1. Visio Shapes basics

2. Course contents Overview: Shapes fulfill your Visio vision Lesson 1: An introduction to shapes Lesson 2: How to get shapes

3. Shapes basics From flowcharts to office layouts, shapes form the essence of any Visio diagram. You can arrange and connect shapes to represent objects, actions, and ideas and then form visual relationships among them. Overview: Shapes fulfill your Visio vision This course provides the fundamentals you need to be able to put shapes where you want, make them look right and do what you need them to do, and fulfill your overall vision.

4. Shapes basics Course goals Identify the two types of Visio shapes: 1-D and 2-D. See how 1-D and 2-D shapes behave. Find the shapes you need.

5. Lesson 1 An introduction to shapes

6. Shapes basics An introduction to shapes What is a shape? In Visio, the definition covers more than you might think. Yes, there are basic shapes like rectangles and diamonds for a flowchart. But there are also very detailed shapes. And Visio shapes don't just sit there and look good. They have interactive behavior as well. Meaning that when you work with them, they react in a certain way. Shapes range from simple to detailed.

7. Shapes basics Two types of shapes When you work with Visio shapes, you can resize them, rotate them, move them around, and so on. But how the shape behaves when you do those things depends on the type of shape that it is. 1-D and 2-D shapes

8. Shapes basics Two types of shapes There are two types of shapes in Visio: 1-D and 2-D shapes Each type of shape behaves a certain way. Once you know the type that a shape belongs to, you’ll be able to work with it successfully. One-dimensional (1-D) Two-dimensional (2-D)

9. Shapes basics 1-D shapes A 1-D shape is a shape that, when selected, has a beginning point and an ending point. As the picture shows, 1-D shapes typically look like lines. Examples of 1-D shapes How do 1-D shapes behave when you work with them? If you move the beginning point or ending point, only one dimension changes: the length.

10. Shapes basics 1-D shapes But the most powerful behavior of 1-D shapes is their ability to connect two other shapes. Examples of 1-D shapes For example, in a business process diagram, you might connect two departments with a line or an arrow.

11. Shapes basics 2-D shapes A 2-D shape is a shape that, when selected, does not have a beginning or an ending point. Instead, a 2-D shape has eight selection handles. Examples of 2-D shapes How do 2-D shapes behave? When you click and drag a corner selection handle, you can change two dimensions: the length and the width.

12. Shapes basics 2-D shapes 2-D shapes are typically used to represent something: either a general concept or a specific object. Examples of 2-D shapes Like the laptop and the block shown here, some 2-D shapes are drawn to look three-dimensional. But they’re still 2-D shapes, which you know because of the eight selection handles.

13. Shapes basics 1-D or 2-D? How to be sure. At first glance, some shapes look like 2-D shapes but are really 1-D shapes. And vice-versa. To avoid any confusion, always select the shape, and Visio will tell you what it is. Which is 1-D and which is 2-D? Don’t be fooled!

14. Shapes basics 1-D or 2-D? How to be sure. For example, the arrow shape at the top of this illustration appears to be two dimensional because of its thickness. Which is 1-D and which is 2-D? Don’t be fooled! But if you selected it, you would see its beginning point and its ending point, so it is 1-D for sure.

15. Shapes basics 1-D or 2-D? How to be sure. On the other hand, the curve shape appears to be 1-D. After all, it looks like just a line. Which is 1-D and which is 2-D? Don’t be fooled! But if you selected it, you would see the eight selection handles that tell you it’s 2-D.

16. Shapes basics 1-D or 2-D? How to be sure. To many people, “1-D” describes a shape with one dimension, and “2-D” describes a shape with two dimensions. These are familiar definitions of 1-D and 2-D. Which is 1-D and which is 2-D? Don’t be fooled! However, as you can see from these examples, the Visio definitions depend on how the shapes behave, not on how they look.

17. Shapes basics Shapes with special behavior All shapes in Visio are either 1-D or 2-D, depending on how they behave. But some shapes have other handy behavior that is unique to them and that doesn’t depend on whether they’re 1-D or 2-D. Drag the control handle to swing the door. For example, some shapes have yellow control handles that let you interact with them.

18. Shapes basics Shapes with special behavior In this illustration, the door shape has a control handle that you can drag to swing the door open and closed. Will it clear the table nearby? Drag the control handle to swing the door. It appears not. Better find a smaller table or make other adjustments to the furniture so that this problem doesn’t occur in the real world.

19. Shapes basics Anything is a shape When working with Visio, you’ll probably want to add text, photos, or clip art. Although these are not shapes created by Visio, in Visio all of these things are shapes nonetheless. In Visio, anything is a shape.

20. Shapes basics Anything is a shape If you type text on an empty part of the page, that text will be a 2-D shape, and it will have eight selection handles when selected. If you select an imported picture, it will have those handles too. In Visio, anything is a shape. Let’s face it: Anything on the page, whether pictures or text, is a shape to Visio. Anything.

21. Shapes basics Suggestions for practice 1.Open the exercise 1. 2.Observe 2-D behavior. 3.Observe 1-D behavior. 4.Look at more 1-D and 2-D shapes on the other diagrams. 5.Explore the special behavior some shapes have.

22. Shapes basics Test 1, question 1 How can you identify a 2-D shape in Visio? (Pick one answer.) 1.Select the shape, and look for the six green selection handles at the sides of the shape. 2.Select the shape, and look for the eight green selection handles at the sides of the shape. (Continued on next slide.)

23. Shapes basics Test 1, question 1, cont’d. How can you identify a 2-D shape in Visio? (Pick one answer.) 3.If the shape has two dimensions, then it’s a 2-D shape. 4.If the shape looks as though it has three dimensions, then it’s not 2-D, it’s 3-D.

24. Shapes basics Test 1, question 1: Answer Select the shape, and look for the eight green selection handles at the sides of the shape. Many 2-D shapes have a green rotation handle as well.

25. Shapes basics Test 1, question 2 A good reason to use a 1-D shape is when you want which of the following? (Pick one answer.) 1.A thin border line along the four sides of a drawing page. 2.The shape to resemble a spatial object like a circle, a piece of furniture, or some office equipment. 3.The shape to represent an employee in an org chart. 4.To connect two shapes.

26. Shapes basics Test 1, question 2: Answer To connect two shapes. Connecting shapes is the main reason you would use a 1-D shape in Visio.

27. Shapes basics Test 1, question 3 If you drag a shape’s yellow control handle, what will happen? (Pick one answer.) 1.The shape will rotate. 2.The shape will exhibit special behavior. 3.The shape will resize to proportionate widths. 4.The shape will move in a straight line so that you can keep it on the same y or x axis.

28. Shapes basics Test 1, question 3: Answer The shape will exhibit special behavior. If a shape has a yellow control handle, then you can drag that handle to get additional behavior from the shape. For example, you can swing open a door shape, or open a drawer in a file cabinet shape.

29. Lesson 2 How to get shapes

30. Shapes basics How to get shapes In Visio, all the world’s…a shape. And there are hundreds of Visio shapes to choose from, more than you can memorize. So it’s good to know how to find them when you need them. The ways to get shapes aren’t quite as numerous as the shapes themselves. But there are plenty of ways, each one good for different purposes. Six ways to get shapes

31. Shapes basics You must remember this Before we talk about how to get shapes, we need to make sure you understand three terms: Shapes window, stencils, and shapes 1.Shapes window. This window contains stencils. 2.Stencils. Stencils aren’t shapes. That’s important. Stencils contain shapes.

32. Shapes basics You must remember this Before we talk about how to get shapes, we need to make sure you understand three terms: Shapes window, stencils, and shapes 3.Shapes. Shapes, in Visio, are everything. But shapes aren’t stencils. Stencils contain shapes.

33. Shapes basics You must remember this The illustration shows the Organization Chart Shapes stencil and its shapes. Shapes window, stencils, and shapes Notice the two other stencils: Borders and Titles and Backgrounds. To see the shapes in either of those stencils, you’d just click the name of the stencil.

34. Shapes basics Get shapes with templates One way to get shapes is to choose a template. A template is one of the drawing type options you see when you start Visio. The animation shows how when you choose a template, the stencils and shapes for the template appear in the Shapes window, ready to work with. Animation: Right-click, and click Play. Choosing a template brings you shapes automatically.

35. Shapes basics Get shapes with templates One way to get shapes is to choose a template. A template is one of the drawing type options you see when you start Visio. The illustration shows how when you choose a template, the stencils and shapes for the template appear in the Shapes window, ready to work with. Choosing a template brings you shapes automatically.

36. Shapes basics Get shapes with templates The advantage of using a template is that it provides you with lots of shapes organized for a specific purpose and related to each other. Choosing a template brings you shapes automatically. In this example, the shapes are specific to flowcharts. If you chose another template, you’d get shapes designed and organized for that template’s purpose instead.

37. Shapes basics Get shapes by searching If you need more shapes than a template gives you, you can use the Search for Shapes box to search for them. To search for a shape: 1.Type one or two words in the Search for Shapes box, for example, “arrows.” 2.Visio creates a temporary stencil to hold the shapes it finds. Shapes window and Search for Shapes box

38. Shapes basics Get shapes by searching In this example, that temporary stencil would have the name arrows. To use a shape, you would drag it from the arrows stencil onto your drawing. Shapes window and Search for Shapes box

39. Shapes basics Get shapes by searching Search for Shapes searches the Visio stencils that are installed on your computer. Shapes window and Search for Shapes box If you have an Internet connection, Search for Shapes also searches the Microsoft Web sites for new and updated Visio shapes.

40. Shapes basics Get shapes by browsing If you want, you can browse for shapes by using the File menu and the Shapes submenu. Items on that submenu are organized the same way that templates are. Browsing for shapes

41. Shapes basics Get shapes by browsing For example, let’s say that a few weeks ago you used Visio to create a map. Browsing for shapes You remember using a shape for the airport in the map, and now that shape would be helpful in the flowchart you’re making.

42. Shapes basics Get shapes by browsing To get that airport shape into the flowchart, you could browse as shown here. Browsing for shapes The Transportation Shapes stencil would appear in the Shapes window along with your other flowchart stencils, and you could drag the airport shape to the page.

43. Shapes basics Draw your own shapes If you can’t find the shape you need in Visio, you can always draw your own shape. Your own shape can be simple or complex, from a wiggly line to a piece of custom office equipment. Create your own shapes by using the Drawing toolbar.

44. Shapes basics Draw your own shapes While drawing your own shapes is beyond the scope of this course, the tip of the iceberg is the Drawing toolbar, shown here. Create your own shapes by using the Drawing toolbar. It lets you create shapes from scratch by using simple tools.

45. Shapes basics Get shapes from other people Sometimes other people have made shapes that you want to use. When you want to use shapes made by others, they could send you a copy of a Visio drawing with those shapes in it. Often, however, what you’ll get is a stencil of shapes. ContosoShapes.vss on the My Shapes submenu

46. Shapes basics Get shapes from other people A stencil is a file with “.vss” or “.vsx” in the name. When you receive a stencil file, copy it to this location: ContosoShapes.vss on the My Shapes submenu C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Shapes After you do that, the stencil will be available through Visio menu commands.

47. Shapes basics Get shapes from other people ContosoShapes.vss on the My Shapes submenu For example, the picture illustrates that someone copied ContosoShapes.vss to My Documents\My Shapes. Now the ContosoShapes command appears on the File menu, Shapes submenu, My Shapes submenu.

48. Shapes basics Insert pictures Suppose you’d like to insert a photograph into a diagram to show people’s pictures in an org chart. To do that, on the Insert menu, you’d point to Picture and then click From File. Visio automatically makes the photograph a 2-D shape and puts the eight handles on it. Inserting a picture as a Visio shape

49. Shapes basics Insert pictures Shapes made by inserting pictures aren’t as intelligent as the shapes that come from stencils. As far as interactive behavior goes, they’re not much more than a square on the page. Inserting a picture as a Visio shape Nonetheless, they are shapes, which means you can connect them with 1-D shapes, resize them, position them, and so on.

50. Shapes basics Suggestions for practice 1.Take a look at the shapes a template gives you in exercise 2. 2.Search for a starburst shape. 3.Use stencils provided by other people. 4.Draw your own shape.

51. Shapes basics Test 2, question 1 Which of the following is not a way to get shapes? (Pick one answer.) 1.Insert a picture. 2.Choose a template. 3.Choose Import on the Shapes menu. 4.Browse for shapes using the File menu and Shapes submenu.

52. Shapes basics Test 2, question 1: Answer Choose Import on the Shapes menu.

53. Shapes basics Test 2, question 2 What is a Visio stencil? (Pick one answer.) 1.A collection of shapes available in the Shapes window. 2.A premade shape that you can drag onto a page. 3.A file you can open in Visio that contains an already created drawing—just fill in the blanks. 4.A cutout shape that you can fill in with any color.

54. Shapes basics Test 2, question 2: Answer A collection of shapes available in the Shapes window. Often people think that a Visio stencil is a shape, but it’s not. It’s a group of shapes.

55. Shapes basics Test 2, question 3 If someone gave you a.vss or.vsx file, where should you put it so that it is available in Visio? (Pick one answer.) 1.In My Pictures\My Visio Shapes. 2.In My Documents\My Shapes. 3.On the desktop.

56. Shapes basics Test 2, question 3: Answer In My Documents\My Shapes. If you put the file here, the stencil will be available on the My Shapes submenu.

57. Shapes basics Quick Reference Card For a summary of the tasks covered in this course, view the Quick Reference Card. Quick Reference Card

58. USING THIS TEMPLATE See the notes pane or view the full notes page (View menu) for detailed help on this template.