Basic shape development Microsoft Corporation
October 2000
Applicable to Microsoft Visio 2000 Enterprise Edition Microsoft Visio 2000 Professional Microsoft Visio 2000 Standard Edition Microsoft Visio 2000 Technical Edition
Summary: This article describes how to draw your own Microsoft Visio shape. Among them, the problem of drawing the Visio SmartShapes symbols is discussed and the basic knowledge of the Shapesheet feature is expounded.
table of Contents
Introduction Cloning the existing shape from the beginning to draw shape navigation prompts Add connection point text Basics Shapesheet
Introduction
This article is not a full guide for Microsoft® Visio® SmartShapes®, but it is just a focus on its most interesting features.
Microsoft Visio applications enable solution developers to accomplish complex graphics drawing tasks with a variety of drawings and shapes. With SmartShapes technology, you can develop a variety of shapes that have similar properties with objects in the real world they represent.
This article will gradually explain the following shape development techniques:
Basic shape creation and drawing mechanism Add connection point Custom text Format to attach data to a shape in a shape with a custom property to right-click operation and event control handle capture events in Microsoft Shapesheet®
For more information on using SmartShapes, see Developing the Visio Solution (English).
Clone existing shape
If you find a shape close to the shape and then modify it, instead of drawing a shape from the beginning, you can save some time. To reuse a shape, you must save this shape as a master shape through the template.
The following steps explain how to clone an existing shape, create a new template, and complete the master shape.
Clone existing shape
Open a blank graph. On the File menu, click Template and select "Basic Flow Graphics" from the "Flowchart" folder. Draw a "process" shape on your graph, then modify (such as fill color). On the File menu, click Template, and then click New Template to create a blank template. Draw this shape on a blank template to create a master shape. In the File menu, click Save As Save the Template to make sure to select .vss as a file type.
Complete the main control
After creating a master shape on the template, select "Master Shape", and then right-click to open the right shortcut menu. Use the "Master Shape Properties" to specify the name to inherit the name when drawing the shape. The icon is also editable to create a more representative symbol on the template.
Read-only template
If you try to draw this shape on the original "Basic Flow Graphic" template, you will see the following error message: "This template is opened in a read-only mode. Do you want to edit the template to complete the action? Yes / No" .
By default, the template is opened in a read-only mode. Click "Yes" in the above error message to add your shape to an existing template.
The following steps explain how to modify an existing template, how to operate on a copy of the template and how to update the directory cache after saving a new template.
Modify existing template
In the File menu, click Template, and then click Open Template. Select the template you want to modify, and then click "Original" in the "Open", modify the original template, or: If you want to operate on a copy, click "Copy" in the Open dialog. On the File menu, click Save As to save the template to ensure that .vss is selected as the file type. Tip: If you don't need any shape on the existing template, you can also use a new template to start drawing.
Update directory cache
If you save a new template into a directory in a "file path", the template is not displayed on the Template menu, you can trigger Visio to update your directory cache. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click File Path. Edit in the Template field (Type a character at the end of the path, then use the retracted key to delete the character). After clicking OK, the editing operation will result in updates. This template will now appear in the "Template" menu without shutting down Visio.
Shape copyright
All shapes of all shapes created by cloning the Visio shape are all Visio, and the copyright information can be seen in the "Special" menu in the "Format" menu. If you intend to distribute a master shape with the copyright information to other users, they must have the right to use templates that contain the original master shape.
If you want to distribute shapes and are not subject to copyright, you must start the shape from beginning to start. This way you can also choose to apply your own copyright information to this shape, and can perform this operation before or after transitioning the shape to a master shape. You can enter copyright information from the "Format" menu after selecting the shape.
Warning: The copyright field only allows you to enter once. A copy of the shape should be retained before entering the input to use it in the case of typing errors.
Use clip art or bitmap images
The clip art can be converted to a shape, or combined with another shape to achieve a better visual effect. You can also use a bitmap image and a scanned photo. The following steps explain how to make a shape by a clip art, change its components, rotation, and trim, and how to add text to the image.
Making shape by clip art
On the Insert menu, click Clip Art to appear the Microsoft Clip Dialog box. Select the desired clip art and click "Insert Clip Art". Note: This dialog is available only if Microsoft Office and Microsoft Office clip art are installed. - Or - On the Insert menu, click "Picture", then select a picture into your drawing. Depending on the format of the graphic file you want to import, you will see a dialog that contains options for setting color conversion. Drag the image corner handle to adjust the size to keep the aspect ratio. Move the scrapbook shape into a template to create a master shape.
Change the shape of the shape and add text
If you use a Windows meta file (.WMF), you can cancel the combination. This will convert files into a Visio shape to change their components or add text. This is also the only way to rotate the shape. Note: Bitmap files (.dib, .bmp, .pcx file, etc.) will still hold the bitmap format in the drawing. To convert it into an empty file, select it, click "Copy", then select "Selective Paste" and paste it as a meta file.
Trim or shake within the image border
On the toolbar, click Rotate Tool, and then select the Trip tool from the drop-down menu. Drag the selection gauge of the object for trim, or drag the object in the border to shake. Note: In Shapesheet, the shaking operation changes the imgoffsetx and imgoffsety cells in the "Image Information" section, and the horizontal distance between the display object and its border starting point.
Add text to an inserted clip art
Select Text Tools and drag a rectangle to accommodate text and type placeholder text. Use the Pointer tool, select Clip Arts and Text and right-click, click "Shape", and then click "Combine" to combine the two together.
Draw shape from scratch
If you need a custom object for your business, or to apply your own copyright information, it is best to build a shape from the beginning.
Drawing tool
Click the arrow next to the "Line" tool on the toolbar, select Line, "Curved", "Free Graphics" or "Pencil" tool. Click the arrow next to the Rectangle tool, select Rectangle or "Elliptical" tool. To draw a straight shape, use the Line tool to click and drag, you can draw a coherent contour, and the end point is connected to the starting point. After the shape is successfully closed, an opaque fill will be used. If the "alignment to the grid" function is opened, the connection effect of the closed vertex is best. From the Tools menu, select "Align & Paste" and select "Dig" in the Align dialog to activate this function. If it is a free graphic or the shape that is not aligned, it may take a little skill to connect. Use the Shift to limit the "line" tool to draw the horizontal direction, vertical direction or 45 degree angle; limit the "rectangular" tool to draw squares; limit the "curved" tool to draw a quarter round; limit "elliptical" tool . Use the "Free Graphics" tool to draw curves. In addition to a single "Line" and "Curved" tool, the "pencil" tool can also draw lines and curved shapes. When you start using the "Pencil" to draw the line, Visio calculates the trajectory passed by the cursor. If the track is a straight line, the line is drawn; if the track is a curve, the curved shape is drawn. You can also use the "Pencil" tool to edit after drawing the shape, the method is: select and drag a certain end point, control point, or vertex, then make changes. Can't close in shape?
Use the "Pencil" tool to select the vertices at the shape of the shape (which becomes magenta), then drag and drop it on the other vertex at the shape of the shape. The shape must be selected first, then select "Pencil" or "Line" tool, then you can choose a certain point. The closed shape becomes an opaque state.
Figure 1 shows an opening shape and a closed shape, the vertices at the opening have become magenta.
Figure 1. Closing shape
Shape group
The following steps explain how to draw a series of isometrics. This is also applicable to draw a batch of equidistant identical shape groups.
Draw a series of isometric same lines or shapes
Draw a shape on the graph. Click this shape, press the CTRL button while dragging, you can draw the first copy and place the copy on the desired location. Press the F4 button now to plot a number of copies as the shape, each of which is equal.
Figure 2 shows the same shape of a series of isometric.
Figure 2. The same shape
Put a plurality of part: Boolean operations
You can use the "Combination" command to combine multiple shapes, if you just need to move these shapes as a whole or to split them in the future, this method is very practical.
However, if the shape to be drawn is with a shear section and a region that can be formatted and fill, you need to build the Boolean calculation (joint, combination, clip, crossing and subtract) on the basis of other shapes. shape. Use the entire shape to start drawing more than the outline of many lines and curved shapes. To find these commands, click "Shape" on the toolbar, and then click Operation.
The following steps explain how to draw three new shapes, combine these three shapes, fill colors, and draw new symbols.
Draw an internationally universal "prohibited" symbol
On the Tools menu, click "Align & Paste", select "Dragon" in the Align dialog, and then click OK to make precise positioning. Combined with the SHIFT key and the "Ellipse" tool to draw rounds. Two circles are stacked together (a smaller in it). At the same time, two circles can be drawn to draw out the outer ring. Click "Operation" in the Shape menu, and then click Composite. Note: Now the grid is displayed in the middle of the graph, because this is no longer a filling solid circle. With the "Rectangle" tool to draw strips, the height of the strip is consistent with the thickness of the ring, and the width of the strip is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the ring. The strip is dragged to the ring and causes it to be in the vertical and horizontal direction. Now, the strip is selected in the case of using the "Rotate" tool, and then rotate it 45 degrees (as shown in the status bar) using the "rotation" tool (as shown in the status bar). Select the two shapes drawn above and select Red as a pad. Click Operation from the "Shape" menu, and then click "Union" to draw the final shape. Figure 3 illustrates a process of drawing an internationally universal "prohibited" symbol.
Figure 3. International "prohibited" symbols
Navigation prompt
Quick Zoom: To locate a particular shape you want to zoom, hold down the Ctrl Shift key, the cursor will become a magnifying glass shape. Then you can drag a rectangle around the shape that needs to be enlarged - or you can point to the area, then click the left mile to zoom in, click the right button to reduce it.
Shake: To make the page slide in the drawing window, hold down the Ctrl Shift key, right click, and drag the page.
Add connection point
By default, the newly drawn shape is no connection point. If you want to provide some specific points for the user to paste the connector endpoint, you need to add a connection point. When you paste an object into a vertices, Visio will create a connection point. You can also create a connection point in other locations - or even create a connection point outside the shape of the shape.
The following steps explain how to add, move, and delete a new connection.
Add a new connection point to the shape
Select this shape. On the toolbar, click the arrow next to the Connector tool and select the Connection Point tool from the drop-down menu. Hold down the Ctrl key while clicking the location you want to add a connection point. You can click on the boundary of the shape, within the boundary or outside the boundary. Visio adds a connection point to this location to display a new connection point. Play the mouse pointer on the connection point (this pointer is a four-way arrow) and then click. The connection point is selected to become a magenta, and then you can delete or move it. WARNING: If "Connection Point", "Connection" menu is disabled, it may be turned off. This option should be checked before trying to operate the connection point to ensure that this option is enabled. The connection point is displayed in the shape of a small blue x.
Connection and paste
A portion of a portion of a shape is referred to as a "paste" connected to another shape. When the "connector" tool is dragged between the respective connection points in the shape, Visio is firmly attached to these connection points. This is called static paste, is a point-to-point paste. Whether the shape moves, the connection between the two points remains unchanged.
If you press and hold the CRTL key while dragging the "Connector" from a shape from one shape to another, Visio uses a dynamically pasted to connect a connector to both shapes. Now if you move one of the shapes, the connector will slide around to select the most reasonable connection point between the two shapes. You can think that dynamic paste is a shape of a shape to the shape - it uses a shortest route connection between the two shapes, thereby simplifying the drawing.
Dynamic connection depends on the connection method and connector type you use. Using a connection that is still static and movable, you can switch between static connection and dynamic paste. The following steps describes how to define static paste or dynamically paste.
Define static paste or dynamic paste for connector
Select the shape and then select "Show Shapesheet" from the Window menu. If the Paste Information section is not displayed, select "Section" in the View menu. In the section dialog box, select Paste Information, and then click OK. In the "glueType" cell of the Paste Information section, input 0 specifies static paste, or input 3 specifies dynamic paste. Inward and outward connection point
When you design a shape, you can indicate the position of the attachment or pasted position by adding a connection point to the shape. The type of connection point will affect whether other shapes can be pasted and whether the shape of the connection point can be pasted onto another shape.
Other shapes can be pasted into an inward connection point. The characteristics of the inner connection point are similar to the connection point in the Visio product version prior to Visio 2000. The inner connection point can be pasted with an endpoint of the one-dimensional shape or paste the excessive or inward / outward connection point of other shapes. The shape containing an external connection point can be pasted into another shape. Outover connection points can be pasted inward and inwardly / outwardly from other shapes. If a one-dimensional shape is pasted or pasted with an outward connection point, the characteristics of the inner / outward connection point are similar to the inward connection point. If it pastes it with other shapes, its characteristics are similar to the outward connection point. For shapes that may be pasted together in any order, the inner / outward connection point is useful. Note: Visio 2000 applications are imported as an inward connection point when importing in an earlier version of the Visio product, and there is no preferred direction. All draw formulas in the A, B, C, and D cells of these rows remain unchanged after the introduction.
Specify some of the sticky
You can also specify which parts of a shape in the "Align & Paste" dialog can be pasted with another shape.
On the Tools menu, select "Align & Paste" and select all "Paste to" options that are suitable for your graphics or templates. These options include "Shape Geometry", "lead", "shape gauge", "shape vertex", and "connection point".
Text basic knowledge
Each shape has the text associated with it. The text itself can be modified, and the text block containing text can also be modified.
Text tool
To add, edit, or format the text in the shape, you should select a shape and activate the Text tool. You can also activate the Text tool first, then select the shape. At this point, you can edit the "text format" toolbar on the shape of the text will be activated so that you can choose a commonly used text format option, such as: font size, style, and color.
Text block tool
You can use the Text Block tool to change the location and direction of the rectangular text block associated with the shape.
On the toolbar, click the arrow next to the Text tool and select the Text Block tool from the drop-down menu. If you select a Text Block tool after selecting a shape, you will find the "text format" toolbar is not active, the rectangular text block is highlighted, and the tabs with a special interactive handle - angle on the corner for rotation On the side of the gums for adjustment. The rectangular text block can be dragged to move it relative to shape. The method is to press the left mouse button when the cursor is placed on one side (but not on the size of the size). The text is based on the rectangular text block layout, and the rectangular text block is compliant with the rectangle selected in the shape by default. The text of the text in the text is controlled by the "Format" menu, the "Text" menu, and the "Text Block" dialog box. Vertical alignment text
On the Format menu, click Text, and then click Text Block. By default, "home" is "hidden", which makes the text beyond the shape of the shape, extends to the top and bottom ends. Select "Back" to align the top of the text with the shape, extends only to the bottom end, which looks more distinct. Select "Dress" to align the text bottom line with the bottom border.
