Copyright: (C) 1996-1997 Visio Corporation
Citation: (C) 1996-1997 Visio Corporation


Block Diagram Template

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The raised Block Diagram shapes are designed to fit together. For example, you can align the four open-arrow shapes to create a four-headed arrow.

Tips for using the raised Block Diagram shapes

Use the following techniques to align and position raised block shapes:

•	Before you align shapes, turn off Snap to gain greater control over the shapes. When Snap is on, shapes automatically snap to grid lines and guides.

•	Choose Tools > Snap & Glue, then uncheck Snap.

•	Zoom in on the shapes you're aligning to position them more accurately.

To zoom in, press Ctrl+Shift, then left-click the area you want to see more closely.

To zoom out, press Ctrl+Shift+right-click.

•	Use the Bring Forward and Send Backward commands on the Shape menu to properly position the shapes and hide unwanted lines.

•	Align shapes more easily by using the right-mouse click actions some raised block shapes have. For example, you can right-click the Horizontal and Vertical Bar shapes and choose an action to open one or both of their ends.

Formatting raised Block Diagram shapes

Raised block shapes have a white face and dark-gray sides and bottoms. You can format the face, sides, and bottoms separately.

To format a raised block shape:

1.	Select the shape you want to format.

2.	From the Color style palette on the toolbar, choose the color you want for the sides and bottom.

The entire shape turns the color you chose.

3.	Click to subselect the shape's face.

4.	From the Color style palette, choose the color you want for the face.

Linking shapes to other drawing pages, other files, or World Wide Web locations

You can add navigational links to any shape in your diagram, so that users of the diagram can right-click the shape to jump to separate drawing pages, separate files, or documents on an intranet or the Web. For example, you can link a process shape to a Microsoft Word document that describes the process in detail.

To add links to shapes:

•	Choose Insert > Hyperlink.

See also:

Adding, modifying, and deleting hyperlinks

Placing Visio drawings on the World Wide Web

You can easily convert a Visio drawing to a format Web browsers can read. Then you can distribute the drawing on an intranet or the Web.

See also:

Exporting shapes and drawings in .jpg or .gif format

Saving drawings as HTML pages


Tips for using the raised Block Diagram shapes

Formatting raised Block Diagram shapes

Linking shapes to other drawing pages, other files, or World Wide Web locations

Placing Visio drawings on the World Wide Web