Axzo Press-Visio 2010 - Basic, Student Manual - Crisp Learning (2011) PDF

MICROSOFT ®
Visio 2010
®
B A SIC
ENSURING YOUR SUCCESS L E A R N HOW TO:

IN THE CLASSROOM
ÂŽ Explore the Visio interface ÂŽ Work with background pages
and hyperlinks
yy Hands-on learning through real-world ÂŽ Use stencils and manipulate
activities. objects ÂŽ Import and export data
yy Clear, concise, and consistent instructions.
ÂŽ Create custom shapes and ÂŽ Apply advanced layout and
yy Time-tested instructional design. compound lines connection techniques
yy Comprehensive teaching tools.
ÂŽ Plan and create basic ÂŽ Set properties and create
diagrams reports
ÂŽ Format drawings
Visio2010_Basic.indd 1 2/28/11 8:14 AM

Visio 2010: Basic
Student Manual
Visio 2010: Basic
President, Axzo Press: Jon Winder
Vice President, Product Development: Charles G. Blum
Vice President, Operations: Josh Pincus
Director of Publishing Systems Development: Dan Quackenbush
Writer: Brandon Heffernan
Copyeditor: Cathy Albano
Keytester: Cliff Coryea
COPYRIGHT © 2011 Axzo Press. All rights reserved.

No part of this work may be reproduced, transcribed, or used in any form or by any meansgraphic, electronic, or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution, or information storage and retrieval
systemswithout the prior written permission of the publisher.
For more information, go to www.axzopress.com.
Trademarks
ILT Series is a trademark of Axzo Press.
Some of the product names and company names used in this book have been used for identification purposes only and
may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers and sellers.
Disclaimer
We reserve the right to revise this publication and make changes from time to time in its content without notice.
Student Manual
ISBN 10: 1-4260-2054-6
ISBN 13: 978-1-4260-2054-4
Student Manual with Disc
ISBN-10: 1-4260-2056-2
ISBN-13: 978-1-4260-2056-8
Printed in the United States of America
1 2 3 4 5 GL 06 05 04 03
Contents
Introduction iii
Topic A: About the manual............................................................................... iv
Topic B: Setting your expectations...................................................................vii
Topic C: Re-keying the course ..........................................................................x
Getting started 1-1

Topic A: The Visio 2010 interface .................................................................. 1-2
Topic B: Windows, stencils, and objects ........................................................ 1-14
Unit summary: Getting started ........................................................................ 1-24
Drawing tools 2-1

Topic A: Basic shapes and lines ...................................................................... 2-2
Topic B: Compound lines ............................................................................... 2-10
Topic C: Editing objects ................................................................................. 2-17
Unit summary: Drawing tools ......................................................................... 2-26
Basic diagrams 3-1

Topic A: Planning a diagram ........................................................................... 3-2
Topic B: Creating a basic diagram .................................................................. 3-4
Topic C: Working with text ............................................................................ 3-16
Topic D: Organization charts.......................................................................... 3-27
Unit summary: Basic diagrams ....................................................................... 3-31
Formatting drawings 4-1

Topic A: Formatting text ................................................................................. 4-2
Topic B: Formatting shapes and lines............................................................. 4-10
Unit summary: Formatting drawings .............................................................. 4-16
Working with pages 5-1

Topic A: File and print properties.................................................................... 5-2
Topic B: Working with background pages ..................................................... 5-13
Topic C: Working with links .......................................................................... 5-22
Unit summary: Working with pages ............................................................... 5-27
Network and brainstorming diagrams 6-1

Topic A: Network diagrams............................................................................. 6-2
Topic B: Rack diagrams ................................................................................. 6-12
Topic C: Brainstorming diagrams................................................................... 6-14
Unit summary: Network and brainstorming diagrams .................................... 6-21
Customization and reporting 7-1

Topic A: Layout and connection techniques.................................................... 7-2
Topic B: Shape properties .............................................................................. 7-13
Topic C: Reporting ......................................................................................... 7-20
Unit summary: Customization and reporting .................................................. 7-26
ii Visio 2010: Basic
Course summary S-1

Topic A: Course summary............................................................................... S-2
Topic B: Continued learning after class .......................................................... S-4
Glossary G-1
Index I-1
iii
Introduction
After reading this introduction, you will know

how to:
A Use ILT Series manuals in general.
B Use prerequisites, a target student

description, course objectives, and a skills
inventory to properly set your expectations
for the course.
C Re-key this course after class.

iv Visio 2010: Basic
Topic A: About the manual

ILT Series philosophy
Our manuals facilitate your learning by providing structured interaction with the
software itself. While we provide text to explain difficult concepts, the hands-on
activities are the focus of our courses. By paying close attention as your instructor leads
you through these activities, you will learn the skills and concepts effectively.
We believe strongly in the instructor-led class. During class, focus on your instructor.
Our manuals are designed and written to facilitate your interaction with your instructor,
and not to call attention to manuals themselves.
We believe in the basic approach of setting expectations, delivering instruction, and
providing summary and review afterwards. For this reason, lessons begin with
objectives and end with summaries. We also provide overall course objectives and a
course summary to provide both an introduction to and closure on the entire course.
Manual components
The manuals contain these major components:
 Table of contents
 Introduction
 Units
 Course summary
 Glossary
 Index
Each element is described below.
Table of contents
The table of contents acts as a learning roadmap.
Introduction
The introduction contains information about our training philosophy and our manual
components, features, and conventions. It contains target student, prerequisite,
objective, and setup information for the specific course.
Units
Units are the largest structural component of the course content. A unit begins with a
title page that lists objectives for each major subdivision, or topic, within the unit.
Within each topic, conceptual and explanatory information alternates with hands-on
activities. Units conclude with a summary comprising one paragraph for each topic, and
an independent practice activity that gives you an opportunity to practice the skills
you’ve learned.
The conceptual information takes the form of text paragraphs, exhibits, lists, and tables.
The activities are structured in two columns, one telling you what to do, the other
providing explanations, descriptions, and graphics.
Introduction v
Course summary
This section provides a text summary of the entire course. It is useful for providing
closure at the end of the course. The course summary also indicates the next course in
this series, if there is one, and lists additional resources you might find useful as you
continue to learn about the software.
Glossary
The glossary provides definitions for all of the key terms used in this course.
Index
The index at the end of this manual makes it easy for you to find information about a
particular software component, feature, or concept.
Manual conventions
We’ve tried to keep the number of elements and the types of formatting to a minimum
in the manuals. This aids in clarity and makes the manuals more classically elegant
looking. But there are some conventions and icons you should know about.
Item Description
Italic text In conceptual text, indicates a new term or feature.
Bold text In unit summaries, indicates a key term or concept. In

an independent practice activity, indicates an explicit
item that you select, choose, or type.
Code font Indicates code or syntax.
Longer strings of ► In the hands-on activities, any code that’s too long to fit
code will look ► on a single line is divided into segments by one or more
like this. continuation characters (►). This code should be
entered as a continuous string of text.
Select bold item In the left column of hands-on activities, bold sans-serif
text indicates an explicit item that you select, choose,
or type.
Keycaps like e Indicate a key on the keyboard you must press.

vi Visio 2010: Basic
Hands-on activities
The hands-on activities are the most important parts of our manuals. They are divided
into two primary columns. The “Here’s how” column gives short instructions to you
about what to do. The “Here’s why” column provides explanations, graphics, and
clarifications. Here’s a sample:
Do it! A-1: Creating a commission formula

Here’s how Here’s why
1 Open Sales This is an oversimplified sales compensation
worksheet. It shows sales totals, commissions,
and incentives for five sales reps.
2 Observe the contents of cell F4

The commission rate formulas use the name
“C_Rate” instead of a value for the commission
rate.
For these activities, we have provided a collection of data files designed to help you
learn each skill in a real-world business context. As you work through the activities, you
will modify and update these files. Of course, you might make a mistake and therefore
want to re-key the activity starting from scratch. To make it easy to start over, you will
rename each data file at the end of the first activity in which the file is modified. Our
convention for renaming files is to add the word “My” to the beginning of the file name.
In the above activity, for example, a file called “Sales” is being used for the first time.
At the end of this activity, you would save the file as “My sales,” thus leaving the
“Sales” file unchanged. If you make a mistake, you can start over using the original
“Sales” file.
In some activities, however, it might not be practical to rename the data file. If you want
to retry one of these activities, ask your instructor for a fresh copy of the original data
file.
Introduction vii
Topic B: Setting your expectations

Properly setting your expectations is essential to your success. This topic will help you
do that by providing:
 Prerequisites for this course
 A description of the target student
 A list of the objectives for the course
 A skills assessment for the course
Course prerequisites
Before taking this course, you should be familiar with personal computers and the use
of a keyboard and a mouse. Furthermore, this course assumes that you’ve completed the
following courses or have equivalent experience:
 Windows 7: Basic, Windows XP: Basic, or Windows Vista: Basic
Target student
This course is for students who have little or no Visio experience. You will get the most
out of the course if your goal is to become proficient using Visio to create flow
diagrams, basic organization charts, and network diagrams.
Course objectives
These overall course objectives will give you an idea about what to expect from the
course. It is also possible that they will help you see that this course is not the right one
for you. If you think you either lack the prerequisite knowledge or already know most of
the subject matter to be covered, you should let your instructor know that you think you
are misplaced in the class.
After completing this course, you will know how to:
 Navigate in a file, change view settings, identify interface components, use Visio
Help; work with windows and stencils; and select, scale, and resize objects.
 Draw and reshape objects; work with compound lines; duplicate objects; and
align, distribute, group, and rotate objects.
 Plan a flowchart; use master shapes; connect shapes in a diagram; work with
text; and create a simple organization chart.
 Format text and text blocks, control attributes including font size, text color,
margins, alignment, and line spacing, apply style themes and effects, and format
shapes and lines.
 Set file, page, and print properties; use Print Preview; create print headers and
footers; print a drawing; work with background pages; use fields to display
information; and create hyperlinks.
 Create network, rack, and brainstorming diagrams, and import and export data.
 Use guides to precisely align and glue shapes, add new connection points to a
shape, set properties for shapes, create and apply custom properties, create and
run reports, format a report table, and update a report.
viii Visio 2010: Basic
Skills inventory
Use the following form to gauge your skill level entering the class. For each skill listed,
rate your familiarity from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most familiar. This is not a test.
Rather, it is intended to provide you with an idea of where you’re starting from at the
beginning of class. If you’re wholly unfamiliar with all the skills, you might not be
ready for the class. If you think you already understand all of the skills, you might need
to move on to the next course in the series. In either case, you should let your instructor
know as soon as possible.
Skill 1 2 3 4 5
Creating a new file
Identifying interface components
Using Visio Help
Navigating in a Visio drawing
Changing View settings
Modifying stencils
Selecting, scaling, and resizing objects
Drawing objects and changing their size
Working with compound lines
Duplicating objects
Aligning, distributing, grouping, and rotating objects
Planning a flowchart
Using master shapes
Connecting shapes in a diagram
Working with text
Creating an organization chart
Formatting text and text blocks
Formatting shapes and lines
Applying style themes and effects
Setting file properties
Creating and applying background pages
Creating hyperlinks
Introduction ix
Skill 1 2 3 4 5
Using Print Preview
Creating print headers and footers
Printing a diagram
Creating network diagrams
Creating rack diagrams
Creating brainstorming diagrams
Importing and exporting XML data
Using guides to precisely align and glue shapes
Creating new connection points
Setting properties for shapes
Creating custom properties
Creating and modifying reports

x Visio 2010: Basic
Topic C: Re-keying the course

If you have the proper hardware and software, you can re-key this course after class.
This section explains what you’ll need in order to do so, and how to do it.
Hardware requirements
Your personal computer should have:
 A keyboard and a mouse
 500 MHz processor (or higher)
 At least 256 MB RAM
 At least 1.5 GB of available hard disk space
 A CD-ROM or DVD drive
 An SVGA monitor (1024×768 or higher resolution)
Software requirements
You will also need the following software:
 Windows 7, Windows XP, or Windows Vista, updated with the most recent
service packs
Note: This course was written using Windows 7. If you use another version of
Windows, the screens will look different.
 Microsoft Visio Professional 2010
 Microsoft Excel 2010 or later (If this is not installed, you will not be able to
complete activities C-2, C-3, and C-4 in the unit titled “Customization and
reporting.”)
 If you are using a version of Windows older than Windows 7, install a printer
driver. (An actual printer is not required, but if a printer driver is not installed on
older versions of Windows such as XP or Vista, activities A-2 and A-3 in the
unit titled “Working with pages” might not work as written.)
Network requirements
The following network components and connectivity are also required for rekeying this
course:
 Internet access, for the following purposes:
– Downloading the latest critical updates and service packs
– Downloading the student data files from www.axzopress.com
(if necessary)
Introduction xi
Setup instructions to re-key the course

Before you re-key the course, you will need to perform the following steps.
1 Use Windows Update to install all available critical updates and service packs.
2 If using a flat panel display, we recommend using the panel’s native resolution
for best results. Color depth/quality should be set to High (24 bit) or higher.
Please note that your display settings or resolution may differ from the author’s,
and so your screens might not exactly match the screen shots in this manual.
3 If necessary, reset any Visio defaults that you have changed. If you do not wish
to reset the defaults, you can still re-key the course, but some activities might not
work exactly as documented.
4 If you have the data disc that came with this manual, locate the Student Data
folder on it and copy it to the desktop of your computer.
If you don’t have the data disc, you can download the student data files for the
course:
a Connect to www.axzopress.com.
b Under Downloads, click Instructor-Led Training.
c Browse the subject categories to locate your course. Then click the course
title to display a list of available downloads. (You can also access these
downloads through our Catalog listings.)
d Click the link(s) for downloading the student data files.
e Create a folder named Student Data on the desktop of your computer.
f Double-click the downloaded zip file(s) and drag the contents into the
Student Data folder.
xii Visio 2010: Basic
1–1
Unit 1
Getting started
Unit time: 50 Minutes
Complete this unit, and you’ll know how to:
A Identify components of the Visio 2010

interface, navigate a Visio drawing, and get
help using Visio.
B Manipulate windows and stencils, and

select, scale, and resize objects.
1–2 Visio 2010: Basic
Topic A: The Visio 2010 interface

Explanation With Visio 2010, you can create a variety of complex diagrams that are dynamic and
data-driven. For example, you can create organizational charts, floor plans, circuit
diagrams, network diagrams, and Web site maps, to name just a few. After you create a
diagram in Visio, you can use it in other Office applications, such as Word, Excel, and
PowerPoint. Before you begin creating graphics in Visio, you should become familiar
with the Visio interface and tools.
The Fluent interface and Ribbon

Visio 2010 uses Microsoft’s “Fluent interface,” which makes it faster and easier for you
to find the commands you need. The Ribbon is the main feature of the interface and
shows the most frequently used commands rather than hiding them inside menus.
When you click a Ribbon tab (such as Home, Insert, or Design), the Ribbon displays
separate groups of related commands. For example, Exhibit 1-1 points to the Tools and
Shape groups on the Home tab. Some tools are buttons you click to take an immediate
action, while others expand to display menus, lists, or galleries with more options. (A
gallery is a collection of style options represented graphically to provide a simple
preview.) While most of Visio’s interface components are unique to Visio, several
features and commands are common to all Microsoft Office 2010 applications.
Ribbon tabs Shapes window Ribbon Drawing window Ribbon groups
Exhibit 1-1: The Visio 2010 interface

Getting started 1–3
Components of the interface

The Visio workspace is divided into two main sections, the Shapes window and the
Drawing area or “page.” The elements of the workspace are described in the following
table.
Item Description
Ribbon Contains Visio’s tools and commands, which are organized in logical groups and
divided across separate tabs, which change based on the current file or template in use.
Ribbon tabs Each tab displays groups of related commands. Visio’s main Ribbon tabs are File,
Home, Insert, Design, Data, Review, and View. Some Ribbon tabs are contextual—
they appear only if the object they control is inserted or selected.
Ribbon groups Commands on each Ribbon tab are organized logically in groups. For example,
commands for formatting text are arranged together in the Font and Paragraph groups
on the Home tab.
Shapes window Displays the stencils associated with the current file or template. Stencils are
collections of related shapes. Each stencil is specialized for a specific type of drawing.
You can open multiple stencils with each drawing.
Drawing The area of the interface that displays the page you’re working on. The top and left
window sides of the Drawing window show rulers that display measurement units to help you
precisely position objects in a drawing. Rulers also provide access to guides that help
you align objects and shapes while drawing. Page tabs at the bottom of the Drawing
window allow you to switch between pages in a multi-page drawing. To switch to a
different page, click one of the tabs. You can also use the navigation buttons to the left
to scroll page tabs.
Visio also incorporates standard Office application components such as the title bar,
which displays the name of the current document at the top of the window, and the
status bar, which is located at the bottom of the application window and displays the
page number, View commands, and the Zoom controls.
Minimizing the ribbon

While the Ribbon makes it easy to access frequently used commands, it also takes up a
lot of space on the screen. You might prefer to minimize the Ribbon at times to have
more screen space in which to work. You can minimize the Ribbon either by clicking
the Minimize the Ribbon button or by double-clicking the active tab. The Minimize the
Ribbon button is the caret-shaped button at the right end of the Ribbon.
When the Ribbon is minimized, you can click a tab to temporarily show it to access a
command. The Ribbon will be displayed until you click a command or click elsewhere
in the window. Then it will be hidden again. To expand the Ribbon and keep it
expanded, click the Expand the Ribbon button (the downward-pointing caret) or double-
click a tab.
The Quick Access toolbar

The Quick Access toolbar, shown in Exhibit 1-2, provides a convenient location for
frequently used commands. By default, the Save, Undo, and Repeat/Redo commands
are available. You can personalize the Quick Access toolbar by adding commands that
you use frequently. The Quick Access toolbar is located above the Ribbon by default,
but you can display it below the Ribbon. To do so, click the arrow on the right side of
the toolbar and choose Show Below the Ribbon from the Quick Access Toolbar menu.
Quick Access Dialog box

toolbar launchers
Exhibit 1-2: Additional interface components
Dialog box launchers

In some Ribbon groups there are more commands and settings than can be displayed on
the Ribbon. Dialog boxes are available to display more options when necessary. To
open a dialog box, click the dialog box launcher in the lower-right corner of a Ribbon
group, as shown in Exhibit 1-2. In this example, the launchers in both groups open the
Text dialog box, with either the Font tab or Paragraph tab active by default.
The Backstage view

The “Backstage view” displays commonly used file-management commands, such as
Open, Save As, and Print. This is where you manage your documents and related data.
To open the Backstage view, click the File tab. In Backstage view, you can also create a
file or see a list of recently opened files, manage information about a file, such as
permissions and properties, and change application settings.
Visio file types

There are three types of Visio files: drawings (.vsd files), stencils (.vss files), and
templates (.vst files). Templates contain the associated stencils, page layout, and styles
used to format shapes, text, and other drawing objects. You can use one of Visio’s built-
in templates, or you can create your own.
By default, the Open dialog box displays only Visio drawing files. To select a different
file type, use the File types list, which includes all Visio file types as well as file types
from some other applications. When you import a drawing from another application, the
file is converted to Visio format.
Do it! A-1: Exploring the Visio 2010 interface

The files for this activity are in Student Data folder Unit 1\Topic A.
1 Click Start (The Start button.) To display the Start menu.
Choose All Programs, To start Visio.

Microsoft Office,
Microsoft Visio 2010
2 Locate the File tab The blue File tab is active by default. This
displays the Backstage view, which provides
options for creating new files and managing
documents.
3 Click Open The Open dialog box appears.
Navigate to the current topic

folder
Select Overview.vsd
Click Open To open the file.
4 Locate the title bar
The title bar shows the name of the open file and
the application name.
5 Locate the Quick Access toolbar This area of the interface provides a convenient
location for the most frequently used commands.
You can customize the commands that appear
on the Quick Access toolbar.
6 Locate the Ribbon The Ribbon is divided into tabs. When you open
a file, the Home tab is active by default.
7 Locate the Shapes window (The left pane.) This area displays the stencils
associated with the current file or template.
Stencils are collections of related shapes.
8 Observe the Home tab The Home tab is divided into groups: the
Clipboard, Font, Paragraph, Tools, Shape,
Arrange, and Editing groups. Each group
contains related commands and menus.
9 Click the Insert tab To display its command groups on the Ribbon.
In the Illustrations group, point as

shown
After a few moments, a ScreenTip appears,

describing the functionality of the Picture
button. You can point to any command to view
information about that command.
10 Locate the Drawing window This area displays the pages that you’ll create
and edit. By default, a grid is visible on empty
areas of the page. You can use the grid to help
you place objects precisely.
Locate the rulers (On the top and left sides of the Drawing
window.) The rulers can help you to line up and
arrange objects precisely.
11 Click the Design tab To view the design-related commands and

options.
12 In the Page Setup group, (The dialog box launcher is in the lower-right
click corner of the Page Setup command group.) To
open the Page Setup dialog box. You can use
dialog boxes to access additional options.
Click Cancel To close the dialog box.
13 At the right end of the Ribbon, To minimize the Ribbon, giving you more space
click to work with your diagrams.
14 Click To expand the Ribbon.
15 Double-click the Design tab To minimize the Ribbon.
16 Click the Insert tab To temporarily expand the Ribbon.
Click an empty area on the page The Ribbon is minimized again. Clicking a tab
once does not return the Ribbon to its default
state.
17 Double-click the Home tab To expand the Ribbon.
Click an empty area on the page The Ribbon is not minimized—double-clicking

a tab when the Ribbon is minimized returns the
Ribbon to its default state.
Visio overview
Explanation Visio is a vector-based illustration tool. Vector images are composed of mathematically
computed lines, resulting in sharp images that are not resolution-dependent (as bitmap
images are). Bitmap images are composed of dots called pixels, the smallest unit of
color that a monitor can display. The number of pixels per square inch determines the
resolution, or fineness of detail. The more pixels per inch an image has, the greater its
resolution. High-resolution images are sharp but can result in large files. Although Visio
is a vector-based application, you can include bitmap images, such as photographs, in
your illustrations.
Shapes, stencils, and styles

The basic drawing object in a Visio file is a shape. Shapes are grouped together on
stencils. Stencils hold the basic master shapes, or building blocks, used for specific
types of drawings. Stencils are designated by the type of drawing they’re best suited for.
For example, for flowchart diagramming, you use the flowchart stencil.
In addition, you can use drawing tools to create basic objects such as lines and boxes.
By drawing and editing basic shapes, you can create different elements that you can
combine with other objects to create complex drawings.
By modifying object attributes, called styles, you can produce a variety of design
features and effects. For example, you can apply colors, shadows, fill patterns, line
properties, and many other formats.
Navigation and viewing tools

As you work, you’ll likely need to open or close certain windows, or zoom in and out of
certain areas of a drawing to see things more clearly. Visio provides several tools that
you can use to view and navigate a drawing.
The View tab

You can quickly change view settings by using the commands and options on the View
tab. For example, you can show or hide various elements of the work area, enable or
disable visual aids, and zoom in and out of a particular region.
Zooming
While working on a drawing, you might want to zoom in to see certain areas more
clearly. One way to zoom in and out is to use the Zoom dialog box. On the View tab,
click the Zoom button to open the Zoom dialog box, which contains several
magnification levels to choose from, as shown in Exhibit 1-3. You can also select
Percentage and then enter your own zoom level. Another way to open the Zoom dialog
box is to click the percentage value on the right side of the status bar.
Exhibit 1-3: The Zoom dialog box
Zooming with the keyboard

You can also zoom in and out of drawings quickly by using combined keyboard
commands and mouse clicks. To zoom in, press Ctrl+Shift and click the drawing. To
zoom out, press Ctrl+Shift and right-click the drawing.
The Zoom slider

Another option for adjusting the display magnification is the Zoom slider, shown in
Exhibit 1-4. The Zoom slider is located on the right side of the status bar, at the bottom
of the Visio window. You can click the minus sign to zoom out or the plus sign to zoom
in. Or, you can drag the slider to the left or right to set the desired zoom level. The
current zoom level is displayed to the left of the Zoom slider.
Zoom level Zoom slider Pan & Zoom
Exhibit 1-4: The Zoom slider
Pan & Zoom

You can also use the Pan & Zoom tool to navigate a drawing. When you click the Pan
& Zoom Window button, shown in Exhibit 1-4, a small window opens, showing a
thumbnail of the current drawing. A red box represents the area on the drawing
currently in view in the Drawing window. You can click anywhere on the thumbnail to
move the focus to that region, or drag from inside the red box to move the focus. This is
called panning. You can also use the keyboard arrow keys to control panning in the Pan
& Zoom window.
You can drag on the thumbnail to define a new panning region (red box). To close the
Pan & Zoom window, click the X in the lower-right corner of the Pan & Zoom window.
Do it! A-2: Changing view settings

1 Click the View tab To display the View commands and options.
In the Show group, uncheck To turn off the rulers. The rulers can help you to
Ruler arrange items precisely.
Uncheck Grid To turn off the grid display on empty areas of

the page. The grid is another visual aid to help to
you place and arrange items precisely.
2 Turn the ruler and grid back on
3 Click Zoom To open the Zoom dialog box.
Select 100% and click OK To view the page at actual size.
4 In the status bar, click 100% To open the Zoom dialog box again. (The status
bar displays the current zoom level.)
Select Percentage You’ll specify a magnification value that is not a

default option in the list.
Type 67 and press e To set the zoom level to 67%.
5 Press and hold c + s The mouse pointer changes to a magnifying

glass with a plus sign in the middle.
Click the yellow diamond shape

three times
(While continuing to hold Ctrl+Shift.) To zoom

in on the diamond shape.
What is the current zoom level?
6 Press and hold c + s
Using the right mouse button, (While continuing to hold Ctrl+Shift and the
drag the pointer across the page right mouse button.) The pointer changes to a
small hand and drags the page around the
drawing area. You might prefer this method to
using the horizontal and vertical scroll bars.
7 Right-click an area of the page (While continuing to hold Ctrl+Shift.) To zoom

three times out.
Release c + s
8 On the Status bar, click a few To zoom out.

times
9 Drag the slider to the right, as

shown
To zoom in.
10 On the status bar, click (The Pan & Zoom Window button.) The Pan &
Zoom window opens in the lower-right corner.
A red rectangle shows the area currently visible
in the Drawing window.
From inside the red box, drag to To pan to that region of the drawing.
another location in the thumbnail
Click any shape in the thumbnail The red box moves to that location, bringing the
outside of the red box shape into view in the Drawing window.
11 Close the Pan & Zoom window Click the “X” in the lower-right corner.
12 Click (To the right of the Zoom slider.) To fit the page
into the current window size.
Page navigation
Explanation Drawings may contain more than one page. To navigate through a multi-page drawing,
click the page tabs at the bottom of the Drawing window. You can also cycle through
drawing pages by pressing Ctrl+Page Up and Ctrl+Page Down.
If your file contains many pages, some of the page tabs might be hidden, and you’ll
need to scroll to view them. You can navigate page tabs by using the controls on the left
side, shown in Exhibit 1-5. Using these controls brings only page tabs into view, not
actual drawing pages.
Page tab Page tabs

controls
Exhibit 1-5: Page tabs and controls
Renaming pages
By default, pages are numbered (Page-1, Page-2, Page-3, etc.), but you can rename
them more descriptively. Renaming pages is useful if the drawing has many pages,
because you can locate the exact chart or diagram you want based on the page title
instead of cycling through to find the one you want.
To rename a page, double-click the page tab, type the new name, and press Enter. Or,
you can right-click the page tab, choose Rename from the menu, type the new name,
and press Enter.
Do it! A-3: Navigating through drawing pages

1 Locate the Page tabs (At the bottom of the Drawing area.) Page-1 is
active; it’s the default name of the active page.
2 Click the Page-2 tab To go to the second page.
3 Press c + v To go to the third page.
Press c + v again To go to the fourth page.
4 Double-click the Page-1 tab To return to the first page and select the page
title. You’ll rename this page.
5 Type Production
Press e To rename the page.

Visio Help
Explanation As you begin to work with Visio on your own, you’ll likely encounter windows or
stencil objects that you aren’t familiar with. Visio provides a comprehensive Help
system to support you as you work. There are several ways you can get information
about Visio components and techniques.
The Help window

The Visio Help window, shown in Exhibit 1-6, provides assistance and information on
practically all Visio-related topics. You can use it to search for specific content by using
keywords or by selecting from a list of topics in the table of contents.
To open the Visio Help window, click the question-mark icon in the upper-right corner
of the Visio window, or press F1. You can also open the Help window by clicking the
“More…” links in the ScreenTips.
Exhibit 1-6: The Visio Help window with an expanded table of contents
ScreenTips
ScreenTips are another way you can get more information about components of the
Visio environment. As shown in Exhibit 1-7, ScreenTips appear when you point to
Ribbon tools or stencil shapes.
Exhibit 1-7: An example of a ScreenTip
Do it! A-4: Getting help using Visio 2010

1 In the Shapes window, click To display basic and frequently used shapes.
Quick Shapes
Point to the Rectangle shape A ScreenTip appears, indicating that you can
drag the shape onto the page.
2 Click More… To open the Visio Help window.
3 On the Help toolbar, click (The Show Table of Contents button.) To show
the contents of the Help system, organized by
topics.
4 Under Table of Contents, click To display subtopics and documents for shapes
Creating diagrams and text.
5 Click Find more shapes and Information on the selected topic appears in the
stencils window.
6 Close the Visio Help window Click the Close button in the upper-right corner
of the window.
7 Click (At the top of the Visio window.) To open the

Visio Help window again. The Table of
Contents pane is open if it was open when the
window was last closed.
8 Click in the Search box (Under the Help toolbar.) To place the insertion
point.
9 Type ribbon and press e Several topics about the Ribbon appear in the
Help window.
10 Click Customize the Ribbon To view information on customizing the Ribbon.
11 Close the Visio Help window
12 Close Overview.vsd Don’t save changes.

Topic B: Windows, stencils, and objects

Explanation As you work on a diagram, you might want to change the default layout of the Shapes
window or individual stencils. You can customize many items of the workspace to suit
your preferences.
Docked windows vs. anchored windows

You can either dock windows or anchor them. A docked window is attached to the left
or right side of the application window, and it stretches across the entire height of the
screen, regardless of its content. The default position of the Shapes window is an
example of a docked window.
To dock a window, drag it to the left or right side of the application window until it
snaps into place.
An anchored window is attached to an edge of the Drawing window, and you can
manually change its width and height. You can also temporarily hide or expand
anchored windows by clicking the AutoHide button. With AutoHide activated, the
window’s contents are shown only when you point to the window. When you point
outside the window, it collapses automatically.
To anchor a window, slowly drag from its title bar toward an edge of the Drawing
window until it snaps into place.
Floating windows
A floating window is neither docked nor anchored, but floats independently wherever
you want it on screen. For example, Exhibit 1-8 shows the Basic Shapes stencil as a
floating window. You can manually resize a floating window by pointing to any of its
four edges and then dragging.
Exhibit 1-8: A floating stencil window
To float a docked or anchored window, drag its title bar toward the center of the
Drawing window. You can also right-click the title bar and choose Float Window. After
you have floated a window, you can drag it anywhere in the work area. However, if you
drag too close to an edge of the work area, the window will automatically snap to that
edge and will be either anchored or docked. You can prevent this by holding down the
Ctrl key as you drag. To dock a floating window, right-click its title bar and choose
Dock Window.
Working with stencils

When you create a drawing based on a template, only the stencils associated with the
template are shown by default. You can open new stencils by choosing them from the
More Shapes menu. By default, open stencils are grouped together in the Shapes
window, and only one set of stencil shapes is visible at a time. To switch stencils, click
the title bar of the stencil you want to view. To close a stencil, right-click its title bar
and choose Close.
You can arrange stencil windows using the same techniques mentioned earlier, except
there’s no Dock Window command. To dock a floating stencil, drag it onto the Shapes
window.
Changing the stencil display

You can view additional information on individual stencil shapes by right-clicking a
stencil’s title bar and choosing an option from the View submenu. The options are Icons
and Names (the default option), Names Under Icons, Icons Only, Names Only, and
Icons and Details.
Do it! B-1: Working with windows

The files for this activity are in Student Data folder Unit 1\Topic B.
1 Open Operations.vsd From the current topic folder.
2 Observe the Shapes window Several stencils are open: Quick Shapes,
Network and Peripherals, Basic Shapes, and
Cross-Functional Flowchart Shapes.
3 Click Network and The shapes in the Network and Peripherals

Peripherals stencil are displayed.
4 Click Basic Shapes To view the shapes in the Basic Shapes stencil.
You can open and close stencils as you need
them.
5 Click More Shapes To open a menu of stencils.
6 Choose Business, The Brainstorming Shapes stencil is added to the

Brainstorming, Shapes window.
Brainstorming Shapes
(US units)
7 Point to the Shapes window title

bar, as shown
The pointer changes to indicate that you can

move the Shapes window.
8 Press and hold c
Drag the Shapes window onto the The Shapes window is now a floating window.
Drawing window Pressing Ctrl as you drag prevents the window
from docking to other parts of the work area.
9 Double-click the Shapes window To re-dock the Shapes window.

title bar
10 Right-click the Brainstorming A menu opens.

Shapes stencil’s title bar
Choose Float Window The stencil becomes a floating window.
Drag the floating window to the (Drag from its title bar.) You’ll anchor the
center of the Drawing window stencil to the left edge of the drawing area.
11 Slowly drag the floating stencil to

the lower left corner so that it
snaps into place, as shown
12 Point to the right edge of the

anchored window, as shown

resize the window.
Drag to the right until the window

widens to show more shapes
13 On the left side of the window, The Turn On AutoHide button.

click
14 Point away from the window When you move the pointer away, the window
automatically collapses so that just the title bar
is visible.
Point to the Brainstorming To expand the window again.

Shapes title bar
15 On the title bar, To close the Brainstorming Shapes stencil.

click
16 Close Operations.vsd
Editing objects
Explanation In Visio, objects are shapes, connector lines, or any other items in a drawing. You need
to select objects before you can change them. For example, after you select an object or
group of objects, you can move or resize them.
Selection methods
To select an object, first verify that the Pointer tool is selected and then click the object
you want to select. (The Pointer tool is on the Home tab, in the Tools group.) When you
select an object, a selection box appears around it, as shown in Exhibit 1-9. The
selection box has eight selection handles. You can use the handles to resize or rotate the
object.
Selection box
Selection handles
Exhibit 1-9: A selected object
At times you’ll need to select more than one object. For example, you might want to
move objects simultaneously or change their color. Instead of selecting and changing
each object individually, you can select them all and make your changes to all of them
at the same time.
You can select multiple objects by:
 Holding the Shift key as you click the objects
 Dragging a marquee around the objects
You can also use the options in the Select menu, in the Editing group on the Home tab.
 Click Select and choose Select All. This selects all objects on the page.
 Click Select and choose Select by Type. Then select the desired options and
click OK.
 Click Select and choose Lasso Select. Then draw a freeform shape around the
objects.
Moving an object
After you select one or more objects, you can drag them to a new location in the
drawing. When you want to move an object, remember to point to the middle of the
object. Otherwise, if the pointer gets too close to a selection handle, you might
accidentally resize the object instead of moving it. If you inadvertently resize or move
an object, press Ctrl+Z to undo the change, or click the Undo button on the Quick
Access toolbar.
Saving a Visio file

You should save your work regularly. To save a file, you have two options: Save and
Save As. When you use the Save command, Visio updates the open file with its current
name in its current location. You can use the Save button on the Quick Access toolbar
or press Ctrl+S.
Use the Save As command to save the active file with a different name and/or in a
different location. (This creates a copy of the file, unless you’re saving it for the first
time.) If you’re working on a new drawing that has never been saved, you’ll
automatically be prompted to provide a name and location for the file in the Save As
dialog box.
Do it! B-2: Selecting and moving objects

1 Open Selecting.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as My Selecting
2 On the Home tab, in the Tools This is the default selection tool.
group, verify that the Pointer
tool is selected
3 Click the yellow star To select it. Selection handles appear around the
shape.
4 Drag the selected star to the Drag from the center of the shape.
bottom of the drawing
5 Press c + Z To undo the move.
6 Point between the blue triangle

and the star
You’ll drag to select the star, square, polygon,

and line shapes.
7 Drag the pointer diagonally (down (Do not include the text.) A pink border appears
and to the right) to select the three around each object, and selection handles appear
shapes and the line around the entire group of objects.
8 Point to the square It’s always best to drag from the middle of the
selected object or group.
Drag the objects below the text
9 Click a blank area of the drawing To deselect the objects. Next, you’ll explore
other selection methods.
10 In the Editing group, click Select
Choose Select by Type… To open the Select by Type dialog box. If you
have several different types of objects, you can
use this dialog box to narrow down the
selection.
Click Cancel
11 Press and hold s
12 Click the star, square, polygon, To select all of these objects.

and line shapes
Move the objects above the text
13 Deselect the objects Click a blank area of the drawing.

Scaling and resizing

Explanation You can scale and resize an object by dragging its selection handles. Scaling maintains
the height-to-width proportions, while resizing changes the size without maintaining the
proportions.
Scaling an object
To scale an object, select it and point to any corner selection handle until the pointer
changes to a double-headed arrow. Then, drag away from the object to increase the size
proportionally, or drag toward the center of the object to decrease the size
proportionally.
Use corner handles

to scale objects
Use center handles to

resize objects
Exhibit 1-10: Scaling and resizing an object
Resizing an object
Use the center selection handles to resize an object without maintaining its proportions.
This is useful if you want to stretch an object or otherwise change one of its proportions.
To resize an object, point to any of the center selection handles and drag.
You can also maintain an object’s proportions by holding down the Shift key and
dragging a center selection handle.
Do it! B-3: Scaling and resizing an object

1 Select the star
2 Point to a corner selection handle The pointer changes to a double-headed arrow.
Drag the handle away from the (When you’re done, release the mouse button.)
shape To increase the size of the star. The shape is
scaled proportionally.
3 Deselect the star Click a blank area of the drawing.
4 Select the polygon
5 Point to the center selection

handle at the top of the shape
Drag the handle up To increase the height of the polygon.
Observe the polygon The height increases but the width does not.
Unlike rescaling the star, this isn’t a
proportional change.
Deselect the polygon
6 Select the square
Press and hold s
Point to a center selection handle (While continuing to hold Shift.) To decrease

and drag toward the center the size of the square proportionally.
7 Save and close the file

Unit summary: Getting started

Topic A In this topic, you learned that Visio is a vector-based illustration tool, and you learned
the difference between vector and bitmap images. You learned how to start Visio, open
a file, and navigate in a drawing. You learned how to change view settings and
navigate between pages. You also learned about the Visio interface and Help system.
Topic B In this topic, you learned how to manipulate windows and stencils. You learned how to
reposition stencils in the Shapes window and how to float and dock stencils in the work
area. Finally, you learned how to select objects by using several methods, and you
learned how to scale and resize objects.
Independent practice activity

In this activity, you’ll open a file, change view settings, rename a page, move shapes,
navigate between pages, and resize a shape.
The files for this activity are in Student Data folder Unit 1\Unit summary.
1 Open Selection practice.
2 Save the file as My Selection practice.
3 Change the view setting in the Shapes window to Names Under Icons.
4 Zoom in to 100%.
5 Rename Page-1 as My shapes.
6 Move the triangle and the square shapes together to the bottom of the page, without
moving the circle.
7 Go to the More shapes page.
8 Resize the star shape proportionally.
9 Make the oval long and thin by resizing it.
10 Save and close the drawing. (Don’t close Visio.)
Review questions
1 Which of the following is not true about Visio?
A Visio is a vector-based drawing program.
B Most new drawings are based on templates.
C Visio cannot work with bitmap images.
D Stencils are collections of shapes.
2 What are Ribbon groups?
Groups of related commands on each Ribbon tab
3 The three types of Visio files are ___________, stencils, and templates.
drawings
4 Which of the following view techniques magnifies a portion of a drawing and
enables you to move the page freely in any direction, without using the scroll bars?
A Interactive zooming
B Panning
C Scaling
D Magnifying
5 What’s the shortcut key to open the Visio Help window?
A F5
B F4
C F10
D F1
6 Where are stencils located by default?
In the Shapes window, to the left of the Drawing page
7 Name two ways you can select multiple objects.
Answers may include:
 Dragging to create a selection marquee
 Using the Shift key with the mouse
 Using options in the Select menu
8 What is the difference between scaling and resizing?
Scaling maintains an object’s height-to-width proportions. Resizing changes an object’s size
without maintaining its proportions.
2–1
Unit 2
Drawing tools
A Draw and manipulate shapes.
B Work with compound lines and use several

methods to duplicate objects.
C Align, distribute, group, and rotate objects.

Topic A: Basic shapes and lines

Explanation If the stencils don’t provide all the shapes you need, you can draw your own. Visio
provides several tools for drawing shapes and lines.
Drawing tools
To draw your own shapes, you use the Drawing tools, located in the Tools group on the
Home tab. The drawing tools are described in the following table.
Tool Button Use it to…
Line Create single-segmented lines.
Arc Create simple arcs.
Rectangle Draw rectangles and squares. Hold the Shift key while using this tool to create
a square.
Ellipse Create ovals and circles. Hold the Shift key while using this tool to create a
circle.
Pencil Draw lines and arcs without changing tools, and reshape other objects.
Freeform Create multi-segmented curved lines.
To create basic shapes, select the Rectangle, Ellipse, Arc, or Line tool, and then drag on
the drawing area. An example is shown in Exhibit 2-1.
Starting point
Drag to create the shape.
Exhibit 2-1: Using a drawing tool to create a basic shape

Drawing tools 2–3
Do it! A-1: Drawing basic shapes

1 Open Drawing.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as My Drawing
Observe the first page The shape outlines are guides to help you
practice drawing.
Observe the Shapes window There are currently no stencils associated with
this file. You’ll practice creating shapes
manually.
2 In the Tools group, point as

shown
A ScreenTip indicates that this is the Rectangle

tool. You can drag on the page to draw a
rectangle.
Click the Rectangle tool and point The pointer changes to a crosshair with a small
anywhere on the page rectangle next to it.
3 Point to the upper-left corner of

the rectangle, as shown
You’ll begin drawing from this corner.
4 Drag the pointer diagonally to the A black, dashed line appears, outlining the shape
lower-right corner of the outline you’re drawing. As you drag, the status bar
displays information about the size of the object.
Release the mouse button To view the rectangle and its control handles.
5 Click a blank area of the drawing To deselect the rectangle. By default, the shape
page is drawn with a thin black line.
6 Observe the shape of the pointer The pointer still has a rectangle next to it.
Press s The pointer shape changes to a square.
Release s The pointer changes back to a rectangle.
7 Point to the upper-left corner of

the square
8 Press and hold s You’ll draw a square.
Drag to the lower-right corner of

the outline
Release the mouse button and the

s key
9 Click the arrow next to the (On the Ribbon, in the Tools group.) To open a
Rectangle tool menu of shape tools.
Select Ellipse and point The pointer now has an ellipse next to it.
anywhere on the page
10 Point to the start of the red

guideline for the ellipse, as shown
11 Following the guideline, drag

down diagonally
Release the mouse button To complete the ellipse shape. (You can click
the Undo button or press Ctrl+Z if you want to
start over.)
Deselect the ellipse
12 Using the same method, draw the To draw the circle, you’ll need to press and hold
circle the Shift key.
13 Save your changes Click the Save button on the Quick Access
toolbar or press Ctrl+S.
Drawing tools 2–5
Lines and arcs

Explanation You can create and edit lines and arcs by using the Line and Arc tools. To draw straight
lines, select the Line tool and drag on the page. By default, Visio is configured to snap
lines to 45-degree increments. When the line is at a 45-degree angle, a gray guideline
appears and extends across the page. To constrain lines to 45-degree increments only,
press and hold the Shift key as you drag.
You can draw curved lines with the Arc tool. The direction of the arc depends on the
direction you drag, as illustrated in Exhibit 2-2. For example, if you drag up and to the
right, the arc will bend up and to the right. If you drag slightly down, and then up and to
the right, the arc will bend in the opposite direction.
Exhibit 2-2: Drawing curved lines with the Arc tool

Do it! A-2: Creating lines and arcs

1 Go to Page-2 At the bottom of the drawing, click the Page-2
tab.
2 Open the Tools menu In the Tools group, click the arrow to the right
of the currently selected tool.
Click To select the Line tool.
3 Point to a blank area near the

upper-left side of the page
4 Drag to the right to begin creating At 45-degree increments, a gray guideline

a horizontal line extends across the page.
Without releasing the mouse The guideline indicates a 45-degree angle.

button, slowly drag down until a
guideline appears again
Release the mouse button To create the line.
5 Press c + Z To undo the line.
6 Press and hold s To constrain the line to only 45-degree

increments.
Drag in any direction
7 When the line is at a 45-degree Endpoints appear at both ends of the line.
angle, release the mouse button
Release s
8 Select the Pointer tool
Point to one of the endpoints The pointer changes to four arrows pointing in
opposite directions.
9 Drag the endpoint up or down To change the angle of the line. You can use the
Pointer tool to modify existing lines and shapes.
10 From the Tools menu, select the

Arc tool
Drawing tools 2–7
11 In a blank area of the page, drag

up and to the right
To create an arc. The direction you drag

determines the direction of the arc. When you
complete the arc, release the mouse button.
Endpoints appear at both ends of the arc.
12 Press c + Z To undo the arc.
13 In the same area, drag to the right

and up
To create an arc in the opposite direction.
14 Save your changes

Reshaping an arc
Explanation You can fine-tune an arc by reshaping and rotating it. If you select an arc with the
Pointer tool, a control handle appears in the middle of the arc, in addition to endpoints at
both ends. To change the curve of the arc, drag the center control handle, as shown in
Exhibit 2-3.
Drag the center control

handle to reshape the
arc’s curve
Exhibit 2-3: Reshaping an arc
Reshaping with the Pencil tool

You can also reshape arcs by using the Pencil tool. When you select the Pencil tool, the
control handle in the center of the arc changes from a square to a circle, and eccentricity
handles extend from it, as shown in Exhibit 2-4. You can drag the eccentricity handles
to reshape the arc’s curve.
Eccentricity handles
Exhibit 2-4: Adjusting an arc with the Pencil tool

Drawing tools 2–9
Do it! A-3: Reshaping an arc

2 Click the arc (If necessary.) To select it. Endpoints appear at

both ends, and a control handle appears in the
center.
3 Drag either endpoint up or down
The arc pivots on its other endpoint and snaps at

45-degree increments, as lines do. If you drag
around in a circle, you can rotate the arc.
Release the mouse button
4 Point to the control handle in the The pointer changes to a two-headed arrow.
center of the arc
Drag the control handle To reshape the arc’s curve. You can adjust the
arc more precisely by using the Pencil tool.
5 From the Tools menu, select When you select the tool, the control handle in
Pencil the arc changes from a square to a circle.
6 Click the center control handle Two eccentricity handles appear, extending
outward from the arc.
7 Drag either eccentricity handle up To change the shape of the curve.

or down

Topic B: Compound lines

Explanation Simple lines consist of a single line segment. Compound lines consist of multiple line
segments. You can create two types of compound lines in Visio. You can create a
freeform line with the Freeform tool, or you can connect line segments by using the
Line, Arc, and Pencil tools.
Freeform lines
If you want to create a free-flowing compound line, use the Freeform tool. This tool
creates exactly what you draw as you drag the pointer, similar to the way you draw with
a pencil and paper. When you drag with the tool, Visio automatically creates multiple
control points as needed to shape the curves, as shown in Exhibit 2-5.
Control points
Exhibit 2-5: A freeform line

Drawing tools 2–11
Do it! B-1: Creating a freeform line

1 Open Lines.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the files as My Lines
2 From the Tools menu, select You’ll draw a freeform line.

Freeform
3 Point to the left end of the curved

line at the top of the page
Using a smooth motion, drag to As your hand changes direction, the line bends
trace the curves of the line with it.
4 Observe the line (It does not need to exactly match the template
line. You’ll continue to adjust the line later.)
Visio automatically creates control points as
necessary to control the curves of the line.
5 Save your changes

Using the Line and Arc tools to create compound lines

Explanation Another way you can create compound lines is to use the Line and Arc tools. Select the
tool you want and then create each segment in succession. To begin a new segment,
point to the endpoint of the previous segment and then drag. When you use this
technique, the segments are connected by vertex points, the diamond-shaped points
shown in Exhibit 2-6.
Vertex points
Exhibit 2-6: A compound line drawn with the Line and Arc tools
Do it! B-2: Creating a compound line with the Line and Arc tools
1 Select the Line tool From the Tools menu, select Line.
2 Drag to draw the straight line, as

shown
3 Select the Arc tool
4 Point to the right endpoint of the You’ll continue the line by drawing the first half
new line of the arc.
Drag to the center point of the

tracing arc and release the mouse
button where shown
To draw half of the arc. The endpoints of both

lines change to vertex points, indicating that the
line is now a compound line.
5 Using the same technique, draw Start at the vertex point at the end of the first
the second half of the arc arc.
Observe the line There are now four vertex points.
6 Save your changes

Using the Pencil tool to create compound lines

Explanation You can also create compound lines with the Pencil tool, which can function as both the
Line and Arc tools combined. The type of line segment you create is determined by the
way you drag with the tool. Drag in a straight line to create straight line segments, and
drag in the shape of an arc to create curved segments.
Do it! B-3: Creating a compound line with the Pencil tool

1 Verify that the compound line is If necessary, click it to select it.
selected
Press d To delete the line. You’ll create the same line by

using only the Pencil tool.
2 Select the Pencil tool
3 Draw the straight portion of the

compound line
4 Point to the right endpoint You’ll create the first part of the curve.
Using a smooth motion, drag

slightly left, and then up and to
the right, as shown
5 Using the same technique, draw Again, the curves don’t need to match the
the second half of the arc tracing line exactly.
6 Save your changes

Adjusting compound lines

Explanation You can adjust compound lines by manipulating the control and vertex points. If you
created a freeform line, you can make adjustments by moving the control points with
either the Pointer tool or the Pencil tool. If you created a compound line with the Line,
Arc, or Pencil tools, you can move control points as well as vertex points.
In both types of compound lines, you can convert control points to vertex points, and
you can add vertex points where there previously weren’t any. To do both, you need to
use the Pencil tool. To convert a control point to a vertex point, Ctrl+click the control
point you want to convert. To add a vertex point, point to a location on a segment where
you want to add the point, and then Ctrl+click the segment.
Do it! B-4: Manipulating compound lines

1 Select the freeform line Click it.
Drag any control handle To change the curve for a portion of the line.
2 Reposition the other control points As necessary to more precisely align the curves
of the line with the curves in the tracing line.
3 Press and hold c, and click a To create a new vertex point. Eccentricity
blank portion of the line handles extend from the vertex point.
Drag the eccentricity handles to

change the shape of the line
4 Click the compound line at the To select it.

bottom of the page
5 Drag the control point on the left

side of the curve, as shown
To change the curve.
6 Press and hold c, and click To convert it to a vertex point. The segment is
the control point divided into two segments, and control points
appear on both sides of the vertex point.
7 Drag the right control point down,

as shown
To change the direction of the second segment.
8 Click a blank area of the page To deselect the line and view the results.

Topic C: Editing objects

Explanation There are many ways you can edit shapes and lines. Some of the common techniques
include duplicating, aligning, distributing, grouping, and rotating shapes.
Duplicating an object
You can duplicate an object by using several methods. You can use the Copy and Paste
commands on the Home tab (or use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V). Or, you
can hold down the Ctrl key as you drag an object. When you do this, Visio creates a
duplicate of the object. You can also select an object and press Ctrl+D.
Maintain alignment when duplicating

If you duplicate an object by pressing Ctrl as you drag it, you can also use the Shift key
to maintain its alignment. Be sure you do not press Shift until after you start dragging;
otherwise, the tool will change to the Magnification tool.
Using the F4 key to duplicate objects

The F4 key functions as a Repeat key. In many cases, it repeats your last action. This
can be useful when you’re duplicating an object by dragging because you not only get a
duplicate of the object, but you also duplicate the distance you dragged that object.
Do it! C-1: Duplicating objects

The files for this activity are in Student Data folder Unit 2\Topic C.
1 Open Objects.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as My Objects
Select the Pointer tool If necessary.
2 Select the circle You’ll duplicate it.
3 Point to the center of the circle A plus sign appears next to the pointer.
and then press and hold c
Drag the circle to the other end of To create a copy of the circle on the other end.
the dotted line
Release the mouse button; then Otherwise, you will move the circle rather than
release c copy it.
4 Press c + D To create a duplicate circle that is offset from

the original.
Press c + D two more To create two more copies of the circle.

times
5 Select the leftmost circle The original circle.
6 Point to the center of the circle; A plus sign appears next to the pointer.
then press and hold c
Slowly begin dragging down To begin creating a duplicate.
As you drag, press and hold To maintain vertical alignment for the duplicate
s circle.
7 Position the duplicate circle as

shown and release the mouse
button
After you release the mouse button, you can also

release the Ctrl and Shift keys.
8 Press $ To create a duplicate circle that is spaced the

same distance that you spaced the original.
Press $ two more times To create two more evenly spaced duplicates.
9 Save your changes

Object alignment
Explanation You’ll probably spend a lot of time moving and aligning objects in your drawings.
There are many ways to accomplish these actions, but the easiest way to align objects is
to use the options in the Position menu. For example, you can select several adjacent
objects and then select Align Center from the Position menu to center the objects
precisely.
Reference objects
When you align objects, the order in which you select them is critical. The first object
you select is the reference object: all other objects you select will be aligned to it. When
you select multiple objects, the reference object has a thick pink border, while the other
selected objects have thin pink borders, as shown in Exhibit 2-7.
Reference object
Exhibit 2-7: A reference object in a group of selected objects
Use the Shift key to select multiple objects

Earlier you learned how to select multiple objects by dragging to create a marquee.
However, if you want to select specific objects but leave others unselected, you can hold
down the Shift key and click the objects you want to select. You can also remove an
object from a group of selected objects by Shift+clicking it.
Live preview
You can preview the effect of an alignment command by pointing to an option in the
Position menu. For example, if you have selected multiple objects, open the Position
menu and point to different alignment options; the objects move on the page to show
you how that selected command will affect the shapes.
Do it! C-2: Aligning objects

1 Go to Page-2 You’ll left-align the three shapes.
2 Select the yellow shape You’ll use this shape as the reference object.
3 Hold down s and click the The thick pink border around the yellow shape
other two shapes indicates that it’s the reference object.
In the Arrange group, click (On the Home tab.) To open the Position menu.
Position
Point to Align Left The shapes move on the page to show you the
effect of this command on the selection.
Point to Align Top The objects are aligned to the top of the
reference object.
4 Select Align Left To align the selected objects with the left side of
the reference object.
5 Save your changes

Object distribution
Explanation Distributing objects evenly spaces them from either their centers or their edges. The
distance between the first and last objects determines the overall distance. All other
objects are distributed evenly to fill the space between the first and last objects. You can
distribute objects vertically or horizontally.
To distribute objects, open the Position menu, point to Space Shapes, and select an
option from the submenu. Or, you can select More Distribute Options to open the
Distribute Shapes dialog box. The following table shows the buttons you’ll find in the
Distribute Shapes dialog box and describes their function.
Button Function
Top and bottom inside edges are spaced evenly apart.
Top edges of objects are spaced evenly apart.
Vertical centers of objects are spaced evenly.
Bottom edges are spaced evenly apart.
Left and right inside edges are spaced evenly apart.
Left edges are spaced evenly apart.
Horizontal centers of objects are spaced evenly apart.
Right edges are spaced evenly apart.

Do it! C-3: Distributing objects

1 Go to Page-3
2 Select all of the light blue shapes The leftmost shape should be the reference
object. You’ll distribute these shapes vertically.
3 Open the Position menu
Choose Space Shapes, More To open the Distribute Shapes dialog box.
Distribute Options…
4 Under Vertical distribution, This setting will distribute the selected shapes
click evenly based on their bottom edges.
5 Click OK
6 Select only the dark blue shapes
Add the light blue diamond shape You’ll distribute these shapes horizontally.
to the selection
7 From the Position menu, choose To open the Distribute Shapes dialog box.
Space Shapes, More
Distribute Options…
Under Horizontal distribution, This setting will distribute the selected shapes
click evenly according to their horizontal centers.
Click OK The diamond shape is no longer vertically

aligned with the light blue rectangles. To fix
this, you’ll realign the light blue shapes, using
the diamond shape as a reference object.
8 Deselect the shapes
Select only the light blue diamond
Add the other light blue shapes to

the selection
9 From the Position menu, choose

Space Shapes, Distribute
Vertically
From the Position menu, choose To align the shapes under the diamond.
Align Center

Grouping
Explanation You can avoid the problem of staggered arrangements by grouping objects before you
align or distribute them. Grouping holds objects together and allows them to act as a
single object. Then, when you distribute or align the group, all of the objects in the
group move together.
To group objects, select the objects you want to group, click Group, and choose Group.
To ungroup objects, select the group, click Group, and choose Ungroup. You can also
group and ungroup objects by using the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+G (to group) and
Shift+Ctrl+U (to ungroup).
Do it! C-4: Grouping objects

1 Go to Page-4
2 Select the orange diamond and the

shapes below it
3 Align the selected shapes to the Choose Position, Align Center.

center of the reference object
4 Press c + G To group the selected shapes. Now there is only

one set of selection handles.
5 With the group selected, You’ll select the other yellow objects.
press and hold s
Select the three yellow shapes
Release s
6 Choose Position, Space The yellow shapes are distributed uniformly

Shapes, Distribute using the group as a reference object.
Horizontally
7 Save your changes

Rotating objects
Explanation You rotate objects around a point called the center of rotation by using rotate handles.
When you select an object with the Rotate tool, the center of rotation appears in the
middle of the object. In addition, a round Rotate Shape tool appears at the top of the
selected object. You can use this tool to rotate the object clockwise or counterclockwise
around the center of rotation.
Moving the center of rotation

You can move an object’s center of rotation. You might want to do this if you need to
rotate one object around another. To move a center of rotation, you drag it to a new
location. It’s still associated with the original shape.
Do it! C-5: Rotating an object

1 Switch to Page-5
2 Select the airplane A circle appears above it.
3 Point to the circle To activate the Rotate Shape tool. You’ll use it
to rotate the airplane around its center of
rotation.
Drag clockwise until the plane is Use the status bar to determine the angle.
rotated 45 degrees
4 Press c + Z To undo the rotation.
Point to the circle To activate the Rotate Shape tool again.
5 Point to the plane’s center of

rotation
Observe the pointer It changes to a Center of Rotation icon.
6 Drag the center of rotation to the To move the center of rotation.

center of the earth shape
Rotate the plane Around the earth shape.

Unit summary: Drawing tools

Topic A In this topic, you learned how to use drawing tools to create different shapes. You drew
closed and open shapes and objects, and you learned how to reshape objects.
Topic B In this topic, you learned how to use the Freeform tool. You also created compound
lines by using the Line, Arc, and Pencil tools.
Topic C In this topic, you learned how to duplicate, align, and distribute objects. You also
learned how to group and rotate objects.

In this activity, you’ll draw and duplicate shapes. You’ll also align, distribute, and rotate
shapes.
1 Open Drawing practice.
2 Save the file as My Drawing practice.
3 Use the drawing tools to draw the shapes on Page-1. (Hint: Use the Freeform tool
for Shape D.)
4 Go to Page-2 and draw the compound line shape. (Hint: You can use the Arc and
Line tools or the Pencil tool.)
5 Go to Page-3 and create two duplicates of the circle. Place the duplicates under the
original, and group the duplicates.
6 Go to Page-4 and align the shapes under the yellow diamond.
7 Distribute the shapes based on their vertical centers.
8 Go to Page-5 and rotate the sun around the earth.
9 Save and close the file. (Don’t close Visio.)
Review questions
1 Which of the following tools can you use to draw a square in one stroke?
A Rectangle
B Line
C Arc
D Ellipse
2 What is the difference between simple and compound lines?
Simple lines consist of a single line segment. Compound lines consist of multiple line segments.
3 Which key can you use to constrain the Line tool to draw lines in 45-degree
increments?
A Ctrl
B Alt
C Shift
D Ctrl+Shift
4 What is the difference between a control handle and an eccentricity handle?
The control handle symmetrically changes the curvature and acts as a pivot point when you’re
using the eccentricity handles. The eccentricity handles change the angle and magnitude of the
elliptical line from the arc, and they are used to lean the arc in a specific direction. They also
maintain the symmetry of the arc.
5 Which of the following can you add to a freeform line to hold the line in place and
provide control of each eccentricity handle?
A Eccentricity handles
B Vertex points
C Control handles
D Arc handles
6 Which of the following techniques holds objects together and allows them to act as
one?
A Rotating
B Aligning
C Distributing
D Grouping
3–1
Unit 3
Basic diagrams
A Plan a diagram.
B Create a basic diagram and insert, connect,

and modify shapes.
C Insert and format text.
D Create and modify organization charts.

Topic A: Planning a diagram

Explanation With diagrams, you can present complex information graphically. One type of diagram
is a flowchart, which typically represents a process. For example, a flowchart could
depict the assembly of a motor on an assembly line. Another type of diagram is an
organization chart, which shows a company’s structure. Visio provides other types of
charts and diagrams you can use to represent a variety of information.
Design tips
Effective design begins with an audience analysis. Ask yourself these questions to
identify and understand your audience:
 Who will use this diagram?
 Why will they use it?
 What information is most important to them?
The answers to these basic questions will help you target the right diagram to the right
people. If you have a wide audience, the questions might be harder to answer. No matter
who your audience is, it’s typically best to keep the diagram as simple as possible.
Next, consider the design and purpose of your diagram. Will it be distributed online
across a company network? Will you be printing the diagram? If so, will you print in
color or black and white? If you are printing in color, use highly contrasting colors to
make it easy for your audience to read the diagram and distinguish its components.
Diagram shapes
Each step, action, or idea in a diagram is represented by a shape. Some shapes are
standard across most processes, such as those used in process mapping. If you’re
creating a flowchart, your company might have a standardized set of flowchart symbols
that you can use as a guide. Visio organizes commonly used shapes in stencils and
incorporates these stencils into diagram templates. When you use a Visio template, the
stencils most commonly used for that type of diagram are included in the file.
The following guidelines can help you to select the proper shapes for your diagram:
 First, check to see if the shape you want to use is a standard shape for a
particular action or function. Often the shapes found on the Basic stencil are
enough to get started. If they’re not, many other stencils are available.
 Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Research what your company has done in the
past, and find out if there are any company standards you should be following.
 Choose a graphic whenever you can’t find the right shape. Often, a graphic can
effectively convey a simple idea or action. Consider using a universal type of
graphic, such as an industry icon.
 As you create the diagram, you don’t need it to be perfect. You might find a
shape that’s better suited to the idea you want to convey after you’ve created the
drawing. You can always go back and replace a shape without rebuilding the
entire diagram.
Basic diagrams 3–3
Do it! A-1: Discussing diagram planning

Questions and answers
1 What kind of information is typically best represented by a flowchart?
2 What is the first step you should take when planning a diagram?
3 If your diagram will be printed, what color factors should you consider?
4 If you can’t find the right shape to use, what’s a good alternative?
Topic B: Creating a basic diagram

Explanation Master shapes are the basic building blocks of a Visio diagram. When you begin a
diagram, stencils containing specific master shapes are automatically displayed in the
Shapes window.
Inserting and connecting shapes

You can add shapes to a diagram by dragging shapes from the stencils onto the page.
Each shape serves a specific purpose and demonstrates a particular process or function
in the diagram. For example, decision shapes in flowchart diagrams represent decisions
within a flow of events, while process shapes represent specific steps or tasks.
AutoConnect
You can save time by using AutoConnect to connect shapes as you add them to the
page. AutoConnect is optional but active by default in Visio 2010. When you point to a
shape, direction handles appear, as shown in Exhibit 3-1.
AutoConnect handles
Exhibit 3-1: AutoConnect handles
When you point to any of these handles, a toolbar of shapes is displayed, as shown in
Exhibit 3-2. The shapes that are displayed are from the currently selected stencil. You
can point to a shape to preview a connection, or click one to add and connect the shape.
Exhibit 3-2: The AutoConnect toolbar
You can also add and connect new shapes by using the following techniques:
 Point to a shape on the page and click an AutoConnect handle. When you do, the
last shape you selected in the stencil will automatically be added to the drawing
and connected to the shape.
 Drag a shape from the stencil and hold it over an existing shape until the
AutoConnect handles appear. Then move the shape over any of the AutoConnect
handles and release the mouse button to add and connect it to the shape.
Moving and deleting shapes

You will likely need to make ongoing adjustments as you work on a diagram. To delete
a shape, select it and press delete. To move a shape, drag it to a desired location. When
you move a shape, orange guides appear, indicating the alignment and spacing for
precise shape placement. If you want to move multiple shapes at once, select them and
drag the selection box to the desired location. Moving shapes does not remove their
connections to other shapes.
Do it! B-1: Adding, connecting, and moving shapes

1 Open Diagram.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as My Diagram
2 Drag the Process shape onto the (From the Basic Flowchart Shapes stencil.) As
page you drag, the shape snaps to the grid increments.
3 Point to the shape you added When you point to a shape, four blue
AutoConnect handles appear, one on each side.
Click the bottom AutoConnect Another Process shape is added below the
handle existing one. However, you want to add a
Decision shape.
4 Press c + Z To undo the change.
5 In the Basic Flowchart stencil, To select the Decision shape.

click Decision
6 Point to the shape on the page To view the AutoConnect handles.
Click the bottom AutoConnect To add and connect a Decision shape.

handle
7 Point to the new shape To view the AutoConnect handles.
Point to the bottom AutoConnect A toolbar appears with shapes from the currently
handle selected stencil.
8 Point to the diamond shape
To preview adding and connecting this shape.
Click the diamond To add and connect another Decision shape.

9 Drag a Process shape and hold it (Don’t release the mouse button.) When you
over the first diamond position the new shape over the existing one, the
AutoConnect handles appear.
Center the new shape over the

right AutoConnect handle
The AutoConnect handle darkens to indicate

that the shape will be connected off that point.
Release the mouse button To add and connect the new shape.
10 Press g To deselect the shape. Again, because you used

AutoConnect, the new shape is automatically
connected to the previous one.
11 Select the bottom Decision shape (The diamond.) You’ll delete this shape.
Press d To remove the shape.
12 Complete the flowchart as shown

13 Select the Process shape shown
Drag the shape down, as shown
The orange guides indicate the alignment and

spacing of the shape relative to the other shapes.
14 Select the shapes shown (Drag a marquee around them, or hold down the
Shift key and click each shape.) You’ll move
these shapes.
15 Point to the right edge of the The pointer changes to a four-sided arrow,
selection indicating that you can move the shapes in any
direction.
Drag the selection to the right To add space between steps in the diagram.

Manually connecting shapes

Explanation After you have added shapes to a drawing, you can connect them to illustrate their
relationship or flow. You have already connected shapes by using AutoConnect
features. You can also manually connect drawings with the Connector tool.
The Connector tool

At times, you’ll probably want to connect shapes that are not next to each other. You
can use the Connector tool to connect shapes that are not adjacent. On the Home tab, in
the Tools group, select the Connector tool and then drag the pointer from a connection
point on one shape to a connection point on another shape. Connect shapes in the
direction of the process flow because arrows are automatically added to connecting lines
that point in the direction in which the connection is made.
To ensure that your shapes are properly connected, you can attach them at their
connection points. When connected properly, the shapes are “glued.” This secures the
shapes together so that when a shape is moved, the connection is not broken.
Point-to-point connections
When the Connector tool is selected and you point to a shape, the shape’s connection
points come into view—the small blue x on each side. When you point to a connection
point, it’s highlighted by a red box. You can drag a connector from one shape’s
connection point to the connection point of another shape to create a point-to-point
connection. With this type of connection, the connector remains “glued” to those
connection points even if a shape is moved.
Shape-to-shape connections
You can also create a shape-to-shape connection if you want the connector to stay glued
to the shape if it’s moved, but not necessarily glued any particular connection point on
the shape. To create a shape-to-shape connection, select the Connector tool and drag
from the center of a shape to the center of another shape.
Using AutoConnect for adjacent shapes

If two shapes are next to each other, you can quickly connect them by using
AutoConnect. With the Pointer tool, simply point to one of the shapes to display the
AutoConnect handles. Then click the handle that points to the other shape.
Do it! B-2: Manually connecting shapes

1 Point to the Process shape below
the Decision shape, as shown
Three AutoConnect handles are displayed. The

top AutoConnect handle is not displayed
because there’s already a connection there. You
want to indicate flow back to the first Process
shape, so you’ll need to use the Connector tool.
2 In the Tools group, click To select the Connector tool.

Connector
3 Point to the same Process shape The shape has a bold red border and the pointer
changes to a crosshair with a connection line.
4 Point to the left edge of the shape,

as shown
A red box highlights the connection point.

You’ll create a connection from this point back
up to the first Process shape.
5 Drag slightly to the left and then To begin drawing a connection.

up toward the first shape
6 Point to the left connection point

in the top Process shape
Release the mouse button To make a point-to-point connection. Two red

boxes appear at the connections to indicate that
the shapes are properly connected, or “glued.”
7 Press g To deselect the connection line. Notice that the

arrow flows upward, in the direction you made
the connection.
8 Save your changes

Connector shapes
Explanation You can use various connector shapes to achieve specific results. For example, if you
want to add text to a connector shape you can use large arrows that provide space for
text, as shown in Exhibit 3-3. Connector shapes are located on various stencils, but you
can view them all at once on the Connectors stencil.
To open the Connectors Stencil, click More Shapes in the Shapes window. Then choose
Visio Extras, Connectors.
Exhibit 3-3: An example of alternate connector shapes

Do it! B-3: Applying connector shapes

2 Click the connector between the

two shapes shown
Press d To delete the connector.
3 Delete the connector between the

Decision shape and the Process
shape to its right
You’ll use connector shapes to indicate “Yes” or

“No” decisions.
4 Select the Connector tool In the Tools group, click Connector.
5 In the Shapes window, click

More Shapes
Choose Visio Extras, To open the Connectors stencil.

Connectors (US Units)
6 In the Stencil, scroll down To view the connector shapes near the bottom of
the stencil. You’ll add the 1-D single connector
shape.
7 Drag a 1-D single connector to

the connection point shown
A red box and a ScreenTip indicate that the

connector will be glued to the shape at the
indicated connection point.
Release the mouse button The connection point remains red, indicating
that it’s glued to the Decision shape.
8 Drag the control handle to the

right, as shown
To glue the connector shape to the Process

shape. You can also add connector shapes by
using AutoConnect.
Press g To deselect the connection.
9 Verify that the 1-D single (In the stencil.) You’ll create another
connector shape is selected connection.
10 Point to the Decision shape’s

bottom connection point
Drag down to the top of the

Process shape, as shown
To add a 1-D single connector between the two

shapes.
11 Deselect the connector Press Esc or click a blank area of the page.
13 Click where shown
You’ll move this connector. The connector’s

endpoints are highlighted red.
Point to the endpoint, as shown
The pointer changes to a four-sided arrow and a

ScreenTip indicates that you can move the
endpoint.
Drag the endpoint down to the

Decision shape, as shown
Deselect the connector

Topic C: Working with text

Explanation You can add text to a diagram, format the text, and apply text to shapes and connectors
to provide important information and instruction.
Text blocks
Unlike in a typical word processor, text in Visio is contained in a text block, a container
for the text. When you add text to a drawing, there are two things at work: the text block
and the text itself. Each has its own properties and can be formatted separately. You can
add text blocks to shapes, connectors, and other objects. Exhibit 3-4 shows an example
of text in shapes and connectors.
Exhibit 3-4: Examples of text in objects
Text blocks give you added flexibility in how text is displayed. For example, you can
rotate a text block so that the text is diagonal or vertical. You can format a text block
independently of the shape that it’s associated with.
Editing text
If you need to change text after you’ve added it to a drawing, you can return to text
mode. Simply select the Text and then click the text you want to edit. When you’re
finished editing, press Esc or click outside the text block.
Formatting text
To format text, select the text block and then use the options in the Font and Paragraph
groups to apply the desired formatting. For example, if you want to change the text size,
select the text block and select a new font size from the Font Size list in the Font group.
To align text in its text block, select the text block and then click an alignment button in
the Paragraph group.
You can also format specific sections of text within a text block. For example, you can
make a single letter or word larger than other text in a text block, or change the text
color or font face. You can also resize a text box as needed by selecting it and then
dragging a handle with the Pointer tool.
Do it! C-1: Inserting and formatting text

1 Open Diagram2.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as My Diagram2
2 In the Tools group, click Text To select the Text tool.
3 Click the blank area at the top of The page magnification automatically increases,
the page, near the center and a text box with an insertion point appears.
Type Product development

process
4 Press g To exit text mode. The text block appears with

handles around it.
Drag the right handle to the right

until the text fits on one line
6 In the Font group, click as shown
To open the Font Size list.
Select 16pt. To increase the text size to 16 points.
7 Resize the text box so that the text

fits on one line
8 Point to the middle of the text box The pointer changes to a four-sided arrow,
indicating that you can move the text box in any
direction.
Move the text box near the top left

edge of the page
9 Click where shown
To open the Font list.
Point to various fonts in the list Live Preview shows how the text will appear.
Select Arial Black
10 Resize the text box so that the text

fits on one line
11 Deselect the text box Press Esc or click a blank area of the page.

Paragraph text
Explanation When you need to add a large amount of text, such as a long paragraph, you can select
the text tool, click on the page where you want to add the text, and begin typing until
you’re finished. The text box will increase in size to accommodate the text that you
enter. You can then move and resize the text block as needed by using the Pointer tool.
Or, you can create a large text block first, and then begin typing. In this way, you can
control how large the text area will be before you add text. Select the Text tool and drag
to draw a text box of the desired size. The insertion point will be placed in the center of
the text box automatically so that you can begin typing immediately. Text automatically
wraps when it reaches the end of the text block area.
Do it! C-2: Adding paragraph text

1 Select the Text tool
2 Point as shown
You’ll create a text block here.
Drag down and to the right to Use the status bar to view the size of the box as
create a text box 1 inch high and 2 you drag.
inches wide
3 Type To help increase our In the text block.

productivity and quality,
we are adopting this new
process. Your feedback is
appreciated.
Press e twice To create a new line.
4 Type E-mail feedback to KMatha@outlanderspices.com
Press g
5 Observe the text block
By default, the text is centered in the text block.
6 In the Paragraph group, click To align the text to the left of the text block.
Click as shown
To align the text to the bottom of the text block.
7 Save your changes

Shape text
Explanation You can add text to shapes to describe the steps in a diagram or provide other important
information. As soon as you add a new shape to a drawing, you can type to add text in
the center of the shape. To add text to an existing shape, select the shape with the
Pointer tool or the Text tool and then start typing. (You can also double-click a shape
with the Pointer tool.) Visio automatically enters text mode and if necessary, zooms in
so that you can see the text more easily.
Exhibit 3-5 shows a Decision shape in text mode—the text block becomes visible.
When you’re done adding text, you can click away from the shape or press Esc to exit
text mode and return to the previous page magnification.
Double-click a In text mode, the

shape to enter text block border
text mode is visible
Exhibit 3-5: Adding text to a shape
Do it! C-3: Adding text to shapes

1 Verify that the Text tool is
selected
2 Click (Next to the Zoom slider in the lower-right

corner of the program window.) To fit the page
to the current window size.
3 Click the top Process shape The view zooms in automatically and the
insertion point is centered in the shape.
4 Type Project kickoff
Press g To exit text mode. The shape is still selected and

the page returns to its previous zoom level.
5 Select the Pointer tool You can also enter text by using the Pointer tool.
6 Click the first Decision shape To select it.
Type Design approved? As soon as you begin typing, Visio enters text
mode.
7 Press g To exit text mode and view the entire page

again.
8 Select the Process shape below

the Decision shape
Type Modify design
9 Enter text in the rest of the shapes,

as shown

Connectors and text

Explanation Connectors are also considered shapes. This means you can add text to connectors by
using the same methods you use for adding text to shapes. There are advantages to
adding text to connectors: The text moves with the connector, and if the connector
length is changed, the text is adjusted automatically.
Do it! C-4: Adding text to connectors

1 Switch to the Pointer tool If necessary.
2 Select the connector shown
Type Resubmit The text runs perpendicular to the connector.

You’ll learn how to rotate text in another
activity.
3 Press g To exit text mode.
Type Yes and press g To define the flow of the decision.

Type No and press g With this shape, the connector text automatically
aligns with the orientation of the shape.
6 Save your changes

Manipulating shape text

Explanation Every shape contains a text block area you can move and manipulate by using either the
Text tool or the Text Block tool.
The Text tool vs. the Text Block tool

Use the Text tool when you want to add or edit text. When you use the Text tool to
select a text block, you enter text mode. You can press Esc to exit text mode and select
the text block itself. You can then move, resize, or rotate the text block as needed. When
you use the Text Block tool, the text block is selected, not the text inside the block. Like
the Text tool, you can use the Text Block tool to rotate the text within its shape, and
move and resize a text block.
Rotating a text block

You can rotate a text block by selecting it with either the Text tool or the Text Block
tool. A round rotation handle appears outside the text block, as shown in Exhibit 3-6.
Drag this handle to rotate the text. It’s best to use the Text Block tool when you want to
rotate text because you don’t need to exit text mode before you rotate the text. As soon
as you click a text block with the Text Block tool, it’s selected and ready to be moved,
rotated, or resized.
You can’t rotate text by using the Pointer tool. When you use the Pointer tool to select a
shape, the rotation handle rotates the shape, not the contents of the shape.
Rotation handle
Exhibit 3-6: A rotation handle

Do it! C-5: Rotating text

1 Click (The Text Block tool.) In the Tools group.
2 Click Resubmit
To select the text block.
3 Point to the rotation handle

rotate from this point and a ScreenTip appears.
4 Rotate the text block

counterclockwise, as shown
5 Deselect the text block Notice that the connector line automatically
adjusts to show all of the text along the line.

Topic D: Organization charts

Explanation An organization chart depicts the systematic flow of authority and responsibility. You
can use these charts to show superior-subordinate relationships, report hierarchies, and
inter-department links in an organization. For example, you can use an organization
chart to show the hierarchy of your company’s department structure.
Creating organization charts

To create an organization chart, you use the Organization Chart template. When you use
this template, the Organization Chart stencil opens and the Org Chart tab is added to the
Ribbon.
To get started with the Organization Chart template, click the File tab, click New, select
Organization Chart, and click Create. Then start building the organization chart by
dragging shapes from the Organization Chart stencil to the page. Each organization
chart shape typically contains the name and title of a particular person in the
organization.
Adding multiple shapes

You can add more than one shape of the same type to an organization chart. For
example, you might need five Manager shapes under an Executive shape. You can
insert all of the Manager shapes at once by dragging the Multiple Shapes shape onto the
page. This opens the Add Multiple Shapes dialog box, shown in Exhibit 3-7. In this
dialog box, enter the number of shapes you want to create, select the shape type, and
click OK.
Exhibit 3-7: The Add Multiple Shapes dialog box
Automatic linking
If you want to create a reporting relationship automatically when you add a new
organization shape, you can drag the new shape onto the shape that represents the
person or position to which it reports.
Do it! D-1: Creating an organization chart

1 Click the File tab To open the Backstage view.
Click New If necessary.
Click Organization Chart You’ll create a new file based on the

(US Units) Organization Chart template.
Click Create The Organization Chart Shapes stencil appears

in the Shapes window.
2 Observe the Ribbon tabs A new tab, Org Chart, is displayed. The Visio
environment changes based on the type of file or
template you’re working with.
3 Save the file as In the current topic folder.

My organization chart
4 Drag an Executive shape near the (From the Organization Chart Shapes stencil.)
top center of the page The Connecting Shapes dialog box appears.
Check Don’t show this To prevent this dialog box from appearing each
message again time you drag a shape from the Organization
Chart Shapes stencil.
Click OK
5 Observe the shape It contains default text for Name and Title.
6 Type Kathy Sinclair
Press e To go to the next line within the shape.
Type President To enter the title of the executive.
Press g
7 Drag Multiple shapes on top The Add Multiple Shapes dialog box appears.
of the Kathy Sinclair shape
8 From the Shape list, select You’ll add multiple Manager shapes.
Manager
Set the Number of shapes to 4 Click the up-arrow to the right of the box, or
click the default value and type 4.
Click OK Four Manager shapes appear, linked under the

Executive shape to show the reporting structure.
Deselect the shapes

9 Add two Position shapes under Drag the Multiple Shapes shape onto the
the leftmost Manager shape leftmost Manager shape. In the dialog box,
select Position, change the value to 2, and click
OK.
10 Add two more Position shapes

under the third Manager shape
Click the chart shapes twice To zoom in on them.
12 Add text to the shapes, as shown

Modifying layouts
Explanation A layout defines the way in which shapes are arranged. You might want to change the
layout of the shapes to change the hierarchy in an organization chart. The options on the
Org Chart tab provide various layout styles, such as horizontal and vertical layouts.
Changing the layout of a superior shape changes the layout of all subordinate shapes.
Do it! D-2: Changing the layout of an organization chart

1 Select the James Anderson You’ll change the layout of this shape and its
shape subordinates.
2 Click the Org Chart tab
In the Layout group, click To open a menu of Vertical layout options.

Vertical
Select Right To right-align the James Anderson shape

relative to its subordinate shapes.
3 Select the Peter Schmidt shape
From the Vertical menu, choose To left-align the Manager shape relative to its
Left subordinate shapes.

Unit summary: Basic diagrams

Topic A In this topic, you learned how to plan a basic flowchart. You also learned some tips for
using flowchart shapes.
Topic B In this topic, you learned how to create a basic diagram. You learned how to insert
shapes by dragging from stencils and by using AutoConnect. Then you learned how to
connect and move shapes, and apply different connector types.
Topic C In this topic, you learned how to add text to a drawing and format text. You learned
how to apply text to a page, and to individual shapes and connectors. You also learned
how to rotate text blocks.
Topic D In this topic, you learned how to create and modify an organization chart.

In this activity, you’ll create a diagram by adding shapes and connectors. Then you’ll
add and modify text to complete the diagram.
1 Open Process flow and save it as My Process flow.
2 Insert and link the shapes as shown in Exhibit 3-8.
3 Using the Connector tool, add a connector line to connect the bottom Process shape
in the second column to the Process shape in the first column, as shown in Exhibit
3-9.
4 Open the Connectors stencil and add the 1-D single connector shapes shown in
Exhibit 3-10.
5 Add text to the shapes and connectors, as shown in Exhibit 3-10.
6 Add the text New Process at the top of the drawing. Change the font face and
increase the font size.
7 Move the text block to the lower-left side of the page, and rotate it at a 90-degree
angle.
8 Save and close the drawing.
Exhibit 3-8: The diagram after step 2


Review questions
1 What is the grid?
The grid is a series of horizontal and vertical lines, similar to graph paper, that help you to
position shapes precisely. The grid does not print.
2 What’s the difference between a point-to-point connection and a shape-to-shape
connection?
With a point-to-point connection, the connector remains “glued” to its connection points even if a
shape is moved. With a shape-to-shape connection, the connector stays glued to the shape if it’s
moved, but not necessarily glued any particular connection point on the shape.
3 Where can text blocks be placed?
Text blocks can be placed along a connector, within a connector, within a shape, our anywhere
on the page.
4 Which tools can you use to rotate a text block? (Choose all that apply.)
A The Text tool
B The Connector tool
C The Text Block tool
D The Alignment tool
5 True or false? The Visio 2010 environment changes based on the template or file
that’s currently open.
True. For example, if you use the Organization Chart template, the Org Chart tab appears on the
Ribbon and organization chart stencils are displayed.
4–1
Unit 4
Formatting drawings
A Format text and text blocks, and apply

themes and effects.
B Format shapes and lines, create a shadow

effect, and use the Format Painter.
Topic A: Formatting text

Explanation A Visio drawing has three basic elements: shapes, lines, and text. You can format each
of these elements to make your diagrams appealing and impactful. For example, you
can apply different font faces, alignments, colors, shadows, and line properties.
To format the elements of a drawing, you can use the tools in the Font, Paragraph, and
Shape groups on the Home tab, or you can use the Text dialog box.
Basic text formatting

To apply basic text formatting such as bold and italic, or change fonts, font sizes, and
text color, you can use the commands in the Font group on the Home tab.
You can select a text block to apply formatting to the entire block of text, or you can
select and format individual letters or words. To format specific letters or words,
double-click the text to enter text mode, and then select the letters or words that you
want to format.
Formatting drawings 4–3
Do it! A-1: Applying basic text formats

1 Open DevProcess.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as My DevProcess
2 Select the Pointer tool If necessary.
Click Product development To select the text block.

process
3 In the Font group, click (The Increase Font Size button.) To increase the
font size one increment, which forces it to wrap
to the next line.
4 Drag the right resize handle until

the text fits on one line
5 Select the paragraph text block
Increase the font size two Click the Increase Font Size button twice.
increments
Re-size the text block downward
To increase the space between this text and the

heading text.
6 Press c + s
Click the page twice To zoom in.
7 Select the Project kickoff You’ll make the text in this shape blue.
shape
8 In the Font group, click as shown
To open the Font Color palette.
Under Standard Colors, select the To change the text color in the selected shape.
dark red color swatch
9 Click To make the selected text bold.
10 Select the Design approved

shape
11 Select the Text tool To enter text mode.
Double-click approved To select only this word. You’ll format this

word and not the rest of the text.
Make the text bold
Press g twice To exit text mode and deselect the shape.
Select the Yes connector
Click as shown
To decrease the font size one increment.
Click To make the text italic.
13 Apply the same formatting to the Select the connector, decrease the font size one
No connector increment, and make the word italic.

The Text dialog box

Explanation You can also click the dialog box launcher in the Font or Paragraph groups to open the
Text dialog box, shown in Exhibit 4-1. With this dialog box you can apply additional
formatting options that aren’t available by default on the Ribbon, such as transparency,
spacing, margins, and background color.
Exhibit 4-1: The Text dialog box with the Font tab active
The Text dialog box contains six tabs. Choose the desired options from each tab and
then click Apply. When you’re finished, click OK to close the dialog box. The tabs and
their functions are described in the following table.
Tab Use it to…
Font Change font styles, such as font face, size, style, color, casing, and transparency.
Character Set character spacing and scaling.
Paragraph Set paragraph alignment, spacing, and indentation.
Text Block Set margins, alignment, background color, and background transparency.
Tabs Define the position and alignment of tab stops in text blocks.
Bullets Select bullet styles and related options.

Text block formatting

As mentioned earlier, you can format text blocks by using the Text Block tab in the
Text dialog box. The following table describes the options on the Text Block tab.
Option Used to…
Alignment Position text vertically within the text box. The options are top, middle, and bottom.
Margins Specify the distance between the text and each of the four sides of the text box. This
option is useful if you have visible borders on a text box and you want to ensure that
the text is sufficiently offset from the edges of the text box.
Text background Specify a background color for the selected text. This does not fill the entire text box,
but only the text background. You can also control the transparency level of the
background color by dragging the Transparency slider.
Paragraph formatting
On the Paragraph tab of the Text dialog box, you can control horizontal alignment,
indents, and spacing. If you select the text box, the formatting you apply affects all the
text in that text block. You can also select only certain paragraphs in a text block and
then open the Text dialog box to format only the selected paragraphs. The following
table describes the formatting options on the Paragraph tab.
Option Used to…
Alignment Align the selected paragraphs horizontally. The options are left, right, centered, and justified.
Indentation Set paragraph indentation. You can indent from the left or the right margin, or only the first
line of a paragraph.
Spacing Specify the gap between paragraphs.
Do it! A-2: Using the Text dialog box to format text

1 Select the text block shown
2 In the Paragraph group, click as

shown
To open the Text dialog box with the Paragraph

tab active.
Move the text box so that you can

see the selected text block
3 Under Spacing, in the After box, To increase the spacing after paragraphs to 6
click the up arrow points (6pt.)
Click Apply To apply the formatting without closing the

dialog box. There is now more space between
the two paragraphs in the text box.
4 Click the Text Block tab
From the Alignment list, select

Middle
Click Apply To align both paragraphs to the middle of the

text block.
5 Set the margin on all four sides of Under Margins, click the up-arrow next to each
the text box to 8 pt. value three times, or enter the values manually.
Click Apply To view the result.
6 Click the Font tab
In the Font list, scroll to the To change the font face.

bottom and select Verdana
From the Size list, select 12 pt.
Click Apply
7 Click OK To apply the changes and close the dialog box.
8 Move the text box to the right side

of the page
Press g To deselect the text block.
9 Save your changes

Themes and effects

Explanation Themes are predefined sets of colors and styles that you can quickly apply to a drawing.
Each theme consists of a color scheme and styles for fonts, shadows, and connectors. To
apply a theme, click the Design tab and then point to a theme in the Themes group. Live
Preview shows you the effect the theme will have on your drawing. Click a theme to
apply it. Or, click the downward-pointing arrow at the end of the Themes group to open
the Themes gallery, which displays all available pre-configured themes, as shown in
Exhibit 4-2.
Exhibit 4-2: The Themes Gallery
The Effects list

In addition to the pre-built themes in the Themes gallery, you can use the options in the
Effects list to quickly apply eye-catching effects and styles. Pre-built effects will
override any existing line, connector, text, and shadow styles.
Do it! A-3: Applying themes and effects

1 Click the Design tab
2 In the Themes group, point to the Live Preview shows the effect this theme will
first theme have on the drawing. The shapes have color,
rounded edges, and a slight shadow to create
depth.
Point to the next theme To preview it.
3 Click as shown
To open the Themes gallery.
Point to the blue rounded theme in (The “Technic colors” theme.) To preview this
the middle of the bottom row theme. A ScreenTip showing the name of the
theme appears.
4 Click the theme To apply it to the drawing and close the gallery.
Notice that the red text you applied to the
“Project kickoff” shape is not affected.
5 Open the Effects list To the right of the Themes gallery.
Select Bevel Highlight To apply the effect. Notice that the new styles
override some of the theme styles.

Topic B: Formatting shapes and lines

Explanation In addition to the pre-built formats available in the Themes gallery, you can create your
own shape, line, and connector styles by using the tools in the Shape group on the Home
tab. You can also use the commands on the Design tab to apply colors and effects, and
customize the background and layout.
The Fill, Line, and Shadow tools

When applying colors, each shape has a separate line and fill. The line color is the
border around the shape; you can also customize the line style and thickness. The fill
color is the shape’s background color. If your shape contains text, it’s important that the
text color and the fill color have sufficient contrast so that the text is easy to read and
does not strain the eyes.
Exhibit 4-3: The Fill, Line, and Shadow tools, in the Shape group on the Home tab
You can use the Line dialog box, shown in Exhibit 4-4, to customize the appearance of
a selected line. For example, you can apply rounded corners, set dashed or dotted lines,
and control the line fill transparency. To open the Line dialog box, open the Line list
and choose Line Options.
Exhibit 4-4: The Line dialog box

Do it! B-1: Applying Line and Fill styles

1 Open New Process.vsd
Save the file as My New

Process
2 Using the Pointer tool, select the

“Project kickoff” shape
3 In the Shape group, open the Fill

list, as shown
A color palette is displayed.
Select a light blue color (Click it.) To change the color of the shape.
4 Open the Line list (In the Shape group, click Line.) You’ll apply a
thin, black border around the shape.
Select Weight To open a submenu of different line weight

(width) options.
Point to 1pt Live Preview shows how a 1-point border width

will look on the selected shape.
Point to 3pt To see how a 3-point border will look on the

selected shape.
5 Click 1 1/2 pt To apply a 1 1/2 border to the selected shape.
6 From the Line Color list, select a

dark blue color
Deselect the shape To view the results.
7 Select the shape again
8 From the Line list, choose To open the Line dialog box.
Line Options…
9 Open the Dash type list
Scroll to the bottom and select

line style 23
10 Under Round corners, click the

last option in the first row
11 Deselect the shape To view the results.

The Shadow dialog box

Explanation You can use the Shadow dialog box to create a custom shadow effect. For example, you
can control the shadow color, transparency, and angle. To open the Shadow dialog box,
click Shadow and choose Shadow Options.
Exhibit 4-5: The Shadow dialog box

Do it! B-2: Applying a shadow effect

1 Select the “Project kickoff” You’ll apply a custom drop shadow effect.
shape again
2 Press and hold c + s To zoom in on it.

and click the shape twice
3 Click Shadow (In the Shape group.) To open the Shadow Color
list.
Choose Shadow Options… To open the Shadow dialog box.
4 From the Style list, select Offset, The preview on the right shows how the shadow
lower right will be applied to the shape.
5 From the Color list, select a gray

color
6 Drag the Transparency slider to

about 40%
Click Apply To preview the shadow effect. (You might have

to move the dialog box to see the shape.)
7 Under Size & Position, triple-

click the value in the X Offset box
To select it.
Enter .05 To decrease the offset amount for the X axis.

This will decrease the depth of the shadow.
8 Change the value in the Y Offset (Be sure to type a dash before the value to make
box to -.05 it negative.) To decrease the depth of the
shadow on the Y axis.
9 Click Apply To preview the change.
Click OK To close the dialog box.
10 Deselect the shape To preview the results.

The Format Painter

Explanation After you have formatted a shape, you might want to apply the same styles to other
shapes in the drawing. You can do this by using the Format Painter, which applies the
formatting attributes of one shape to one or more other shapes. To use the Format
Painter, first select the shape that contains the formatting attributes you want to copy,
and then click the Format Painter button, located in the Clipboard group on the Home
tab. Then, click another shape in the drawing to apply the same formatting.
If you want to format multiple shapes, double-click the Format Painter button. This
prevents Visio from switching back to the previous tool after you format a shape. To
deselect the Format Painter, press Esc.
Do it! B-3: Using the Format Painter

1 Zoom to 100%
2 Click the “Project kickoff” shape (Use the Pointer tool.) To select it.
3 In the Clipboard group, click (The Format Painter button.) To copy the
formatting of the selected shape.
4 Click the “Document progress” To apply all the same styles.

shape
5 Click the “Project closure” shape The styles are not applied. To copy formatting to
multiple shapes, you need to double-click the
Format Painter.
6 Click (On the Quick Access toolbar.) To undo the

changes.
7 Select the “Project kickoff” shape
8 Double-click the Format Painter So that you can format multiple shapes without
having to reselect the tool.
9 Click the “Document progress” To copy the formatting to it.

shape
Click the “Project closure” shape To copy the formatting to it.
Press g To deselect the shapes.

Unit summary: Formatting drawings

Topic A In this topic, you learned how to format text and text blocks, control attributes such as
font size, text color, margins, alignment, and line spacing, and apply style themes
and effects.
Topic B In this topic, you learned how to format shapes and lines. You learned how to apply line
and corner styles, create a custom shadow effect, and use the Format Painter to copy
formatting to one or more other shapes.

In this activity, you’ll format text and resize shapes containing text. You’ll also apply
color to connector lines and shape backgrounds.
1 Open Flowchart.vsd and save it as My Flowchart.
2 Increase the size of the text “Resubmit” to 12 pt. (Hint: Double-click the text to
enter text mode.)
3 Give the “Yes” connector a green fill color. (Hint: Open the Fill list.)
4 Apply the red fill color in the first row under Theme Colors to the “No” connector.
5 Give the “Design Approved?” shape the orange fill color under Theme Colors.
6 Give the “Modify design” shape the pale blue color under Theme Colors.
7 Give the “Modify design” shape an Offset lower-right shadow using the dark blue
color under Theme Colors as the shadow color. Set the Transparency to 30%.
8 Set the X Offset to .05 and the Y Offset to -.05.
9 Copy all the formatting of the “Modify design” shape to the four remaining unstyled
shapes. (Hint: Double-click the Format Painter.)
10 Apply the “Bevel Highlight” effect to the drawing. (Hint: Click the Design tab.)
Review questions
1 How can you select individual letters or words in a text block for formatting?
Double-click the text to enter text mode, and then select the letters or words that you want to
format.
2 What are themes?
Themes are predefined sets of colors and styles that you can quickly apply to a drawing. Each
theme consists of a color scheme and styles for fonts, shadows, and connectors:
3 True or false? When you apply effects from the Effects list, the new styles might
override existing theme styles.
True
4 True or false? When the amount of text is too much for a text block to contain, the
text becomes hidden from view.
False
5 How can you copy formatting to multiple shapes by using the Format Painter?
A Click the Format Painter button and then click the shapes you want to format.
B Select all the shapes you want to format and then click the Format Painter
button.
C Click the Format Painter button and then Ctrl+click the shapes you want to
format.
D Double-click the Format Painter button and then click the shapes you want to
format.
5–1
Unit 5
Working with pages
A Set file, page, and print properties, use

Print Preview, create headers and footers,
and print a diagram.
B Create and apply background pages, use

fields to display information, and add a
graphic to a page.
C Create hyperlinks to internal detail pages,

external files, multiple files, and specific
locations in a file.
Topic A: File and print properties

Explanation When you create a diagram, you might want to add important information about the file.
For example, you might want to put your name and company name on the file, the
manager for the project, and a brief title or description. In addition, you should prepare
your diagram to print successfully, which entails checking and modifying page and
printer properties.
Viewing and setting file properties

To view and set properties for a file, click the File tab to open the Backstage view. Then
click Info to view information about the file. As shown in Exhibit 5-1, a thumbnail
preview of the page is shown, followed by various properties such as file size, the
company name, the file’s title and subject matter, and the people working on the file. To
specify a property, click the prompt to the right of the property and enter a value.
Exhibit 5-1: File properties in the Info category of the File tab
Working with pages 5–3
Do it! A-1: Setting file properties

1 Open New Flow.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as My New Flow
2 Click the File tab
Click Info To view information about the file.
3 Observe the preview (In the right pane.) Visio shows a thumbnail
preview and a list of information about the file.
4 Click Specify the company
Type Outlander Spices
5 Click Add a title
Type New process

flowchart
6 Click Specify the subject
Type Product development
7 Under Related People, in the

Author field, enter your name
Specify Kim Matha as the

manager
Page and print settings

Explanation It’s important to consider the page size and orientation. When printing a diagram, you’ll
want to choose a page orientation and size that best suits the size or layout of the
diagram. You can use the commands in the Page Setup group on the Design tab, and the
Page Setup dialog box, to make sure that the printer paper size is optimized for the
drawing page you want to print. If the drawing extends beyond the printer paper size,
content will be cut off and printed on a separate page.
Page orientation
The page orientation defines how the drawing will be printed on the page. The options
are Portrait (8.5”×11”) or Landscape (11”×8.5”). For example, if your diagram is wider
than it is long, you can change its orientation to Landscape so that as much content as
possible can be printed on a page. The default orientation depends on the template in
use. To change the page orientation, click the Design tab, click the Orientation button in
the Page Setup group, and select either Portrait or Landscape.
Exhibit 5-2: The Page Setup command group on the Design tab
The Auto Size feature

With the Auto Size feature enabled, the page expands if you add or move content
beyond the current page boundaries, which can be helpful when you’re working with a
large diagram. This feature is on by default. To turn it off, click the Auto Size button in
the Page Setup group on the Design tab, shown in Exhibit 5-2.
The Page Setup dialog box

You can use the Page Setup dialog box to control page size and printer settings. In many
templates, the option “Let Visio expand the page as needed” is selected by default, as
shown in Exhibit 5-3. This is the Auto Size feature. You can disable this by selecting
Pre-defined size and then selecting a page size from the lists below it.
Exhibit 5-3: The Page Setup dialog box with the Page Size tab active
The Page Setup dialog box contains six tabs, each described in the following table.
Tab Description
Print Setup Contains settings for the current printer. The Preview window shows the
orientation of the paper against the drawing page.
Page Size Contains size and orientation settings for the drawing page. You can define the
page size for each page in a drawing. The Preview window shows the orientation
of the paper against the drawing page.
Drawing Scale Defines a scale for the drawing. This is helpful for floor plans and other
architectural drawings.
Page Properties Use this tab to specify a name for the page, set the desired measurement units, and
assign a background page.
Layout and Routing Use this tab to define how shapes and lines will appear in print.
Shadows Use this tab to define shadow settings for a page.
Printer paper size

You can change the printer paper size by using the Size options in the Page Setup
command group. Click the Size button and select a page size. Or, open the Page Setup
dialog box, click the Print Setup tab, and select a paper size from the list.
Do it! A-2: Defining page size and print settings

1 Click the Design tab
Observe the Page Setup command These commands provide quick access to the
group most commonly used options in the Page Setup
dialog box. The Auto Size button is active by
default. This feature automatically resizes the
page if content extends beyond the page
boundaries.
2 Click Orientation Notice that Landscape is selected. This is the

default orientation when the flowchart template
is used.
3 Click Size To open a list of paper size options. Letter size

(8.5” × 11”) is the default selection.
4 Click as shown
To open the Page Setup dialog box. The Print

Setup tab is active.
5 Observe the Printer paper list This is the same setting you viewed using the
Size list. Letter size is the default paper size.
6 Click the Page Size tab
Observe the settings The default selection is “Let Visio expand the
page as needed.” This option relates to the
AutoSize feature, which is currently enabled.
7 Select Pre-defined size
From the second list, select To change the size of the drawing page.
Legal: 14 in. x 8.5 in.
Observe the preview window
The preview shows that the drawing page and

the printer page do not match. You can use the
Page Setup dialog box to make sure that the
printer paper size is optimized for the page you
want to print. If the drawing extends beyond the
printer paper size, content will be cut off and
printed on a separate page.
8 Click the Print Setup tab
Change the size of the Printer (From the Paper size list, select Legal 8.5 in. ×
paper to Legal 8.5 in x 14 in. 14 in.) The preview window shows that the size
of the printer paper now matches the size of
drawing page.
Click OK To close the Page Setup dialog box. The

drawing page is resized.
9 Save your changes

Print Preview
Explanation You can use Print Preview to see how a page will look before you print it. You can also
use Print Preview to add headers and/or footers. To open Print Preview, click the File
tab and select the Print category. Then click Print Preview. The application window
changes to show only the File tab and a new Print Preview tab, which contains several
print options and controls, as shown in Exhibit 5-4.
Exhibit 5-4: The Print Preview window
Headers and footers

You can add headers and footers to your printed pages. Headers appear at the top of
each page, and footers appear at the bottom of each page. To add page headers and/or
footers in Print Preview, click the Header & Footer button to open the Header and
Footer dialog box. Under Header and Footer, type values in the Left, Center, and Right
boxes, as needed. Or, click the arrows next to each position and select an option from
the list. For example, to show the file name in the top center of the page, select File
name. The box displays a variable that will be replaced with the file name when the
page is printed. Headers and footers created in Print Preview appear only in print.
Exhibit 5-5: The Header and Footer dialog box

Do it! A-3: Adding headers and footers in Print Preview

Select the Print category
2 Click Print Preview To open the Print Preview window.
Observe the Ribbon The Print Preview tab is active and all other tabs
except for the File tabs are absent in this view.
3 Click Header & Footer To open the Header and Footer dialog box.
4 Under Header, in the Left box, To add the text “DRAFT COPY” to the header.
type DRAFT COPY
5 Under Header, click the arrow at

the end of the Right list
Select Current date (short) This variable will display the current date in the
header.
6 Under Footer, click the arrow at

the end of the Right list
Select Page number To display the page number in the lower-right

corner of the page.
Click OK To close the Header and Footer dialog box.
7 Observe the preview (Zoom in, if necessary.) The header text and the
current date appear at the top corners of the
page, and the page number is displayed in the
lower-right corner.
Click Close Print Preview To return to the drawing page. Notice that the
header and footer are not displayed on the actual
diagram. They appear in print only.
8 Save your changes

Printing
Explanation After you’ve previewed your document and confirmed that its content and layout are
correct, you’re ready to print. You can print from inside the Print Preview window by
clicking the Print button. If Print Preview is not open and you’re ready to print, click the
File tab and then select the Print category. Then click Quick Print to send the document
to the default printer, or click Print to open the Print dialog box, shown in Exhibit 5-6.
In the Print dialog box, you can select the printer and choose which pages to print and
the number of copies to print. Click OK to send the document to the selected printer.
You can also press Ctrl+P to open the Print dialog box.
Exhibit 5-6: The Print dialog box

Do it! A-4: Printing a diagram

Select the Print category
Click Print To open the Print dialog box. You can also press
Ctrl+P from any view.
2 Observe the Name box The default printer is selected. You can select a
different printer if necessary.
Observe the Page range options By default, all pages in the document will print.
You can specify the pages you want to print.
3 Select Current page You would select this option if you want to print
only the current page.
Observe the Number of copies You can print one or more copies of your
box drawing by specifying a number in this box.
4 Click Cancel If your computer is connected to a printer and

you’re directed to do so by your instructor, click
OK to print the diagram.
5 Save and close the drawing

Topic B: Working with background pages

Explanation You can use background pages to display information you want to repeat on multiple
pages in a drawing.
Background pages
Background pages provide additional information for foreground pages. When you
designate a page as background, the fields you add to the page appear on multiple
foreground pages, as illustrated in Exhibit 5-7. You can use background pages to
consistently display important information such as a company logo or page numbers.
You can have more than one background page in a file, but you can apply only one
background page to a foreground page. The same background page is automatically
applied to each new page that you add to a drawing. You can use the Page Properties tab
in the Page Setup dialog box to remove a background page from a foreground page.
Background page
Drawing pages
Exhibit 5-7: A background page and foreground pages
Background headers and footers

You can use background pages to create headers and footers in your drawings. These
differ from headers and footers created in Print Preview, which only appear in print.
When you create headers and footers using a background page, the content appears on
each drawing page.
Do it! B-1: Creating a background page

1 Open Development.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as My

Development
2 Click the Insert tab
In the Pages group, click

Blank Page
Choose Background Page… To open the Page Setup dialog box with the
Page Properties tab active.
3 Verify that Background You’ll create a background page.

is selected
4 In the Name box, type You’ll use this background page to display
Header/Footer headers and footers on each drawing page.
5 Click OK A blank page is displayed. You’ll create the

background in the next activity.
Save your changes

Fields
Explanation Fields are variables that provide information about a drawing, such as the company
name, the file name, or the file’s author. You can also use fields to display information
such as the current date and page numbers. Field data is automatically updated in a
drawing. After you add fields, you can format them as ordinary text.
To add a field:
1 Create a text box or select an existing text box.
2 On the Insert tab, click Field to open the Field dialog box, shown in Exhibit 5-8.
3 In the Category list, select a category for the information you want to add.
4 In the Field name list, select a field.
5 Click OK. Repeat these steps to add more fields.
Exhibit 5-8: The Field dialog box
Page breaks
Displaying page breaks can help you arrange items in a drawing. With page breaks
showing, you can avoid placing objects or fields too close to margins. Page breaks are
determined by the page’s print margins.
Do it! B-2: Adding fields to a background page

1 Click the View tab
In the Show group, select A border is displayed around the grid, and the
Page Breaks white space indicates the page margins that are
currently set for the page.
2 Maximize the Visio window If necessary.
3 On the Home tab, click as shown
Select Line You’ll draw a horizontal line on the page.
4 Drag to draw a line near the

bottom of the page, as shown
5 In the Shape group, click Line To open the Line menu.
From the Theme Colors palette,

select a dark red color
6 In the Shape group, click To open the Shadow menu. Many Visio 2010
Shadow templates have default line and shape styles that
include a slight shadow effect.
Select No Shadow To turn off the default shadow for this line.
7 Deselect the line Press Esc.

8 Select the Text tool You’ll create a text box.
Below the line, draw a text box Use the status bar to guide you.
approximately 3” × 0.25”
Click Field To open the Field dialog box.
10 Under Category, select To display a list of fields in this category.

Document Info
Under Field name, select (Scroll down.) To add the company name as a
Company field.
Click OK To insert the Company field in the footer.

“Outlander Spices” replaces the Company
variable.
11 Type two spaces, followed by /
Type another two spaces You’ll add another field here.
12 Open the Field dialog box
Select Document Info
Select Subject and click OK To add the Subject field to the footer.
13 Press g To exit text mode.

14 Verify that the text box is selected
On the Home tab, click the Align To align the text to the left of the text box.
Left button
Press c + D To duplicate the text box.
15 In the status bar, click To fit the page in the current window size.
16 Drag the duplicate to the right side Under the right edge of the red line.
of the page
Press c + s
Click the duplicate text box twice To zoom in.
17 On the Home tab, select the Text

tool
Verify that the text is selected, as If it’s not, select the text as shown.
shown
18 Type Page You’ll add page numbers to the footer.
Press q
19 On the Insert tab, click Field To open the Field dialog box.
Select Page Info
Under Field name, select To insert the Page Number field in the footer.
Page Number
Click OK The page number is zero because you’re

viewing a background page.
20 Press q
Type of
Press q
21 Insert the Number of Pages From the Page Info category.

field
22 Right-align the text On the Home tab, click the Align Right button.
Press g twice
23 Save your changes Next, you’ll apply the background page to a

foreground page.
Applying background pages to drawing pages

Explanation After you create a background page, you can apply it to any drawing page. You need to
manually apply each background page to the desired drawing page by using the Page
Properties tab in the Page Setup dialog box. After you apply a background page, each
new foreground page that you add to the drawing will use this same background.
Do it! B-3: Applying a background page

1 Switch to the Development Click the page tab.
flowchart page
2 Press s + % To open the Page Setup dialog box.
Click the Page Properties tab
3 From the Background list, select To apply this page as the background page for
Header/Footer your drawing.
4 Click OK To close the Page Setup dialog box.
Observe the page (Zoom in, if necessary.) The items from the
background page appear.
5 Try to select the red line You cannot select the line because it’s on the
background page.
Save your changes

Editing background pages

Explanation You can edit the lines and shapes on a background page in the same way you would edit
them on a foreground page. You can also add graphics, such as a logo, to a background
page.
To insert a graphic on a page:
1 On the Insert tab, click Picture. The Insert Picture dialog box opens.
2 Navigate to the location of the file you want to insert.
3 Select the file and click Open. (Or double-click the file.)
4 Resize and position the graphic if necessary.
Do it! B-4: Inserting a graphic on a background page

1 Switch to the Header/Footer Click the Header/Footer page tab.
background page
Click the page number text box To select it.
3 Make the text bold and italic In the Font group on the Home tab, click the B
button and the I button.
4 Change the font size to 10 pt.
5 Apply the same formatting to the

other footer text box
6 Scroll to view the top-left corner

of the page
Click Picture To open the Insert Picture dialog box.

folder
8 Select OutlanderLogo.gif This is a logo graphic in .gif format.
Click Open To insert the file.
9 Drag the logo to the upper-left

corner of the page
10 Switch to the foreground page (Click the Development flowchart page tab.) To
view the results.

Topic C: Working with links

Explanation When you create a complex drawing in Visio, the drawing might extend over several
pages. If this happens, you can link the pages. You can also link diagrams to other Visio
files, to Internet addresses, or to files of other types, such as Excel worksheets.
Hyperlinks
Hyperlinks connect a shape to another page, an external file, an Internet address, or a
network address. To link a shape to another page or external resource:
1 Select the shape that you want to contain a hyperlink.
2 On the Insert tab, click Hyperlink to open the Hyperlinks dialog box, shown in
Exhibit 5-9.
3 In the Address box, enter an Internet address or the path of the file to which you
want to link. Or, click Browse to navigate to the file you want to link to.
4 Click OK.
Exhibit 5-9: The Hyperlinks dialog box
Linking to detail pages

When a drawing does not fit on one page, you can create additional pages, each
containing varying degrees of detail. Typically, you begin with an overview and then
expand the detail based on logical sections. For example, the main drawing page might
depict an organization’s structure, and additional pages would show the structure of the
various departments. You can then link shapes from the main page to detail pages by
using the Sub-address field in the Hyperlinks dialog box.
Testing links in Visio

To test your links, press and hold the Ctrl key and then click the shape that contains the
link. Page links will open in the same Visio window. Links to external files open in a
new Visio window.
Do it! C-1: Creating links to pages and external files

1 Open OutlanderOrg.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as

My OutlanderOrg
2 Select the Pointer tool If necessary.
Select the West Coast Regional Headquarters shape
3 On the Insert tab, click To open the Hyperlinks dialog box.

Hyperlink
Next to Sub-address, click (The second Browse button.) You’ll link the
Browse shape to another page in this file.
From the Page list, select

WC Operations
Click OK To return to the Hyperlinks dialog box.
Click OK
4 Select the East Coast Regional Headquarters shape
Link the shape to the EC

Operations page
5 Point to the East Coast Regional A hyperlink icon appears next to the pointer and
Headquarters shape a ScreenTip appears showing the name of the
internal page that the shape links to.
Hold c and click the shape The EC Operations page opens in the same
Visio window.
6 Go back to the OrgChart page Next, you’ll link a shape to an external file.
7 Select the Westfield Facility (In the third row of the orange shapes.) You’ll
shape link this shape to an external file.
8 Open the Hyperlinks dialog box
Next to the Address box, click

Browse
Choose Local File… To open the Link to File dialog box.

folder
9 Select WestfieldFloorplan.vsd
Click Open To link to the Visio file.
Click OK To create the hyperlink.
Deselect the shape Press Esc or click a blank area of the page.
10 Point to the Westfield Facility

shape
A ScreenTip shows the name of the file that the

shape links to.
Hold c and click the shape The file opens in a new Visio window.
11 Close the file To return to the OrgChart page.
12 Verify that the Westfield Facility

shape is still selected
Open the Hyperlinks dialog box You’ll modify the link to go to a specific page in
the external file.
13 Next to Sub-address, click

Browse
From the Page list, select

FirstFloor
From the Zoom list, select Page To zoom to Page view.
Click OK To create the hyperlink.
14 Test the Westfield Facility link (Hold Ctrl and click the shape.) The file opens
to the FirstFloor page.
15 Close the WestfieldFacility file

Link multiple files

Explanation You can link multiple files to a single shape. This is helpful if there are several files that
are related to one shape in a drawing. To link a shape to multiple files, select the shape,
open the Hyperlinks dialog box, and click New. Then create the desired links and click
OK. To delete a link, select the link in the Hyperlinks dialog box and click Delete.
Do it! C-2: Linking to multiple files

1 Select the Westfield Facility shape If necessary.
Click New To add a new link to the shape.
3 Next to the Address box, click

Browse
Choose Local File…
Navigate to the current topic If necessary.

folder
4 Double-click
WestfieldSalesOrg.vsd
Click OK To add the link.
5 Hold c and click the Both WestfieldFloorplan.vsd and

Westfield shape WestfieldSalesOrg.vsd appear in the menu.
Choose
WestfieldSalesOrg.vsd
Close the file
6 Save your changes

Linking to other file types

Explanation If you have supporting information in another format, such as an Excel worksheet, you
can link your Visio drawing to it. You can also designate a specific location that the
linked file should display when it opens.
Do it! C-3: Linking to an Excel file

1 Select the Westfield Facility shape (If necessary.) You’ll link an Excel file that
contains Human Resources information for the
facility.
Click New To add a new link to the shape.
3 Next to the Address box,

click Browse
Choose Local File…
Navigate to the current topic If necessary.

folder
4 At the bottom of the dialog box, To open the file type list.
click Visio Files
Select Office Files
5 Double-click WestfieldHR.xls
6 In the Sub-address box, type B7 To specify cell B7 in the Excel spreadsheet as

the location to go to when the file is opened.
Click OK To add the link.
7 Open the linked Excel file (Hold Ctrl, click the shape, and choose
WestfieldHR.xls.) A security dialog box opens.
Click OK After a moment, the Excel file opens and cell B7

is selected.
Close Excel

Unit summary: Working with pages

Topic A In this topic, you learned how to set file properties, set page and printer settings, use
Print Preview, create print headers and footers, and print a drawing.
Topic B In this topic, you learned how to work with background pages. You learned how to
create background headers and footers, and use fields to display information. You
also learned how to apply a background page to a drawing page, edit a background, and
insert a graphic in a background page.
Topic C In this topic, you learned how to add hyperlinks to a drawing. You learned how link to
pages within a drawing, link to external files, and link a shape to multiple files. You
also learned how to test links. Finally, you learned how to create a link to a specific
location in a file and link to different file types.

In this activity, you’ll open a file and edit its properties. You’ll change the paper
orientation and add a background page. Then you’ll add new content and fields to the
background page, apply the background page to a foreground page, and create a link to
an external file.
1 Open ProdDev.vsd and save it as My ProdDev.
2 Rename Page-1 as Flowchart.
3 Edit the following file properties: Set the Company name to Outlander Spices and
use your name for the Author field.
4 Change the paper orientation to Landscape.
5 Add a new background page and name it Chart background.
6 Draw a blue line at the bottom of the background page.
7 Add the date to the lower-left corner, below the blue line. After the date, include the
Author variable to display your name.
8 Add fields in the format “Page Number of Number of Pages” at the bottom right,
below the blue line.
9 Apply the Chart background page to the foreground page.
10 Insert the image OutlanderLogo.gif in the upper-right corner of the page.
11 Link the Check inventory shape to the Excel file Inventory.xlsx.
12 Test the link and then close the Excel file.
Review questions
1 True or false? The headers and footers that you apply in Print Preview are the same
as those you can apply using the Field dialog box.
False. Headers and footers that you create in Print Preview are displayed only in print and are not
actual page content.
2 How many background pages can be applied to a drawing page?
One
3 What type of information might be useful on a background page?
Answers might include:
 Headers and footers
 Page numbers
 Company name
 Graphic or logo
4 What are the steps to add a graphic to a page?
a On the Insert tab, click Picture. The Insert Picture dialog box opens.
b Navigate to the location of the file you want to insert.
c Select the file and click Open.
d Resize and position the graphic if necessary.
5 How do you open Print Preview?
Click the File tab and select the Print category. Then click Print Preview.
6 What are fields?
Fields are variables that provide information about a drawing, such as the company name, the file
name, or the file’s author.
6–1
Unit 6
Network and brainstorming diagrams
A Create and modify network diagrams.
B Create and modify rack diagrams.
C Create brainstorming diagrams, and import

and export XML data.
Topic A: Network diagrams

Explanation Visio makes it easy to illustrate complex network layouts for documentation and
visualization purposes. A clear and well-documented network diagram is helpful to a
network administrator.
Network shapes
Many of Visio’s network diagram shapes are industry-standard topology shapes.
Topology shapes represent industry configurations such as ring and pipeline topologies
often used in a network designs. These shapes provide connection points for the devices
that are arranged according to the network layout. Because these are industry-standard
shapes, their use in network diagrams ensures common understanding.
Topology shapes have square shape handles at their ends and in the middle, as shown in
Exhibit 6-1. They also have diamond-shaped connection handles that you can use to
connect to other shapes.
Shape handles
Ring network shape
Connection handles
Ethernet shape
Exhibit 6-1: Examples of topology shapes

Network and brainstorming diagrams 6–3
Do it! A-1: Applying topology shapes in a network diagram

Click New
2 Under Template Categories, click

Network
Click Basic Network

Diagram
Click Create To create a new file based on the Basic Network

Diagram template. The Network and Peripherals
stencil appears in the Shapes window.
Save the file as In the current topic folder.

My Net diagram
3 Drag an Ethernet shape to the

center of the page
From the Network and Peripherals stencil.
4 Zoom in to 100%
In the Visual Aids group, clear To turn off the AutoConnect feature.
AutoConnect
6 Point to the center-right shape

handle, as shown
The pointer changes to a two-headed arrow.
Drag to the right to make it Use the status bar to determine the size of the
approximately 4.5” wide shape as you drag.
7 Drag a Server shape above the

top-left connection handle
The yellow diamond-shaped handles are

connection handles.
8 Type Finance To name the Server shape.
Press g
9 Select the Ethernet shape
Drag the connection handle to the

center of the Server shape, as
shown
Verify that a red highlight appears, indicating

that the connection handle is glued to the center
of the Server shape.
10 Activate the Computers and (In the Shapes window, click the stencil’s title
Monitors stencil bar.)
Drag a PC shape below the

bottom-left connection handle
11 Name the PC shape Computer Verify that the shape is selected, type the name,
and press Esc.
12 Connect the Ethernet shape to the Select the Ethernet shape and drag the
connection point on the Computer connection handle to the center of the PC shape.
Make sure you see the red highlight before you
release the mouse button.
13 Select the Finance server shape
Press and hold c and drag to To duplicate the shape.

the right
Position the duplicate shape above

the next connection handle
14 Create a third duplicate above the

rightmost connection handle
15 Connect the new servers to the Select the Ethernet shape and glue the
Ethernet server shape connection handles to the other shapes.
16 Rename the middle Server shape Select the shape and type the text. Press Esc to
Marketing exit text mode.
Rename the right Server shape

Sales
17 Create a duplicate of the PC shape

next to the existing PC shape
Connect the PC shape to the You do not need to rename this duplicate shape.
Ethernet server shape

Working with connection handles

Explanation When you’re working with topology shapes, you can create additional connections to
expand the network diagram. Simply drag a yellow diamond connection handle from
inside the shape, as shown in Exhibit 6-2. You can also move connection handles by
dragging them to new locations.
To create a new connection, drag

from a connection handle inside
the topology shape.
Exhibit 6-2: Creating a new connection

Do it! A-2: Creating a new connection

1 Select the Ethernet shape If necessary.
2 Point to the connection handle on

the left side, as shown
3 Drag it to the left and down, as

shown
4 Open the Network and Peripherals Click the stencil’s title bar in the Shapes
stencil window.
5 Drag a Printer shape below the

new connection handle
6 Name the Printer Printer 1
Connect the Printer shape to the Select the Ethernet shape and drag the
Ethernet shape connection handle to the center of the Printer
shape.
7 Select the Ethernet shape If necessary.
Verify that all connected shapes (In the center of each shape.) This indicates that
have a red connection point the connection points are properly glued.
8 Save your changes

Add and connect topology shapes

Explanation You can add more topology shapes to a diagram in several ways. You can drag a shape
from the stencil, copy and paste a shape, or press the Ctrl key while dragging a shape
already on the drawing page. When you create a duplicate of a topology shape, the
duplicate maintains the same shape connections as the original. If you want a duplicate
that has no connections, then duplicate the shape before using the connection handles or
drag a new shape from a stencil. If you add a shape from a stencil, you can often quickly
make connections by using the AutoConnect feature.
Hide extra connection lines

Topology shapes will often have connection lines that you don’t need. You can hide
extra connections by dragging the connection handles to the center of the shape. The
connection handles are still visible when the shape is selected, but the lines are hidden,
as shown in Exhibit 6-4.
To hide connection lines, drag the handles

to the center of the topology shape
Exhibit 6-3: Hiding an extra connection handle
Do it! A-3: Adding and connecting topology shapes

1 Click (To the right of the Zoom slider, or in the Zoom
group on the View tab.) To fit the entire page in
the window.
2 Press c + A To select all the shapes in the drawing.
Move the shapes near the right (Drag from the center of the selection.) You’ll
side of the page add another Ethernet shape on the left side of the
page and connect it to the existing Ethernet
shape.
Press g To deselect the shapes.
3 On View tab, select To turn on the AutoConnect feature.

AutoConnect
4 In the Network and Peripherals To make it active.

stencil, click the Ethernet shape
5 On the drawing page, select the AutoConnect handles appear on each side of the
Ethernet shape shape.
Point to the leftmost AutoConnect

handle
A short menu of shapes appears.
In the menu, click the Ethernet

shape
To add a new Ethernet shape to the left of the

existing one.
6 Hold down s To keep the Ethernet shapes aligned as you drag.
Drag the new Ethernet shape to The two Ethernet shapes are connected, but no
the left side of the page other connections are added.
Click the new Ethernet shape To zoom in.
8 Point to its top-right connection

handle
Drag the connection handle near

the center of the Ethernet shape
To hide the connection line.
9 Hide two more of the connection

lines, leaving the two shown
10 Drag a Router shape below the

bottom connection handle
Name it Router 1
Connect it to the Ethernet shape
11 Add a Server shape above the top Either duplicate one of the existing Server
connection handle shapes, or drag a new one from the stencil.
Name it IIS Server
Connect it to the Ethernet shape
12 Drag a Firewall shape between the

two Ethernet shapes, as shown
Press g To deselect all shapes.
13 Zoom out to view the entire page

Move shape text

Explanation In addition to using the Text tool to move text blocks, many shapes provide control
handles that you can use to move shape text interactively. To move shape text, select the
shape whose text you want to move, and then drag the yellow control handle to the new
text location. Moving text can often improve the readability of your diagram, especially
if the text overlaps lines or other shapes.
Do it! A-4: Moving shape text

1 On the View tab, clear To turn off the AutoConnect feature.
AutoConnect
Click the IIS Server shape To zoom in.
3 Select the IIS Server shape
Point to the yellow diamond A ScreenTip that reads “Reposition Text”

control handle appears.
4 Drag the yellow control handle To move the text above the Server shape.
above the shape
5 Move the text above the other Place the text on the same horizontal line as the
server shapes, as shown IIS Server text block.

Topic B: Rack diagrams

Explanation You can create diagrams to show the structure of a rack system. Network administrators
use rack diagrams to show or model the configuration of computer components. They
also use them to optimize storage space because they can clearly view the space
requirements for each component.
Creating rack diagrams

A rack diagram documents a rack system, as shown in Exhibit 6-4. A rack system is a
collection of computer hardware devices and components mounted in a rack. Visio’s
network equipment shapes conform to industry standards and are designed to fit
together precisely. The rack diagram template is available in the Network category.
Exhibit 6-4: A rack diagram
Do it! B-1: Creating a rack diagram

Select the New category
Under Template Categories, select To view the Network templates.

Network
2 Double-click Rack Diagram (Or select it and click Create.) To create a blank
file based on the Rack Diagram template. The
Rack-mounted Equipment stencil appears in the
Shapes window.

My rack diagram
3 Drag a Rack shape to the center of To add a Rack shape to the drawing.
the page
4 Right-click the border of the Rack

shape
Choose Hide U sizes To hide the information about the U height for
the Rack shape. The U height attribute indicates
the height of the rack system.
5 Point as shown
Drag down until the height of the Use the status bar to determine the height as you
rack is approximately 4 ft. drag.
6 Drag a Power supply/UPS shape

to the bottom of the Rack shape
(Scroll down in the Shapes window to locate the

shape, if necessary.) The connection points of
the shape are automatically glued to the Rack.
Type Power supply To name the shape. The text appears to the right
of the shape automatically.
Press g
7 Place a Power strip shape above

the Power supply shape
Press g
8 Add the remaining components to As shown in Exhibit 6-4.

the diagram

Topic C: Brainstorming diagrams

Explanation Brainstorming is a method commonly used to solve problems or generate ideas. You
can use Visio to document a brainstorming session to help you to capture ideas, evaluate
options, and determine the best course of action.
Elements of a brainstorming diagram

In a brainstorming diagram, the main topic represents the central problem statement or
the core heading that forms the basis for planning. For example, to document ideas for
new products, the main topic in a brainstorming session might be “New product line.”
Topics are consideration points or factors that you need to discuss to solve the problem.
Legend shapes provide additional information about the items in a diagram, such as the
priority level, exceptions, or a factor that you define. When you add Legend shapes to a
diagram, the legend is automatically updated.
The Brainstorming tab

When you create a file based on the Brainstorming template, the Brainstorming tab
appears on the Ribbon. This tab contains commands you can use to create and manage
brainstorming diagrams. The following table describes some of the commands on the
Brainstorming tab.
Command Description
Auto-Arrange Automatically arranges topics in a brainstorming diagram.
Main Inserts a Main Topic shape in the diagram.
Subtopic Attaches a subtopic to the selected topic.
Peer Inserts a topic at the same level as the selected topic.
Multiple Subtopics Opens the Add Multiple Subtopics dialog box, which you can use to insert several
subtopics simultaneously.
Change Topic Opens the Change Shape dialog box, which you can use to change the shape of a
selected topic.
Creating brainstorming diagrams

As mentioned earlier, brainstorming diagrams provide a visual way of understanding a
problem and potential solutions. For example, if you’re the manager of an organization
and you need to determine how to most effectively allocate resources among various
departments, you can create a brainstorming diagram that shows all the departments,
similar to the example shown in Exhibit 6-5. Then, you can experiment with various
resource allocations to visualize possible solutions.
Exhibit 6-5: A brainstorming diagram
Do it! C-1: Creating a brainstorming diagram

1 On the File tab, select New
Under Template Categories, click

Business
2 Double-click Brainstorming To create a file based on the Brainstorming

Diagram Diagram template. The Brainstorming Shapes
and Legend Shapes stencils appear in the Shapes
window. An Outline window is also opened, and
the Brainstorming tab appears on the Ribbon.
3 Observe the Outline window This window provides an outline of the

relationship between various shapes added to the
diagram.
Close the Outline window Click the X in the lower-left corner.
4 Click the Brainstorming tab To view the Brainstorming tools.
5 Save the file as In the current unit folder.

My brainstorming diagram
6 Drag a Main Topic shape onto (From the Brainstorming Shapes stencil.) Refer
the page to Exhibit 6-5 for the general locations and sizes
of shapes in this activity.
Name the Main Topic shape

Business Administration
Select AutoConnect (If necessary.) You’ll use AutoConnect to add

other shapes to the diagram.
8 In the stencil, select the Topic To make it active.

shape
9 On the page, point to the Main AutoConnect handles appear around it.
Topic shape
Click the bottom AutoConnect To add the Topic shape below the Main Topic
handle shape.
10 Drag the shape slightly to the right
To reverse the direction in which the Topic

shape is connected to the Main Topic shape.
11 Type Resources for Sales

Administration
Press g
12 In the stencil, select the Multiple To make it active. You’ll add multiple topics to
topic shape the left of the Business Administration shape.
13 Click the left AutoConnect

handle, as shown
The Add Multiple Topics dialog box appears.

You’ll use it to add subtopics.
14 Type Marketing Cost To name the Topic shape.
Press e
15 Type Human Resources
Press e
16 Type MIS and press e
17 Type Total Production and

press e
Click OK To close the dialog box and link the subtopics to

the Business Administration shape.
18 Activate the Legend Shapes (Click the stencil’s title bar.) You’ll add a
stencil legend to the diagram.
19 Zoom in on the MIS topic Press and hold Ctrl+Shift and click it.
20 Drag a Star shape to the right of

the MIS topic, as shown
(Scroll down in the Legend Shapes stencil.)

You’ll use the Star shape to indicate that input is
required.
21 Click (To the right of the Zoom slider, or in the Zoom

group on the View tab.) To view the entire page.
22 Drag a Legend shape near the The Legend describes all the Legend shapes
lower-left corner of the page added to the drawing. In this case, the Star shape
is visible. If you add more Legend shapes to the
drawing, each shape description is added
automatically.
23 Zoom in on the Legend shape
Double-click the description Star To select it.
Type Require input To change the star’s description in the Legend.
24 Complete the diagram As shown in Exhibit 6-5.

Applying brainstorming data

Explanation You can export the data in a brainstorming diagram to a Microsoft Word document, a
Microsoft Excel workbook, or an XML file. XML stands for Extensible Markup
Language and is a widely accepted standard for exchanging data across applications and
platforms.
To export a brainstorming diagram to an XML file:
1 Open the brainstorming diagram you want to export.
2 On the Brainstorming tab, click Export Data and choose To XML. The File Save
dialog box opens.
3 Navigate to the location where you want to save the XML file.
4 Click Save. Visio exports the data to XML. A message box appears indicating
that the export is complete.
5 Click OK.
Do it! C-2: Exporting a brainstorming diagram to XML

1 Click the Brainstorming tab
Click Export Data
Choose To XML… To open the File Save dialog box.
2 Navigate to the current topic

folder
Edit the File name box to read

Draft plan
Click Save The Brainstorming message box appears when

the export is completed.
Click OK To complete the export process.

Importing XML
Explanation Visio’s XML import and export features allow you to exchange XML data between
Visio and many other applications. XML data is simple text made up of tags that
describe the data they contain. Exhibit 6-6 shows the XML in the file “Organization
structure.xml” when viewed in Notepad, the default text editor in Windows. Visio can
display this XML data as a brainstorming diagram when you import the file.
Exhibit 6-6: XML data viewed in Notepad
To import XML data into a brainstorming diagram:

1 Create a drawing based on the Brainstorming Diagram template.
2 On the Brainstorming tab, click Import Data. The File Open dialog box appears.
3 Navigate to the location of the XML file you want to import.
4 Double-click the file, or select it and click Open.
Do it! C-3: Importing XML data into a brainstorming diagram

1 Create a new file based on the On the File tab, select New, and double-click
Brainstorming Diagram template Brainstorming Diagram.

Import org plan
Close the Outline window
2 On the Brainstorming tab, To open the File Open dialog box.

click Import Data
3 Navigate to the current unit folder If necessary.
4 Double-click Organization Visio automatically generates a brainstorming

structure.xml diagram from the XML data in the file.

Unit summary: Network and brainstorming

diagrams
Topic A In this topic, you learned how to use network topology shapes to create a basic network
diagram. You learned how to move control handles to create different connection
points and move text blocks connected to shapes.
Topic B In this topic, you learned how to create a rack diagram for a rack system in a network.
Topic C In this topic, you learned how to create and modify a brainstorming diagram. You
learned the commands and options on the Brainstorming tab, and you learned how to
import and export XML data.

In this activity, you’ll create a network diagram. Then you’ll create a brainstorming
diagram and export it to XML. Finally, you’ll import XML data into a Visio file.
1 Create a new file based on the Basic Network Diagram template. Save the file as
My Network in the current Unit summary folder.
2 Create a network diagram similar to the example shown in Exhibit 6-7.
4 Create a new file by using the Brainstorming Diagram template. Save the file as
My brainstorm.
5 Add several shapes to the drawing so that it looks similar to the example shown in
Exhibit 6-8.
6 Export the brainstorming diagram to XML. Name the file Brainstorm data.
8 Create a new file by using the Brainstorming Diagram template. Save the file as
New Brainstorm.
9 Import the Brainstorm data XML file.
10 Edit the topics and legends as shown in Exhibit 6-9.
11 Save and close the drawing. (Don’t close Visio.)
Exhibit 6-7: A network diagram
Exhibit 6-8: A brainstorming diagram

Exhibit 6-9: The revised brainstorming diagram
Review questions
1 What is the purpose of a rack diagram?
Network administrators use rack diagrams to show or model the configuration of computer
components.
2 What is a legend?
A legend provides additional information about the items in a diagram, such as the priority level,
exceptions, or a factor that you define.
3 What is XML?
XML stands for Extensible Markup Language; it’s a widely accepted standard for exchanging data
across applications and platforms.
4 What methods can you use to add topology shapes to a diagram? (Choose all that
apply.)
A Drag a shape from the stencil.
B Copy and paste an existing shape.
C Press the Ctrl key and drag an existing shape.
D On the Insert tab, click Add Shape.
5 True or false? When you create a duplicate of a topology shape, the duplicate
maintains the same shape connections as the original.
True
7–1
Unit 7
Customization and reporting
A Use guides to arrange objects, and

customize shape connections.
B Set shape properties and create and apply

custom properties.
C Create and modify property reports.

Topic A: Layout and connection techniques

Explanation You can add guides to a drawing page to make it easier to position and align shapes
precisely. Other techniques you can use to fine-tune a diagram include creating your
own connection points on shapes and formatting connectors to clarify a message.
Guides
Guides are non-printing lines that divide a drawing page into sections to help you
precisely arrange shapes and lines. For example, Exhibit 7-1 shows three horizontal
guides and one vertical guide. You can add guides to a drawing by dragging from the
horizontal or vertical ruler onto the page. Guides are development aids only; they are
not part of the final product and do not print. You can move guides as needed by
dragging them on the page.
Exhibit 7-1: One vertical and three horizontal guides
Gluing shapes to guides

Just as you glue shapes to connector lines, you can glue shapes to guides. This
technique can help you to align objects precisely and move multiple shapes in unison.
It’s typically best to place guides before adding shapes to a drawing page. If you place
guides on a drawing page that already contains shapes, you’ll need to manually
reposition the shapes on the guide to glue them. If you glue multiple shapes to a guide,
all the shapes will move together if you move the guide.
Do it! A-1: Using guides

1 Open Network.vsd From the current topic folder.
2 Save the file as My Network

Customization and reporting 7–3
3 Point to the vertical ruler
(Use the Pointer tool.) The pointer changes to a

double-headed arrow.
Drag to the right, to the 9” mark (Watch the horizontal ruler as you drag to place
on the horizontal ruler the guide.) To create a vertical guide.
4 Point to the horizontal ruler
Drag a horizontal guide to the 7” To create a horizontal guide on the page.

mark on the vertical ruler
5 Add two more horizontal guides There should be three horizontal guides and one
at the 2” and 4.5” marks vertical guide on the drawing page.
6 Drag a Server shape onto the page From the Network and Peripherals stencil.
7 Place it at the top intersection of

the guides, as shown
The red squares indicate that the shape will be

glued to both guides. When you release the
mouse button, red control handles indicate that
the shape is glued to the guides.
8 Add two more Server shapes to As shown in Exhibit 7-1.

the drawing
9 Click the vertical guide To select it.
Drag the guide to 8.5” (On the horizontal ruler.) The shapes move with
the guide because they are glued to it.
10 Add a Router shape to the page Do not glue the shape to any guides yet.
Enlarge the Router shape to Drag a corner shape handle to make the shape
approximately 1” wide larger. Use the status bar to determine the size.
11 Glue the Router shape to the top

horizontal guide, under the logo
12 Create two duplicates of the

Router shape
Place the duplicates as shown
13 Name the top Server shape

Comm Server
Move the shape text to the right of

the shape, as shown
Drag the yellow control handle to move the text.
14 Name the middle Server shape

Apple Talk
Move the text to the right of the

shape
15 Name the last Server IPX Only

and move the text to its right
Drag the top horizontal guide Both shapes glued to this guide move as well.
down by 0.5”
In the Show group, clear Guides To hide the guides. They are no longer visible,
but they remain on the page.
17 Make the guides visible again On the View tab, select Guides.

Creating new connection points

Explanation Most shapes have only one connection point on each side. If you want to create your
own connection points, select the Connection Point tool on the Home tab. To add
connection points, click the shape to select it. Then, press and hold Ctrl and click where
you want to add the connection point. To remove a connection point, click it to select it
and press Delete. You can move connection points by dragging them with the
Connection Point tool.
Do it! A-2: Adding connection points

1 Press and hold c
Click the three router shapes To select them.
Drag the shapes closer to the

vertical guide, as shown
2 Add three PC shapes to the page From the Computers and Monitors stencil.
Glue the shapes to the top

horizontal guide, as shown
3 Zoom in on the top router shape Press Ctrl+Shift and click it.
4 Select the top router shape
5 On the Home tab, in the Tools

group, click as shown
The Connection Point tool is in the Tools group.
6 Press and hold c
Point to the edges of the Router A plus sign (+) appears on the pointer.
shape
Click the top-left part of the

shape, as shown
To add a new connection point.
Release c The new connection point appears red.

7 Add two more connection points

to the router, as shown
Remember to hold Ctrl as you click to add the

connection points.
8 Add the same connection points to You need to select each shape before you can
the other two Router shapes add connection points to it.
View the entire page Click the Fit page to current window button, to
the right of the Zoom slider.
10 Name the three PCs PC 1, PC 2,

and PC 3
11 Name the three Routers Router

1, Router 2, and Router 3
12 Glue three Laptop computer

shapes to the guide shown
From the Computers and Monitors stencil.
Name the three laptops Lap 1,

Lap 2, and Lap 3
13 Glue three Tablet computer

shapes to the third guide
Name them Tablet 1, Tablet

2, and Tablet 3

Select objects by Type

Explanation Sometimes you might want to select similar objects and shapes. For example, you might
be working on a complex drawing and need to select multiple objects of the same type
for editing. You can select each shape one by one, or you can use the Select by Type
dialog box, shown in Exhibit 7-2. To open this dialog box, click Select in the Editing
group on the Home tab, and choose Select by Type.
Exhibit 7-2: The Select by Type dialog box
Do it! A-3: Selecting objects by type

1 On the Home tab, in the Editing
group, click Select
Choose Select by Type… To open the Select by Type dialog box. By

default, all shape types are selected.
2 Click None To deselect all shape types.
3 Next to the Shape type, check

Guides
Click OK To select only the guides.
4 Press d To delete the guides from the page.
Save your changes

Shape connections
Explanation You can connect shapes to new connection points by using the same techniques you
would use to connect unaltered shapes. However, if you want to precisely position the
connections, you can use the Connector tool to draw the connections manually.
AutoConnecting the shapes can produce undesired results. If you’ve already positioned
shapes in a drawing, using the Connector tool can often produce better results.
Do it! A-4: Connecting shapes to new connection points

1 Select the Connector tool In the Tools group on the Home tab.
2 Point to the center of the Comm

Server shape, as shown
A red box appears around the center connection

point, indicating that the connection will be
glued to it.
3 Connect it to the center of the

Router 1 shape
Click the connector To select it. Control handles appear so that you
can re-shape the connection line.
4 Adjust the shape of the connector,

as shown
5 Select the Connection Point tool
Add a new connection point to the

upper-right side of PC 3, as shown
You need to click the shape first to select it.

6 Select the Connector tool
Connect PC 3 to the leftmost

connection point on Router 1
7 Select the Connection Point tool
Move the center connection point

in PC2 to the top of the shape
8 Select Router 1
Move the center connection point

to the right side, as shown
So that the connection to the Server shape is a

straight line.
9 Select the Connector tool
Connect PC 2 to the middle

connection point on Router 1
You might need to adjust the line.

Snap & Glue

Explanation By default, when you position and adjust objects in a drawing, they snap to different
items, such as the grid or ruler subdivisions. You can modify glue settings to use other
parts of selected shapes as well.
Glue settings
You can use more than connection points to glue shapes. For example, you can glue to
shape handles instead of, or in addition to, gluing to connection points. To control the
way items snap, use the Snap & Glue dialog box, shown in Exhibit 7-3. To open the
Snap & Glue dialog box, click the View tab and then click the dialog box launcher in
the Visual Aids group.
Exhibit 7-3: The Snap & Glue dialog box

Do it! A-5: Changing Snap & Glue settings

1 Zoom in on Router 1 If necessary.
Select the Connector tool
2 Select the connector between

Router 1 and PC 2
Using the center connector control As you drag, the connector snaps to the grid
handle, drag the line up and down increments.
In the Visual Aids group, click the To open the Snap & Glue dialog box.
dialog box launcher
4 Clear Grid To turn off the Snap to Grid option.
Clear Ruler subdivisions To turn off the Snap to Ruler subdivisions

option.
Click OK
5 Drag the connector line up and The connector moves smoothly and does not
down again snap to any visual aid. It snaps only to its
original location.
6 Drag the connector close to the

shapes, as shown
If necessary.

Topic B: Shape properties

Explanation You can define properties to store and track information about elements of a drawing.
For example, you can store information about a server, such as its manufacturer, CPU
speed, hard drive space, and IP address.
Define shape properties

There are several pre-defined properties that you can set, as shown in Exhibit 7-4. You
can also create custom properties. To define properties for a shape:
1 Right-click the shape and choose Properties to open the Shape Data panel.
2 In the appropriate data fields, enter the information you want to track.
3 Click the “X” in the corner to close the panel, if necessary.
Exhibit 7-4: The Shape Data panel

Do it! B-1: Adding custom properties to shapes

1 Open Outlander network.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as My Outlander

network
2 Right-click the Comm Server To open the Shape Data panel. You’ll expand
shape and choose Properties the panel.
3 Point to the bottom edge of the The pointer changes to a two-headed arrow.
panel
Drag downward To increase the height of the panel.
4 Increase the width of the panel (Drag from the edge of the panel.) You’ll add
information about the Comm Server shape.
5 In the Manufacturer box, enter To record the name of the manufacturer.

MicroCom
In the Serial Number box, enter To record the server’s serial number.
12345
In the Location box, enter To record the server’s location.

First floor
In the Department box, enter (Scroll to the bottom of the list.) To record the
Communications department to which the server belongs.
6 Point to the Shape Data panel’s The pointer changes to a four-headed arrow,
title bar indicating that you can move the panel.
Drag to the lower-left corner of The panel docks to the left side of the work area
the drawing window
7 Select the Apple Talk shape
In the Shape Data panel, specify

the following properties:
Manufacturer: Apple
Serial Number: 33456
Location: Second floor
Department: IS
8 Save your changes

Custom properties
Explanation As mentioned earlier, all shapes have a predefined set of fields you can use to set
properties. However, you might want to store information that isn’t defined in the
default set. You can create one or more custom properties to track information that’s
important to you or your organization. You can apply custom properties to multiple
shapes.
To create a property set:
1 Right-click in the Shape Data panel and choose Shape Data Sets to open the
Shape Data Sets panel, shown in Exhibit 7-5.
2 Click Add to open the Add Shape Data Set window.
3 Enter a descriptive name for the property set, select “Create a new set,” and click
OK.
Exhibit 7-5: The Shape Data Sets panel

To add custom properties to a property set:

1 In the Shape Data Sets panel, select the property set you want to define custom
properties for.
2 Click Define to open the Define Shape Data dialog box, shown in Exhibit 7-6.
3 Specify the information for the property.
4 Click New to add the property and reset the dialog box.
5 Using the same steps, add more properties if needed.
6 Click OK to close the dialog box.
Exhibit 7-6: The Define Shape Data dialog box
Custom properties for individual shapes

When you create custom properties for a shape, the custom properties will be associated
with that shape only. However, you can copy the properties of an individual shape into a
custom property set if you want to use them for other shapes.
Do it! B-2: Creating custom property sets

1 Right-click in the Shape Data
panel
Choose Shape Data Sets… To open the Shape Data Sets window.
2 In the Shape Data Sets window, To open the Add Shape Data Set dialog box.
click Add
Type Servers To name the property set.
Select Create a new set You can create a new set or use an existing set.
3 In the Shape Data Sets window, To open the Define Shape Data dialog box.
click Define
4 In the Label box, enter

Installation Date
From the Type list, select Date
From the Format list, select This is not an actual date, but a date format.
Oct. 3, 93
In the Prompt box, type Specify

date when server was
placed into service.
5 Click New You’ll add another custom property to the set.
6 Enter the following information:

Label: Storage
Type: Number
Format: Whole number (3)
Prompt: Specify storage
capacity in gigabytes.
7 Click OK To close the dialog box.
8 Save your changes

Applying custom properties

Explanation After creating a custom property set, you can apply the properties to the shapes in your
drawing. The new property set will be added to the existing property set for the shape.
To apply a custom property set to a shape:
1 Select the shape to which you want to apply the custom property set.
2 In the Shape Data Sets panel, check each property set you want to add to the
selected shape.
3 Select whether to apply the checked property set(s) to shapes selected in the
drawing or to shapes selected in the stencil.
4 If you want to remove a property set, check “Remove existing data sets.”
5 Click Apply.
Do it! B-3: Applying custom properties

1 In the Shape Data Sets panel,
check Servers
2 Verify that “Shapes selected in

drawing” is selected
3 Move the Shape Data Sets panel Drag the panel’s title bar to move the panel.
to the left side of the work area
4 Select the Comm Server shape
In the Shape Data Sets window,

click Apply
5 In the Shape Data panel, scroll to The new custom properties, Installation Date
the bottom of the list and Storage, have been added at the bottom of
the list.
6 Click the Installation Date box To make the property active. A small button
appears on the right side.
Click the button To display a calendar.
Select a date from the calendar
7 In the Storage box, enter 100 You’ll add the custom properties to the other
two server shapes.
8 Ctrl+click the Apple Talk and Click the Server 1 Apple Talk shape; then press
IPX Only shapes Ctrl and click the Server 2 IPX Only shape.
In the Shape Data Sets window,

click Apply
9 Enter values for the Storage and Enter different values. (You’ll need to select
Installation Date properties for the each of the server shapes individually.)
other two servers
10 Close the Shape Data Sets and

Shape Data panels

Topic C: Reporting
Explanation You can include shape property data in a drawing report. You can also modify a report,
sort data, format report shapes, and update a report with modified data.
Creating reports
To create a report, you use the Report Definition Wizard, which guides you through the
steps for creating a report. As you create a report, you define the information that will
be included and the layout for displaying and sorting the data.
To run the Report Definition Wizard:
1 On the Review tab, click Shape Reports to open the Reports dialog box, shown
in Exhibit 7-7.
2 Click New to open the Report Definition Wizard.
3 Make the selections you want on each page of the wizard, and click Next to
continue to the next page.
4 Click Finish to close the wizard.
Exhibit 7-7: The Reports dialog box

Do it! C-1: Creating a report

1 Open Network Layout.vsd From the current topic folder.
Save the file as My Network Layout
2 Select all three server shapes Hold down Ctrl and click each shape.
3 Click the Review tab
Click Shape Reports To open the Reports dialog box.
4 Click New To start the Report Definition Wizard.
Select Shapes that are To run a report on all selected shapes.

selected
Click Next To move to the next page of the wizard.
5 Check Installation Date, (Scroll down.) To select the data to be included

Manufacturer, Serial in the report. The properties are in alphabetical
Number, and Storage order.
Click Next
6 Type Server storage To create a title for the report.

capacity
7 Click Sort You’ll define sorting options for the report.
Under Column order, select Storage
Click Move Up three times To move the Storage column to the top of the
list. The columns will be arranged from left to
right in the order of the list.
8 Under Row order, from the first To sort the rows by storage capacity in
Sort by list, select Storage ascending order.
Click OK To return to the Report Definition Wizard.
9 Click Next You’ll specify where the report will be saved.
Type Server storage This name will appear in the Reports dialog box
list.
Verify that “Save in this drawing” To save the report as part of the drawing.
is selected
10 Click Finish To close the wizard and return to the Reports

dialog box. Leave the Reports dialog box open.
Running reports
Explanation After you’ve defined a report, you need to run it to view the results. To run a report:
1 If necessary, open the Reports dialog box.
2 In the list, select the report you want to run.
3 Click Run to open the Run Report dialog box, shown in Exhibit 7-8.
4 From the list, select the format you want for the report. In order to add the report
as a shape within a Visio drawing, you must have Microsoft Excel installed on
your computer.
5 Select whether you want to create a copy of the report or specify a link to the
report.
6 Click OK.
Exhibit 7-8: The Run Report dialog box

Do it! C-2: Running a report

1 In the Reports dialog box, select If necessary.
Server storage
Click Run To open the Run Report dialog box.
2 Select Visio shape To insert the report as a Visio shape.
Verify that “Link to report To maintain a link between the report and the
definition” is selected output shape.
3 Click OK A progress bar is displayed momentarily.
Observe the report A Visio table shape is added to the page.
4 Move the table to the lower left So that it doesn’t overlap any shapes.
corner of the page
5 Zoom in on the table The information is sorted by the storage size in

ascending order.
6 Save your changes

Report updates
Explanation You might need to update a report for a variety of reasons, such as changes in values or
the addition of new shapes to a drawing. The process for updating a report will depend
on the modifications you want to make.
Linked reports
If you link a report to a shape containing property data, when you run the report, you
can update any property data that has changed. To do so, right-click the report and
choose Update Report.
Do it! C-3: Updating a report

1 Open the Shape Data panel for the Right-click the shape and choose Properties.
IPX Only server
2 Change the Storage value to 600
Close the Shape Data window Next, you’ll update the report to reflect the
change.
3 Select the report table
4 Ctrl+click the three Server shapes To add them to the selection. You need to select
the shapes that you want to update, along with
the report table.
5 Right-click the report table and The Update Report dialog box opens.
choose Update Report…
6 Verify that Server storage is

selected
7 Click Run
Verify that the report is updated
8 Save your changes

Modifying a Visio Table Report shape

Explanation A Visio Table Report shape is actually an embedded Excel worksheet. You can format a
Visio Table Report shape with colors other than the default colors used in the cells.
Double-click the shape to activate the Excel chart and show Excel commands on the
Ribbon. To format a cell, you must first select it by clicking it. If you want to apply
formatting to multiple cells, press and hold Shift while selecting each cell and then
apply the desired formatting. When you’re finished, press Esc.
Do it! C-4: Formatting a Visio Table Report

1 Zoom in to 100%
2 Double-click the report table It’s displayed as an Excel worksheet.
3 Observe the Ribbon The Ribbon changes to the Excel Ribbon so that
you can use Excel’s tools and commands on the
report table.
4 Click 1 To select row 1.
5 On the Home tab, click as shown
To open the Fill Color palette.
Select a light green color
6 Press g To close Excel and return to the drawing.
Save and close the file

Unit summary: Customization and reporting

Topic A In this topic, you learned how to use guides to precisely align and glue shapes. You also
learned how to add new connection points to a shape, select objects by type, and set
Snap & Glue options.
Topic B In this topic, you learned how to set properties for shapes. You also learned how to
create and apply custom properties.
Topic C In this topic, you learned how to create and run reports on shape properties. You also
learned how to format a report table and update a report.

In this activity, you’ll connect shapes, add custom property data to shapes, create a
custom property set, and run a report.
1 Open New network.vsd from the unit summary folder and save it as My New
network.
2 On Router 3, move the center connection point to the right side so that it matches
the location on the other router shapes. (Hint: Use the Connection Point tool.)
3 Use the Connector tool to connect Router 3 to the IPX Only shape so that the
connection line is straight.
4 Connect Router 3 to the Tablet shapes, as shown in Exhibit 7-9.
5 Add the following property data to each Tablet shape:
 Manufacturer: Dell
 Location: Seattle
 Department: Support
6 Create a custom property set called Configured by. (Hint: In the Shape Data dialog
box, click Define.)
7 Use a name of your choice to indicate that the same person configured each Tablet.
8 Run a report that displays all the properties you modified for the Tablet shapes.
9 Arrange the report on the page so there are no overlapping shapes. Move other
shapes as needed.
11 Close Visio.
Exhibit 7-9: The Network drawing after step 5
Review questions
1 What are guides?
Guides are non-printing lines that divide a page into sections to help you arrange shapes and
lines precisely.
2 True or false? Guides are not part of the drawing and do not print.
True
3 How do you add a guide to help you arrange objects precisely?
Drag from the horizontal or vertical ruler to place a guide on the page.
4 When shapes are glued to a guide, what happens if the guide is moved?
The shapes move along with the guide.
5 What tool do you use to add connection points to a shape?
The Connection Point tool
6 How do you set properties for a shape?
Right-click the shape and choose Properties. Then, in the appropriate data fields, enter the
information you want to track.
S–1
Course summary
This summary contains information to help

you bring the course to a successful
conclusion. Using this information, you will
be able to:
A Use the summary text to reinforce what

you’ve learned in class.
B Determine the next courses in this series, as

well as any other resources that might help
you continue to learn about Visio.
S–2 Visio 2010: Basic
Topic A: Course summary

Use the following summary text to reinforce what you’ve learned in class.
Unit summaries
Unit 1
In this unit, you learned how to start Visio and create a file. You identified interface
components and you learned how to use Visio Help. You also learned how to navigate
in a drawing, change view settings, open stencils, move stencils in the Shapes window
and float stencils in the drawing window. Then, you learned how to select, move, scale,
and resize objects.
Unit 2
In this unit, you learned how to use drawing tools to create different shapes and reshape
objects. You learned how to use the Freeform tool, create compound lines, and
duplicate, align, and distribute objects. You also learned how to group and rotate
shapes.
Unit 3
In this unit, you learned how to plan a basic flowchart. You learned how to create a
basic diagram and insert shapes by dragging from stencils and by using AutoConnect.
Then you learned how to connect and move shapes, apply different connector types,
and insert and format text. You learned how to apply text to individual shapes and
connectors, rotate text blocks, and create and modify an organization chart.
Unit 4
In this unit, you learned how to format text and text blocks, control attributes such as
font size, text color, margins, alignment, and line spacing, and apply style themes
and effects. You learned how to format shapes and lines, apply line and corner styles,
create a custom shadow effect, and use the Format Painter to copy formatting to one
or more other shapes.
Unit 5
In this unit, you learned how to set file properties, set page and printer settings, use
Print Preview, create print headers and footers, and print a drawing. You also learned
how to work with background pages, create background headers and footers, and use
fields to display information. Then you learned how to apply a background page to a
drawing and insert a graphic. Finally, you learned how to add hyperlinks to a drawing.
Unit 6
In this unit, you learned how to create a basic network diagram, move control handles
to create different connection points, and move text blocks connected to shapes. Then
you learned how to create rack diagrams and brainstorming diagrams. You also
learned how to import data into and export data from a diagram.
Course summary S–3
Unit 7
In this unit, you learned how to use guides to precisely align and glue shapes. You also
learned how to add new connection points to a shape, select objects by type, and set
Snap & Glue options. You learned how to set properties for shapes, create and apply
custom properties, and create and run reports. Finally, you learned how to format a
report table and update a report.
S–4 Visio 2010: Basic
Topic B: Continued learning after class

It is impossible to learn how to use any software completely in a single day. To get the
most out of this class, students should begin working with Visio to perform real tasks as
soon as possible. We also offer resources for continued learning.
Next courses in this series

This is the first course in this series. The next course in this series is:
 Visio Professional 2010: Advanced
Other resources
For more information, visit www.axzopress.com.
G–1
Glossary
Background page Footer
A Visio page you can use to display background Text that appears at the bottom of each page.
elements such as page numbers and borders—elements Headers and footers are typically placed on background
that you want to repeat on multiple pages in a drawing. pages.
Brainstorming Format Painter tool

A problem-solving technique in which people try A tool used to copy formatting from one shape to
to generate a wide variety of ideas or solutions (without another.
initially judging their suitability).
Gluing
Brainstorming diagrams Securing shapes together so that when one of them
Diagrams used to develop ideas, solve logical is moved, the connections remain intact.
problems, and show relationships between various
topics. Grid
A series of horizontal and vertical lines, similar to
Center of rotation graph paper, on the drawing page. Grids can help you
The point that you rotate objects around, using place shapes accurately.
rotate handles.
Guides
Compound line Non-printing lines that divide a drawing page into
A line that consists of multiple line segments. sections to help you accurately place shapes and lines.
Connection points Header

The small blue x shapes that appear when the Text that appears at the top of each page. Headers
Connection Tool is selected and you point to a shape. and footers are typically placed on background pages.
Connection points determine how shapes are connected.
Hyperlinks
Control handles Connect a shape or page to a drawing, a document,
Components that appear on a shape when it’s an Internet address, or a file.
selected and that are used to modify the shape.
Master shapes
Custom properties The basic building blocks of any Visio diagram or
Data fields that store information about shapes. drawing.
You define these data fields by using the Custom
Properties dialog box. Open shape
A one-dimensional shape that has a begin point (a
Eccentricity handles green box with an “×”) and an endpoint (a green box
Controls that appear at the ends of a dotted line that with a “+”). Lines, arcs, and curved lines are examples
runs through a round control handle. Eccentricity of open shapes.
handles are used to refine the curvature of a line or arc.
Organization chart
Fields A diagram used to show superior-subordinate
Placeholders that can contain details about a relationships, reporting hierarchies, and inter-
drawing file, such as its file name and location. department links within an organization.
File properties Page orientation

Information about a file, such as its location, A setting that defines whether a page will print in
creation date, author, and subject. portrait orientation (8.5”×11”) or landscape orientation
(11”×8.5”).
Floating
The state of a stencil or toolbar when you can Page tabs
move it anywhere in the work area and resize it as Controls that appear at the bottom of the drawing
needed. page and that you can use to navigate in a drawing with
multiple pages.
G–2 Visio 2010: Basic
Panning Snap
Moving the page freely in any direction, without A feature that improves the accuracy of placing
using the scroll bars. objects and shapes by making them align with the grid
lines and rulers.
Pixel
The smallest unit of display of a color on a Stencil
monitor. A collection of shapes that are related to a drawing
type or template. Stencils have the file-name extension
Property set .vss.
A collection of properties.
Template
Reference shape A file that provides a starting point for a drawing;
The first object you select in a selection net. The the template contains the basic elements needed to
thick pink border identifies it as the first shape selected create an illustration. Templates have the file-name
in the group. extension .vst.
Resizing Text block

Changing a shape’s height and/or width. (1) A container for text. (2) A shape component
that is used to label or define a shape.
Resolution
The level of detail provided by a monitor or in an Topology shapes
image or drawing. On screen, resolution is defined by Shapes that represent common configurations, such
the number of pixels per square inch. The more pixels as ring and star topologies, used in creating a network
per inch an image has, the greater its resolution. structure. These shapes provide connection points for
the device shapes that are arranged according to the
Scaling layout of the network.
Changing the height and width of a shape while
maintaining the height-to-width proportions. Vector-based illustrations
Drawings composed of mathematically computed
ScreenTip lines. Unlike bitmap images, vector-based images are
Information that appears when you point to a not resolution-dependent.
command or a shape on a stencil.
Vertex point
Selection handles A line component that is added where a line
The squares that appear on the selection box. You changes direction, anchoring one segment and
can resize an object by dragging a selection handle. beginning another segment in any direction.
Selection marquee XML

A temporary boundary created by dragging the Extensible Markup Language, a standard markup
pointer around multiple objects. When you release the language for transferring data across applications and
mouse button, a selection box appears around all of the platforms.
objects, and all of the objects are selected.
Shapes window
The window that displays the stencils associated
with the current template.
I–1
Index
A F
Anchored windows, 1-14 Fields, 5-15
Arcs Files
Creating, 2-5 Saving, 1-19
Reshaping, 2-8 Types of, 1-4
AutoConnect, 3-4, 3-9 Fills, adding, 4-13
AutoHide, 1-14 Footers, 5-13
Format Painter, 4-15
B Freeform lines, 2-10
Background pages, 5-13
Adding graphics to, 5-20
G
Applying, 5-19 Gallery, 1-2
Bitmap images, 1-7 Gluing shapes
Brainstorming diagrams, 6-14 To guides, 7-2
Exporting to XML, 6-18 To other shapes, 3-9
Importing XML data into, 6-19 Grouping shapes, 2-24
Guides, adding, 7-2
C
Center of rotation, moving, 2-25
H
Compound lines, 2-10 Headers, 5-13
Adjusting, 2-15 Help system, 1-12
Connection handles Hyperlinks, 5-22, G-1
Adding, 6-6
Hiding, 6-8 L
Connection points
Adding, 7-5 Layouts, changing, 3-30
Connector shapes, 3-12 Lines
Connector tool, 3-9 Compound, 2-10
Control handles, 2-8 Compound, adjusting, 2-15
Control points, 2-10 Creating, 2-5
Converting to vertex points, 2-15 Formatting, 4-10
Freeform, 2-10
D
M
Diagrams
Brainstorming, 6-14 Master shapes, 1-7, 3-4
Design tips for, 3-2
Network, 6-2 N
Organization charts, 3-27 Navigating among pages, 1-11
Rack, 6-12 Network diagrams, 6-2
Docked windows, 1-14
Drawing toolbar, 2-2
O
E Objects
Aligning, 2-20
Eccentricity handles, 2-8 Defined, 1-18
Distributing, 2-22
Duplicating, 2-17
Grouping, 2-24
I–2 Visio 2010: Basic
Moving, 1-18 Connectors, 3-12

Resizing, 1-22 Defining properties for, 7-13
Rotating, 2-25, G-1 Distributing, 2-22
Scaling, 1-22 Gluing, 3-9
Selecting, 1-18 Grouping, 2-24
Selecting by type, 7-8 Master, 1-7, 3-4
Organization charts, creating, 3-27 Snap & Glue toolbar, 7-11
Standard toolbar, 4-10
P Stencils
Changing the display of, 1-15
Page breaks, showing, 5-15 Defined, 1-7
Pages Floating vs. docked vs. anchored, 1-15
Navigating among, 1-11 Opening and closing, 1-15
Renaming, 1-11
Panning, 1-8
Paragraph formats, 4-6
T
Pixels, 1-7 Text
Print Preview, 5-8 Adding to connectors, 3-23
Properties Adding to shapes, 3-21
Defining for a shape, 7-13 Editing, 3-16
File, 5-2 Formatting, 4-2
Property sets Formatting with Text dialog box, 4-5
Applying to shapes, 7-18 Paragraphs, 3-19
Creating, 7-15 Text blocks
Formatting, 4-6
Q Moving, 6-11
Overview of, 3-16
Quick Access toolbar, 1-4 Rotating, 3-25
Working with, 3-25
R Toolbars
Rack diagrams, 6-12 Drawing, 2-2
Reference object, 2-20 Snap & Glue, 7-11
Repeat key, 2-17 Standard, 4-10
Reports Topics, in brainstorming diagrams, 6-14
Creating, 7-20 Topology shapes, 6-2
Linking to shapes, 7-24 Duplicating, 6-8
Running, 7-22
Updating, 7-24 V
Resolution, 1-7 Vertex points, 2-12
Ribbon, 1-2, 1-3 Adding, 2-15
Minimizing, 1-3
Rotation handles, 3-25
W
S Windows, anchored vs. docked vs. floating, 1-14
ScreenTips, 1-12
Selection handles, 1-18
X
Shadows, adding, 4-13 XML files
Shapes Exporting to, 6-18
Adding to a diagram, 3-4 Importing, 6-19
Aligning, 2-20
Choosing which to use, 3-2 Z
Connecting to new connection points, 7-9
Connecting with AutoConnect, 3-4, 3-9 Zooming in on a drawing, 1-8
Connecting with the Connector tool, 3-9

Axzo Press-Visio 2010 - Basic, Student Manual - Crisp Learning (2011) PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Axzo Press-Visio 2010 - Basic, Student Manual - Crisp Learning (2011) PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MICROSOFT ®

ENSURING YOUR SUCCESS L E A R N HOW TO:

Visio2010_Basic.indd 1 2/28/11 8:14 AM

COPYRIGHT © 2011 Axzo Press. All rights reserved.

Getting started 1-1

Drawing tools 2-1

Basic diagrams 3-1

Formatting drawings 4-1

Working with pages 5-1

Network and brainstorming diagrams 6-1

Customization and reporting 7-1

Course summary S-1

After reading this introduction, you will know

A Use ILT Series manuals in general.

B Use prerequisites, a target student

C Re-key this course after class.

Topic A: About the manual

Italic text In conceptual text, indicates a new term or feature.

Bold text In unit summaries, indicates a key term or concept. In

Code font Indicates code or syntax.

Keycaps like e Indicate a key on the keyboard you must press.

Do it! A-1: Creating a commission formula

2 Observe the contents of cell F4

Topic B: Setting your expectations

Creating a new file

Identifying interface components

Using Visio Help

Navigating in a Visio drawing

Changing View settings

Selecting, scaling, and resizing objects

Drawing objects and changing their size

Working with compound lines

Aligning, distributing, grouping, and rotating objects

Using master shapes

Connecting shapes in a diagram

Working with text

Creating an organization chart

Formatting text and text blocks

Formatting shapes and lines

Applying style themes and effects

Setting file properties

Creating and applying background pages

Using Print Preview

Creating print headers and footers

Creating network diagrams

Creating rack diagrams

Creating brainstorming diagrams

Importing and exporting XML data

Using guides to precisely align and glue shapes

Creating new connection points

Setting properties for shapes

Creating custom properties

Creating and modifying reports

Topic C: Re-keying the course

Setup instructions to re-key the course

Complete this unit, and you’ll know how to:

A Identify components of the Visio 2010

B Manipulate windows and stencils, and

Topic A: The Visio 2010 interface

The Fluent interface and Ribbon

Ribbon tabs Shapes window Ribbon Drawing window Ribbon groups

Exhibit 1-1: The Visio 2010 interface

Components of the interface