the Advanced dialog box.

Figure 24-7: Rather than link to an existing table, you can create a new table in an existing database with the options in the New dialog box.

Figure 24-8: Visio stores the information about a shape–database link as a formula that specifies the primary key, field, and most recent value.

Figure 24-9: When you link a shape to a database record, Visio adds four commands to the shape’s shortcut menu for controlling the connection.

Chapter 25: Making Shapes Smart

Figure 25-1: The ShapeSheet window contains cells and formulas that control the geometry, formatting, and other characteristics of shapes.

Figure 25-2: The ShapeSheet window for the selected shape displays all the available sections, as the check marks in the View Sections dialog box indicate. Options that are dimmed represent nonexistent sections, some of which are irrelevant for the object.

Figure 25-3: When you select a cell, its formula is shown on the formula bar. You can type directly in cells or use the formula bar to enter and edit formulas.

Figure 25-4: A reference to a cell in the same ShapeSheet specifies only the cell name, such as Height.

Figure 25-5: The GUARD functions in these formulas prevent the expressions from being replaced with other values. In effect, you cannot change the shape’s width, height, position, or orientation on the drawing page.

Figure 25-6: Every shape is described in the Geometry section of its ShapeSheet.

Figure 25-7: In the Geometry section, selecting a cell also selects the corresponding vertex on the shape.

Figure 25-8: On the Double-Click tab, you can define what will happen when the shape is double-clicked.

Figure 25-9: This door allows users to reverse its left/right and in/out openings and set display options from its shortcut menu. (An ampersand in the name defines the command’s keyboard shortcut.)

Figure 25-10: Just as you can define a double-click behavior for a shape, you can add a shortcut command for a shape in the Action dialog box.

Figure 25-11: This shape includes a custom formula in the Actions section of the ShapeSheet that displays the Size & Position window.

Chapter 26: Managing Facilities with Space Plans

Figure 26-1: A Visio space plan looks like a floor plan but includes a built-in database of information about an organization.

Figure 26-2: You can track resources in your floor plan by category or by space in the Explorer window. Click a tab to switch views.

Figure 26-3: You can locate people, spaces, and assets listed in the Explorer window with the Show command on the shortcut menu.

Figure 26-4: Placed resources—such as the handheld computer and the employee in this office—appear in the drawing. Because they’re associated with office 4N111, they are also listed under the appropriate space in the Explorer window.

Figure 26-5: To track information in a floor plan, rooms must be uniquely identified and associated with a space shape.

Figure 26-6: After you use the Enable Space Plan command, the Plan menu includes commands for working with space and assets.

Figure 26-7: Visio tracks information in a floor plan by space, which is actually a separate shape that includes the custom properties used in associating resources with a location.

Figure 26-8: You can define the spaces in a floor plan by importing room numbers or other information that uniquely identifies each space you want to track. To place a space in the floor plan, drag it from the Explorer window onto the drawing page.

Figure 26-9: The Special dialog box reveals the name of the master used to create the shape shown in the Name box. By default, space shapes in a Visio floor plan look like areas with green diagonal lines.

Figure 26-10: You can use the Boundary shape to visually identify multiple spaces as a unit in a floor plan.

Figure 26-11: When you import employee names from a Microsoft Access table, the wizard automatically places the names in the correct offices.

Figure 26-12: The first screen of the Import Data Wizard allows you to select where you want your data to go.

Figure 26-13: When you choose Excel for Source, the Name and Browse options are available. Click Browse to locate the spreadsheet you want to use as your data source.

Figure 26-14: After you select a data source, you can choose the catalog and table that contain the information you want. This Access database doesn’t support catalogs, so the wizard displays its file name instead.

Figure 26-15: The wizard allows you to choose all of the data fields in this dialog box. If you leave either check box unselected, you will be allowed to choose specific fields on the next couple of screens.

Figure 26-16: The drawing update summary summarizes Visio’s actions and provides a link to view the Import Data Report.

Figure 26-17: To update the information in your floor plan, choose Plan, Refresh Data. Visio reimports the data, overwriting the values in your model, and displays this dialog box.

Figure 26-18: To add people, equipment, and other assets manually to a space plan, drag a shape from the Resources stencil into a space on your floor plan.

Figure 26-19: You can identify a resource by typing a name in the Custom Properties window or by right-clicking a resource in the Explorer window, and then choosing Rename.

Figure 26-20: When you assign shapes to a category, they are listed on the Categories tab.

Figure 26-21: On the Spaces tab of the Explorer window, you can see the resources that are associated with a particular space. Here, the space named 111 is associated with a handheld, a printer, and a laptop.

Figure 26-22: You can see categories of information in your floor plan at a glance by color- coding different areas.

Figure 26-23: You can edit the shapes that make up a legend to customize its appearance.

Figure 26-24: You can display the value of any custom property as a shape’s label.

Figure 26-25: You can use the Explorer window to quickly locate people and other resources in your space plan.

Figure 26-26: When you save a space plan as HTML and use Vector Markup Language (VML) format, you can interact with the drawing using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or later.

Figure 26-27: Use the Space Report shape on the Resources stencil to generate a report similar to this one.

Figure 26-28: Use the Asset Report shape on the Resources stencil to generate a report like this one.

Chapter 27: Diagramming for Mechanical, Electrical, and Process Engineering

Figure 27-1: You can draw machined parts with the tools included with the Parts And Assembly Drawing template.

Figure 27-2: Some shapes display the Custom Properties dialog box when you add them to the page so that you can specify dimensions.

Figure 27-3: Some shapes include options on their shortcut menu, including the Resize With Handles option.

Figure 27-4: Pause the pointer over a control handle to display a ScreenTip.

Figure 27-5: Some drawing tool shapes include commands on a shortcut menu that you can use to reconfigure or edit the shape.

Figure 27-6: The Fluid Power template opens stencils of shapes that make it reasonably easy to assemble a pneumatic or hydraulic control diagram.

Figure 27-7: To see what a shape does, pause the pointer over the control handle to display a ScreenTip.

Figure 27-8: With the electrical engineering templates, you can create logic diagrams, circuit diagrams, and other schematics.

Figure 27-9: Many of the electrical, logical, and electronic shapes can be used to represent multiple symbols and settings, such as this Resistor shape from the Fundamental Items stencil.

Figure 27-10: Because connector lines have a beginning and an end, use the Connector tool to drag in the direction you want the line to flow.

Figure 27-11: You can right-click lines drawn with the Connector tool to display a shortcut menu with commands for controlling the line’s routing behavior.

Figure 27-12: To move the label on a component, drag the control handle.

Figure 27-13: When you start a new drawing with a process engineering template, the Process Engineering menu is added to the Visio window.

Figure 27-14: Valuable details about the model represented by component shapes are displayed in the Component Explorer and Connectivity Explorer, which you can dock in any convenient location on the screen.

Figure 27-15: The Process Engineering templates add the Process Engineering menu.

Figure 27-16: Because the tools for process engineering diagrams have so radically changed since Visio 2000, P&IDs or PFDs that you created in Visio 2000 Technical Edition must be migrated—that is, converted—to work in the new format.

Figure 27-17: Drag valves on top of pipelines; they rotate into position automatically.

Figure 27-18: Dropping a valve onto a pipeline splits the pipeline into multiple shapes. However, each shape continues to represent a single component and displays the same tag.

Figure 27-19: You can use the Connectivity Explorer to see which components are connected to a pipeline and to locate individual components in the diagram by selecting them.

Figure 27-20: Select a pipeline shape, and then choose Format, Style to change the type of line used in the diagram. Process engineering diagrams include many custom styles for representing common industry line patterns.

Figure 27-21: Use the Diagram Options dialog box to specify line routing options for pipeline shapes.

Figure 27-22: You can show that multiple shapes represent a single component in the Component Explorer.

Figure 27-23: You can track detailed component information with each shape in a diagram. The Custom Properties window displays values for the selected component.

Figure 27-24: You can configure the appearance of many shapes by choosing options in the Custom Properties window.

Figure 27-25: You can use intelligent callout shapes to label the components in your diagram.

Figure 27-26: You can display component information using custom callout shapes on the Process Annotations stencil.

Figure 27-27: You can use the Edit Tag Formats command to customize the appearance
of tags.

Figure 27-28: To revise or create a tag format, use the Edit Tag Formats command on the Process Engineering menu.

Figure 27-29: You can specify how you want Visio to renumber component shapes.

Figure 27-30: The built-in pipeline list report can be generated as a Microsoft Excel file for further analysis. You can also generate reports in HTML, XML, and other formats.

Figure 27-31: You can convert shapes from other sources, including AutoCAD files, to process engineering components with the Shape Conversion command.

Appendix A: Installing Visio 2003

Figure A-1: To proceed with the Setup program, you must type the 25-character product key into the boxes of this screen.

Figure A-2: Choose which type of installation you need on this screen.

Figure A-3: You have several options if Visio discovers an earlier version on your computer.

Figure A-4: You can run the Visio Setup program whenever you want to add, remove, or reinstall features or remove Visio from your computer.