Copyright: Copyright (C) 1997 Visio Corporation
Citation: Visio 5.0 Help, Copyright (C) 1997 Visio Corporation


Commands and tools


Commands and tools

Click a letter to go to that section.

To display help for a command while working in Visio, pause the pointer over the command, and then press the F1 key. You can also click the Help button in most dialog boxes.

A - D

Align To/Match Wall

Area Analysis

Array Shapes

AutoCAD Drawing

E - I

Extend To Wall

J - L

Join Walls

M

Measure

Mechanical Parts Library

Move

Move To Wall

N - R

Netlist Generator

S - U

Set wall dimensions

V

Valve Builder

W - Z

Wall Utility


Align To/Match Wall command
Align To/Match Wall

  Related Topics

Tools > Macro > AEC > Wall Utility

Tools > Macro > Macros > Wall Utility

Aligns certain door and window shapes to the wall shape and matches the thickness, reference line offset, and angle of the door or window to the wall.

When used with like shapes, such as only with doors or only with walls, matches a shape's wall thickness and reference line offset to those of the first shape selected, without altering the position or angle.


Extend To Wall command
Extend To Wall

  Related Topics

Tools > Macro > AEC > Wall Utility

Tools > Macro > Macros > Wall Utility

Extends one or more selected double line wall(s) along its current angle until it abuts another primary wall to form a "T-joint" at any angle.


Join Walls command
Join Walls

  Related Topics

Tools > Macro > AEC > Wall Utility

Tools > Macro > Macros > Wall Utility

Joins two Double Line Wall shapes of similar or different wall settings, creating a corner joint at any angle. If more than two abutting walls are selected, the utility will continue to create a corner at all coincident locations.


Measure tool
Measure

  Related Topics

Tools > Macro > Visio Extras

Tools > Macro > Macros

Automatically measures the total perimeter and area of any closed shape drawn with the drawing tools, such as a shape that outlines the floor area of a floor plan. You can use this information to keep track of square footage in a building plan or to calculate the cross-sectional area of a structural member.

DIALOG BOX OPTIONS

Total Area  Specifies the unit of measure you prefer for the area.

Total Perimeter  Specifies the unit of measure you prefer for the perimeter.

Compute  Calculates the area and perimeter.

Show  Highlights the areas used in the calculation.

Copy  Copies the value to the Clipboard.


Mechanical Parts Library command
Mechanical Parts Library

  Related Topics

File > New > Mechanical Engineering

Creates over 15,000 bolts, fasteners, and steel sections from a library of shapes that are linked to a comprehensive parts database.

When you drop the shapes on the page, the Hardware Editor dialog box opens. Using the Hardware Editor, you can adjust the shape, type, length, size, view, and thread style (if applicable) of shapes from the Mechanical Parts Library.

DIALOG BOX OPTIONS

Type  Specifies an industry standard type, such as ANSI/ASME, ASTM, AS, BSI, DIN, ISO, or JIS.

Size  Specifies a standard size.

Length  Specifies a custom or standard length.

View  Specifies the view you want to use to view the shape.


Move command
Move

  Related Topics

Tools > Macro > AEC

Tools > Macro > Macros

Moves shapes on the drawing page a precise distance using x-, y-displacement or polar angle and offset or displacement values.

DIALOG BOX OPTIONS

X  Specifies the distance to move the shape in the x axis (horizontal direction) with respect to the page or local coordinate system. This option is available only when X-Y is checked.

Y  Specifies the distance to move the shape in the y axis (vertical direction) with respect to the page or local coordinate system. This option is available only when X-Y is checked.

Length  Specifies the radial distance to move the shape. This option is available only when Polar is checked.

Angle  Specifies the angle along which the shape is moved. For example, an angle of 0 degrees moves the shape horizontally along the x axis to the right. Angles are measured positively in a counter clockwise direction. This option is available only when Polar is checked.

Relative To  Specifies the origin's coordinate system.

Page  Changes the text boxes so that they specify the distance to move horizontally (X) or vertically (Y) with respect to the page.

Local  Changes the text boxes so that they specify the distance to move in the x- or y-direction with respect to the shape's local coordinates. For example, if a shape is rotated 90 degrees, local-x is up, and local-y is to the left.

Coordinates  Specifies the coordinate system used to move the shape.

X, Y  Changes the text boxes so that they specify a distance along the x- (horizontal) or y- (vertical) axis.

Polar  Changes the text boxes so that they specify a distance along an angle to move the shape.

Duplicate  Moves a copy of the selected shape and keeps the original shape in its original position.


Move To Wall command
Move To Wall

  Related Topics

Tools > Macro > AEC > Wall Utility

Tools > Macro > Macros > Wall Utility

Moves a selected wall along its current orientation until it abuts your primary wall selection, without changing the wall length. The selected wall moves in the direction in which it is currently oriented to form a "T" intersection at a selected angle. This button works only with Double Line Wall shapes.


Set Wall Dimensions command
Set Wall Dimensions

  Related Topics

Right-click a selected Double Line Wall shape, then choose Set Wall Dimensions

Sets a wall's properties to change the thickness of a wall or the amount to offset its reference line.

DIALOG BOX OPTIONS

Wall Thickness  Specifies the thickness of the wall.

Reference Line Offset  Specifies the distance from the inside of the wall.


Wall Utility command
Wall Utility

  Related Topics

Tools > Macro > AEC

Tools > Macro > Macros

Works with wall shapes on the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil to form T-joints or corner joints between walls, extend walls to meet others, and match doors and windows to wall thicknesses and angles.

NOTE  When you open the Home, Space, Security, or Warehouse templates, Visio Technical displays a toolbar that contains toolbar buttons with the same functionality as the Wall Utility dialog box.

OPTIONS

Join Walls  Joins two Double Line Wall shapes of similar or different wall settings, creating a corner joint at any angle. If more than two abutting walls are selected, the utility will continue to create a corner at all coincident locations.

Move To Wall  Moves a selected wall along its current orientation until it abuts your primary wall selection, without changing the wall length. The selected wall moves in the direction in which it is currently oriented to form a "T" intersection at a selected angle. This button works only with Double Line Wall shapes.

Align To/Match Wall  Aligns certain door and window shapes to the wall shape and matches the thickness, reference line offset, and angle of the door or window to the wall. When used with like shapes, such as only with doors or only with walls, matches a shape's thickness and reference line offset to those of the first shape selected, without altering the position or angle.

Extend To Wall  Extends one or more selected double line wall(s) along its current angle until it abuts another primary wall to form a "T-joint" at any angle.


About Visio Technical sample drawings

  Related Topics

With its many job-specific stencils and more than 3,000 SmartShapes masters, Visio Technical provides a solution for most technical drawing needs—HVAC diagrams, residential designs, engineering schematics, space plans, mechanical engineering drawings, and more.

This section provides sample Visio Technical drawings and diagrams that you can use as a starting point for your work or as a source of ideas. The template and types of shapes used for each sample drawing are specified above the drawing.

Sample drawings created using Visio Technical

To view these or similar sample drawings online:

•	Choose File > New > Browse Sample Drawings.

•	Choose Help > Visio On The Web > Visio Home Page.

TIP  To display template-specific Help on any template, choose Help > Template Help, then select the template name.

Click the sample you want to see:

Creating an interior elevation

Creating a floor plan

Creating an HVAC ductwork drawing with HVAC equipment and controls

Creating a security monitoring control systems drawing

Creating an electrical schematics diagram

Creating a pneumatic or hydraulic control system drawing

Creating a process plant design

Creating a site plan


Creating an interior elevation

  Related Topics

To create an interior elevation, choose File > New > Facilities Management > Interior Elevations. The stencils for this template contain annotations, and interior elevation shapes.

Smart annotation shapes stay connected. Drag and drop dimension lines automatically display real-world measurements.


Creating a floor plan

  Related Topics

To create a floor plan, choose File > New > Facilities Management > Space Plan - Building Area; or choose AEC > Home - Large Plan or Home - Small Plan. When you open a Space Plan or Home Template, Visio Technical displays the Wall Utility toolbar. You can use the toolbar buttons with the Double Line Wall and other shapes on the Walls, Shell And Structure stencil to perform a wide variety of tasks, including joining two Double Line Wall shapes, creating a corner joint, and moving a wall without changing the wall length.

TIP  Gluing wall shapes to guides or guide intersections allows accurate placement of walls and greater flexibility because all shapes glued to a guide will move with the guide when it is moved.

Scaled drawings are a snap when you start with a template. You can change the drawing scale and even set a different scale for each page in multiple-page drawings.


Creating an HVAC ductwork drawing with HVAC equipment and controls

  Related Topics

To create an HVAC ductwork drawing, choose File > New > AEC > HVAC Layout. The stencils for this template contain ductwork, pipes, and valves for use in creating single- and double-line HVAC plans.

TIP  If you lay out the ductwork equipment as a separate, unique layer in a space plan, you can run the Property Reporting Wizard to generate a bill of materials on just the shapes on that layer.

For HVAC and many other shapes, you can quickly configure some of the pipe and valve shapes by right-clicking them and choosing the appropriate command from the shortcut menu. For example, to change an In-line Valve shape to a 3-Way Valve, right-click the shape, then choose 3-Way.


Creating a security monitoring control systems drawing

  Related Topics

To create a security systems drawing, choose File > New > AEC > Security Systems. The stencils for this template contain shapes for alarm and access control, video surveillance, and initiation and annunciation.

TIP  1) If you lay out the security system as a separate, unique layer in a space plan, you can run the Property Reporting Wizard to generate a bill of materials on just the shapes on that layer. 2) If you have an existing drawing of a floor plan in AutoCAD .dwg or .dxf format, you can insert it into your Visio Technical drawing page by choosing Insert > AutoCAD Drawing. Then drag and drop your Security Systems shapes on top of the existing drawing.

Many Security Systems shapes include built-in custom-property data that you can change by right-clicking the shape and choosing Properties from the shortcut menu.


Creating an electrical schematics diagram

  Related Topics

To create an electrical schematics diagram, choose File > New > Electrical And Electronic > EE - Systems. The stencils for this template include shapes for composite assemblies, maintenance symbols, maps and charts, switches and relays, and telecom switches.

TIP  1) If you associate custom-property data with your Electrical And Electronic shapes, you can run the Property Reporting Wizard to generate inventory or numerical reports based on the data. 2) If you want to check circuit connections or feed the circuit data into an external analysis program, choose Tools > Macro > Electrical And Electronic > Netlist Generator to output circuit data in Spice format.

When you drop some of the Electrical And Electronic shapes on the drawing page, Visio Technical prompts you for information about the shape characteristics so that you can, for example, choose the number of pins on a chip.


Creating a pneumatic or hydraulic control system drawing

  Related Topics

To create a pneumatic or hydraulic control system drawing, choose File > New > Mechanical Engineering > Fluid Power - All Stencils. The stencils for this template include shapes for equipment, valves, valve assembly, annotations, and connectors.

TIP  To facilitate the assembly of custom valves, choose Tools > Macro > Macros > Valve Builder. Or drag and drop the Valve Builder shape from the Fluid Power - Valves stencil.

To create valve shapes quickly without having to drag many separate shapes, each with its own settings, use the new Valve Builder tool. Choose Tools > Macro > Mechanical Engineering > Valve Builder.


Creating a process plant design

  Related Topics

To create a process plant design, choose File > New > Industrial Process > Process Plant Facilities. The stencils for this template include shapes for machines and equipment, storage and distribution, and warehouse shipping and receiving.

TIP  To create the background floor plan, use the shapes from the Walls, Shell And Structure or Building Core stencil. Or insert an existing AutoCAD drawing (.dwg or .dxf format) by choosing Insert > AutoCAD Drawing.

The Visio Technical Industrial Process solutions provide all the shapes you need to create a detailed process plant design.


Creating a site plan

  Related Topics

To create a site plan, choose File > New > Facilities Management > Site Plan. The stencils for this template include shapes for vehicles, annotations, accessories, parking, roads, and irrigation or watering.

You can use the new parking stall shapes to quickly choose stall width, length, and angle precisely to scale.


About Visio Technical new features

  Related Topics

For a complete list of new content, tools, and features, see New and improved features for Visio Technical 5.0 and New and improved features for Visio Technical 4.5.

For a list of developer tools new to version 5.0, see Developing Visio Solutions.


New and improved features for Visio Technical 5.0

  Related Topics

If you are upgrading from Visio Technical 4.5 to 5.0, the following table can assist you with descriptions of the features and functionality that are new or improved in Visio Technical 5.0. Separate tables exist for Drawing environment, Compatibility, Tools, and Content so you can go directly to the features you need most.

Drawing environment

Feature	Description
New!  Drawing page behavior	Resize the drawing page by holding down the Ctrl key while placing the pointer over an edge of the page and dragging.
New!  Custom fill patterns, line patterns, and line ends	Create your own custom fill patterns, line patterns, and line ends, then easily apply them to shapes.
New!  Rotated page and guides	Rotate the page to assist in assembling any aspect of the drawing that is at an angle to normal page orientation.
Improved!  Toolbar	Organization  Access the toolbar buttons more easily now that they're grouped by function.
	Independent display  Show or hide groups of toolbars as you work.
	Pop-up palettes  Select colors, patterns, and other attributes from pop-up palettes associated with toolbar buttons, such as Fill Color, Fill Pattern, or Line Weight.
	Discoverability  Locate the tools on a toolbar quickly, because now all the tools appear when you display a toolbar—they're not hidden on drop-down lists.
Compatibility

Feature	Description
New!  Microsoft Office 97 compatibility	Send To support  From within Visio Technical, route and send drawings through e-mail to other recipients.
	Binder support  Add headers and footers to Visio Technical drawings included in Microsoft Binder files and view the drawings in Print Preview mode.
	Microsoft Outlook journaling  Automatically record time you spend working on Visio Technical drawings in your Outlook journal.
New!  In-place editing	Edit objects you embed in your drawings without leaving Visio Technical.
Improved!  AutoCAD compatibility	Use the updated DWG converter and new display component that enables AutoCAD compatibility from Release 10 through 13.
	Display and control layers more efficiently.
Tools

Feature	Description
New!  Connector technology	Fewer connectors  Choose from fewer but more powerful connectors that make creating your drawing easier.
	Dynamic routing  Use connectors that reroute around shapes when you drop or move them.
New!  Offset capability	For a specified line or curve in Visio Technical, implement the offset as a pair of lines that are equidistant from the original line or curve.
New!  Automated tools	Area Analysis tool  Use to calculate the area of a room or space created using the Double Line Wall shape.
	Valve Builder  Use to create fluid power valve shapes more efficiently.
	Mechanical Parts Library  Use to create over 15,000 bolts, fasteners, and structural sections from a compact library of shapes that are linked to a comprehensive parts database.
	Netlist Generator tool Use to create a component connection list from electrical circuit diagrams in a Visio Technical drawing. Output the list in Spice format for external analysis.
New!  Full-screen preview	View drawings in full-screen or presentation mode without toolbars or other interface elements, and navigate from page to page using the mouse buttons or arrow keys.
New!  ODMA support	Handle Visio Technical drawings as part of your Document Management System (DMS). When Visio Technical detects the presence of the Open Document Management API (ODMA), it hands file management operations to the ODMA program.
New!  Shape Explorer	Search for and catalog shapes, stencils, or templates stored on your own computer or on the Visio Web site.
New!  Faster report creation	Generate inventory and numeric reports quickly with the improved Property Reporting Wizard, even for very large drawings that include shapes with many custom-property fields.
Improved!  Web tools	Add hyperlinks  Efficiently add hyperlinks to Visio Technical shapes and drawing pages so you can jump to other drawing pages or files, documents created in other applications, or to Web sites (URLs). Link to a specific location within a document or on a Web page.
	Save drawings as HTML files  Use the improved interface for saving Visio Technical drawings as HTML files you can publish on the Web.
	Use Microsoft Internet Explorer to open and edit Visio Technical files  Open and edit Visio Technical files in Internet Explorer. Use the browser's Forward and Back buttons to move between Visio Technical drawings, Web pages, and other files open in Internet Explorer.
Improved!  Graphics/file support	Import enhanced metafiles, CorelDRAW 7 .cdr format files, and AutoCAD .dwg and .dxf format files. Export Visio Technical drawings as enhanced metafiles.
Improved!  Database Wizard	Database Wizard  Now supports more ODBC drivers and new custom-property types. Use to control some ODBC settings from within Visio Technical.
	Drawing monitor  Control when the drawing monitor starts. Add an action to a drawing page so you can start the drawing monitor by right-clicking the page.
Content

Feature	Description
New!  AEC solutions	Security Systems shapes  Includes shapes that meet the SIA/IAPSC standards.
	HVAC Double Line (ductwork) stencil  Improved to provide more functionality.
New!  Mechanical Engineering solutions	Valve Builder  Use to efficiently create fluid power valve shapes.
	Mechanical Parts Library  Create over 15,000 bolts, fasteners, and steel sections from a compact library of shapes that are linked to a comprehensive parts database.
New!  Process Plant Facility solutions	Shop Floor shapes  Includes machine and equipment shapes, such as drill press, generator, compressor, and conveyor shapes. Also includes storage and distribution shapes.
	Warehouse shapes  Includes shipping and receiving shapes, such as loading bays, waste handling, gas handling compounds, and site storage shapes.
New and improved!  Facilities Management solutions	Area Analysis tool  Use to calculate the area of a room or space created using the Double Line Wall shape.
	New Interior Elevations shapes  Includes shapes for commercial office interior wall elevations such as doors, windows, wall lights, washroom/restroom shapes, and emergency and life safety signs.
	Site - Accessories shapes  Includes solid waste enclosures, site lights, and drains.
	Site - Parking And Roads shapes  Includes commercial parking layout shapes for parking lots, sidewalks, and drive aisles.
	Vehicles  Shapes for commercial vehicles including turn sweep radius.
	Walls, Shell And Structure shapes  Includes shapes for exterior walls and openings, and structural elements such as columns.
New and improved!  Electrical Engineering solutions	Netlist Generator tool  Creates a component connection list from electrical circuit diagrams in a Visio Technical drawing. Outputs the list in Spice format for external analysis.
	Revised Electrical Engineering shapes  Align with grids more effectively.
New!  Marketing shapes	New marketing stencils enable quick, customizable creation of colorful and informative marketing presentations that include 3-D pyramids, process and feature comparison charts, matrices, clip art, and more.
Improved!  Project Timeline Solution	Synchronized date information  Tied to Timeline position on the chart.
	Ability to read and write Microsoft Project files


New and improved features for Visio Technical 4.5

  Related Topics

If you are upgrading from Visio Technical 4.1 to 5.0, the following tables describe additional new features and functionality that were added in Visio Technical 4.5.

Tools

Feature	Description
New!  Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) development environment	Built-in VBA and Automation for developing custom solutions. Benefits of an embedded VBA file include faster performance and easier distribution of files.
New!  Internet tools	Hyperlinks  Use the new Hyperlinking wizard to automatically create hyperlinks to a page, document, or URL.
	HTML  Publish Visio Technical drawings on the Internet or an intranet by saving them in HTML format with image map capabilities. URL links associated with a shape are preserved.
	Drawing formats  Export Visio Technical drawings to the most common Internet raster formats (.gif, .jpg, and .png).
New!  Advanced formatting tools	Automatic layout  Work faster and get better looking flowcharts and block diagrams with automatic placement of shapes and connecting lines.
	Custom colors  In addition to allowing custom color selection, you can include formula-driven customizable color behavior.
	Gradient fills  Add polish to drawings and diagrams with gradient fills.
Improved!  Database Wizard	Database Wizard now supports the SQL Server and Oracle databases—and not only database tables, but also views, system tables, and aliases.
Improved!  Windows integration	Switchable interface  Visio Technical 4.5 is designed for Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 95. The switchable Visio Technical user interface now includes the Microsoft Office 97 look.
	Enhanced 32-bit performance
Content

Feature	Description
New and improved!  Shapes	HVAC Industrial Controls  Shapes include symbolic ductwork, sensor, and equipment commonly used in the HVAC industry. Use to schematically represent common HVAC equipment and controls.
	Building Wall  Advanced wall shapes and utilities to join, move, and align walls and related shapes such as windows and doors. New double-line geometry based on variable reference line layout. Uses SmartShapes technology to resolve the most common intersection geometry.


About drawing tips for Visio Technical

  Related Topics

You can use Visio Technical for many drawing tasks, including applying new custom patterns, redlining drawings, adding text to drawings, using pages and layers to structure a drawing, drawing precisely to scale, and working with multiple pages.

For specific tips and techniques, see Related Topics.

For general information on drawing in Visio, see the Using Visio Products manual.


Working with fill patterns, line patterns, and line ends

  Related Topics

Visio Technical provides a multitude of fill patterns, line patterns, and line ends, many of which are familiar to AutoCAD users. In addition to the numerous new patterns included in Visio Technical, you can also design your own custom line and fill patterns and line ends that you can reuse later in Visio Technical drawings.

Design your own fill pattern to reuse in your drawings.

Visio Technical includes a number of stencils that contain over 200 new fill and line patterns, including architectural and ANSI-standard hatch and fill patterns. When you open these stencils, the patterns they contain appear as a choice in the Line or Fill dialog box. For example, you can open a custom pattern stencil and then apply those patterns as fills from the Fill dialog box. The custom patterns don't appear as masters on the stencil because patterns are not true shapes, but attributes that you apply to shapes. If you open the drawing's local stencil as original, which gives you read/write access, then you can see the fill pattern shapes and edit or delete them.

Once you create a pattern, you can select it and see a preview in the Fill or Line dialog box, including all formatting attributes such as color and shadow.

To apply a line or fill pattern:  Select the shape to which you want to apply the pattern. Choose Format > Line to apply a line or line end pattern. Choose Format > Fill to apply a fill pattern.


Adding text to drawings

  Related Topics

You may need to include a substantial amount of text for title blocks, labels, or annotations in your technical drawings. Visio Technical simplifies the task of putting text where you want it. Click most shapes and just start typing to add text. In addition, many shapes already include appropriate text or labels that you can quickly customize.

Many shapes have a control handle that allows you to move text easily. For finer control over text, you can use the text ( [image]) and text block ( [image]) tools on the Standard toolbar. Select a shape with the text tool to open its text block and highlight the contents. Then you can edit the text, change its formatting, or change the color of the text or its background.

Use the text block tool to rotate, move, and resize a shape's text block.

Adding a title block to a technical drawing

Title blocks are essential to almost all technical drawings. In Visio Technical, the quickest way to add a title block to a drawing is to use shapes from the General - Title Blocks stencil, which includes

•	Entire title blocks and labels that conform to appropriate standards for various paper sizes.

•	Ruled columns.

•	Date, description, revision, page number, and other individual blocks with which you can build a title block of your own.

If the title blocks stencil is not already displayed, choose File > Stencils > Annotation > General - Title Blocks. Drag a title block shape onto the drawing page, and then start typing.

TIP  Place title block shapes on a background page of your drawing. That way, if your drawing has multiple pages, each of which requires a title block, you can assign the background containing your title block shapes to each drawing page that needs to use it. You can also change the scale of the drawing page without affecting the title blocks.

Adding labels and annotations to technical drawings

In Visio Technical, you can add labels and annotations to drawings.

•	To add a text label to a shape, select the shape, then type.

•	To add annotations, choose File > Stencils > Annotation, then choose one or more of the following annotation stencils: General - Annotation; General - Connectors; General - Dimensioning,; General - Drawing Tool Shapes; General - Title Blocks. Or choose File > Stencils > Mechanical Engineering > Mech Eng - Welding for a stencil of annotation shapes for welding.

NOTE  With many shapes on the annotation stencils, you can glue the endpoints of the shapes to connection points on drawing shapes, so the annotation stays connected if you move the shape to which it's glued.


Using pages and layers to structure a drawing and its shapes

  Related Topics

You can structure a single drawing by using multiple pages, layering, and backgrounds.

Working with multiple pages

For some drawing projects, you may want to create a single drawing file that contains many drawing pages. For example, a file could represent a construction project with the overall floor plan on one drawing page, interior elevations on another page, and details for walls and doors on another page. New drawings in Visio Technical open with only one drawing page, but you can add as many new pages as you need.

Each page in a multiple-page drawing can have its own settings, for example, each can have a different drawing scale.

When you create a new drawing page, by default it inherits the size, orientation, scale, measurement unit, shadow offset, ruler, and grid settings of the page currently displayed in the drawing window. You can then change the settings for the new page, if necessary.

To create a new page:  Display a page you want to base the new page on, then choose Insert > Page. In the Page dialog box, name the page or use the name Visio Technical assigns. Set measurement units and shape shadow offsets if you want, then click OK.

To navigate between pages:  Click the Next Page button ( [image]) or the Previous Page button ( [image]) on the Page toolbar, or choose Edit > Go To, and then select the page you want.

Creating layers and backgrounds in Visio Technical

You can set up your drawing more efficiently by assigning shapes to layers or by placing shapes on a background page. A layer is a category of shapes on a page. A background is a page that appears behind another page. Both layers and backgrounds help you organize information in your drawing, but you use them for different reasons:

•	Create layers when you want to organize categories of shapes and text on the same drawing page.

•	Create a background when you want the same shape to appear on more than one drawing page, or if you want it to appear at a different scale than the foreground.

Assign shapes to layers so that you can selectively view, edit, print, or lock the shapes against editing based on their layer assignments. For example, this drawing has an Interior Walls layer (A), a Work Stations layer (B), and a Vertical Circulation layer (C).

Visio Technical drawings are different from many CAD drawings, in which you always use layers. In Visio Technical, you don't have to use layers, but when you do, you can easily create and delete layers and assign and reassign shapes to them. You can even assign the same shape to many different layers.


Positioning shapes using rotated pages and guides

  Related Topics

In Visio Technical you can work on every detail of the design of your drawing in an orthogonal (horizontal and vertical) manner. You can rotate the contents of the page for any aspect of the drawing that is at an angle to the rest of the drawing. The rulers and grid remain parallel to the window frame, but any guides on the page move with the rotated page.

NOTE  Rotating the page affects the screen view only—it does not affect the actual drawing or the the orientation in which it prints.

Rotating the page

You can rotate the page like any other shape, with the zero point on the ruler as the center of rotation. The status bar displays the degree of the rotation.

Rotating the contents of the page makes it easy to work on every aspect of the drawing in an orthogonal manner.

When you move the rotation tool over a page corner, it becomes a round rotation pointer (A). The page's drop shadow indicates that the page is unrotated. A rotated page has no drop shadow. When you drag the round rotation pointer, the page rotates around the zero point (B), which is in the lower-left corner by default.

To rotate a page:  Display the page you want to rotate, and then choose the Rotation tool ( [image]) from the Standard toolbar. Position the cursor over any corner of the page. The cursor changes to a round rotation pointer ( [image]). Drag the corner of the page to the rotation angle you want, then release the mouse button.

TIP  To quickly rotate an angled section of your drawing so that it's orthogonal, right-click an angled guide and choose View As Horizontal or View As Vertical.

Rotating guides precisely

In architectural layouts, the precision provided by the rotation tool (0.1 degree) is adequate. However, some technical drawings, such as those produced in mechanical parts drafting, may require that you specify a precise angle of rotation.

To rotate guides precisely:  Select the guide(s) you want to rotate and choose Shape > Size & Position. Under Guide Orientation, choose Rotated. Under Guide Parameters, type a value for Angle to set the angle of rotation.

NOTE  Guides are visible at any angle. A guide is constrained to always move in a direction perpendicular to the guide. This ensures that objects glued to the rotated guide continue to move on its axis.


Drawing precisely to scale

  Related Topics

Whenever you need to create the exact spatial relationships of very small or very large objects in the space of a drawing page, you need to set a drawing scale. For example, in an architectural floor plan, the scale might be 1:50 (metric), or ¼" = 1' 0" (imperial); in a drawing of a bolt, the scale might be 1:5.

In Visio Technical, drawing units are sizes in the real world. Page units are sizes on the printed page. The ratio of page units to drawing units is the drawing scale.

When you set a drawing scale, ruler units reflect scale units. To set ruler units that differ from scale units, choose File > Page Setup > Drawing Scale.

All Visio Technical templates that are designed for measured diagrams are set up with the appropriate drawing scale.  If you want to work with a different drawing scale, you can change the setting.

Scale is a page property. In a multiple-page Visio Technical drawing, each page can have a different scale.

To set a drawing scale:  Display the page for which you want to set a scale. Choose File > Page Setup, then click the Drawing Scale tab. Choose a standard architectural or engineering scale, or under Drawing Scale, enter a custom scale, and then click OK. Visio Technical redraws the page and adjusts the rulers to reflect the new settings.


Moving a shape a specified distance

  Related Topics

You can move a shape or a duplicate of a shape a specified distance using the Move tool. With this tool, you can specify the direction, distance, coordinates, and angle along which a shape is moved.

To move a shape a specified distance:  Choose Tools > Macro > Macros. From the list in the Macros dialog box, choose Move, then click Run. For X, specify the distance to move the shape in the horizontal direction with respect to the page or local coordinate system. For Y, specify the distance to move the shape in the vertical direction with respect to the page or local coordinate system. Complete the remaining options as needed.

TIP  If your drawing is based on an AEC or Facilities Management template, you can access the Move tool through the Move X/Y ( [image]) and Move Polar ( [image]) buttons on the Wall Utility toolbar.

A	Move local y

B	Move page y

C	Move local x

D	Move page x

A	Distance to move

B	Angle at which to move


Setting the offset for a shape

  Related Topics

Offset, a basic drawing operation in most CAD systems, is now available in Visio Technical. For a specified line or curve, Visio Technical implements the offset as a pair of lines or curves that are equidistant from the original line or curve. The offset shape types that are produced typically match the original shape. However, if the offset to a curve is not a line, arc, or elliptical arc, then the offset produced is a spline, or series of splines that approximate the offset of the curve. This approximation comes as close as possible to fitting all the points that are a specified distance from a curve.

To set the offset distance for a shape's geometry:  Select the shape and choose Shape > Operations > Offset. In the Offset dialog box, enter the distance you want. The offset distance you set last appears as the default offset distance the next time you open the dialog box.

Visio Technical generates offsets on both sides for all the paths in the selected shapes. The result is that two new lines appear—one to the left of the original line, and one to the right. You can then choose to delete a line if necessary, even the original, which is always positioned in the center.

NOTE  Offset shapes inherit line patterns from the original shapes. They do not inherit any fill patterns or text that is included in the original shapes.

A	Original line and curve

B	The offset line and curve on the inside are trimmed to miter corners.

C	The offset line and curve on the outside are extended to miter corners.


Setting a redlining layer

  Related Topics

During the life cycle of a particular technical drawing, an engineer or architect may forward the file to a manager, client, or quality assurance person, who marks changes to be made. Using Visio Technical, you can streamline this markup or redlining process by creating a separate layer for review comments. Placing the comments on a layer by themselves makes them easy to view, print, and color separately from the rest of the drawing.

To set a redlining layer:  Display the drawing for which you want to create a redlining layer, then choose View > Layer Properties. In the Layer Properties dialog box, click New, type Redlining, then click OK. Select the Redlining layer, then click the Active cell or the Color cell. If you click the Active cell, a check mark appears next to Redlining in the Active column. If you click the Color cell, choose a color from the Layer Color list at the bottom of the dialog box.

TIP  If more than one person is reviewing the drawing, create a redlining layer for each reviewer and assign each layer a different display color.


Printing large drawings

  Related Topics

If the size of a drawing is larger than the paper in your printer, you can reduce the drawing before you print. Otherwise, Visio Technical tiles the drawing—that is, the drawing prints across several sheets of paper. Visio Technical never crops a drawing to fit within the margins you have set.

A drawing on a large drawing page prints by tiling across several sheets of printer paper.

To determine whether a drawing will tile:  Choose View > Page Breaks. Gray lines appear on the drawing page, indicating the printed page size and margins selected in the Print Setup dialog box.

To increase the area where tiled drawings overlap:  Choose File > Page Setup > Print Setup. In the Print Setup dialog box, type larger amounts for the margin settings, then click OK. The larger the margins, the greater the overlap.

Previewing your drawing

To see the effect of changes you make to page settings, you can preview your drawing before you print. Previewing shows you whether the objects that appear on your drawing page onscreen will fit as you intend on the currently selected paper size.

To see how a drawing will appear when it's printed:  Choose File > Print Preview. If, after previewing your drawing, you want to make changes to the drawing page or printer settings, such as orientation, size, margins, and so on, choose File > Page Setup.

NOTE  Visio Technical supports printing to any plotter that has a Windows driver. For best results, however, make sure you are using the most recent plotter driver for your version of Windows. Otherwise, your drawing may not plot as expected.


About Visio Technical solutions, templates, and stencils

  Related Topics

To create a drawing in Visio Technical, you usually open a solution folder. Each solution consists of a number of templates: a file that serves as the container for the shapes, drawing page, and tools you use to create a drawing. Each template includes one or more stencils with SmartShapes masters—shapes that are programmed to act the way you need them to in a particular context—appropriate styles, and a drawing scale. You can drag the shapes from the stencils to the drawing page to create your drawing, or you can draw your own shapes by using the Visio drawing tools on the toolbar.

When you choose template from a Visio Technical solution folder, you actually open a template file that includes shapes on stencils, a drawing page, styles, and other tools.

TIP  To quickly search for shapes, stencils, templates, and wizards in Visio Technical, or in other Visio products you have on your computer, use Visio Shape Explorer. Choose Tools > Macro > Shape Explorer, then type a word or phrase that describes the item you want to find. Shape Explorer categorizes the search results by shape, stencil, template, wizard, and product.


Templates and stencils in Visio Technical 5.0

  Related Topics

The following table, which is organized by drawing type, lists the Visio Technical solutions and the templates and stencils each solution contains.

AEC Solutions

Templates	Stencils
HVAC Layout	Annotations, Connectors, Pipes 1, Pipes 2, Valves 1, Valves 2, HVAC Double Line, HVAC Single Line
Plumbing	Annotations, Connectors, Pipes 1, Pipes 2, Valves 1, Valves 2, Plumbing
Home - Bath And Kitchen Plan	Electrical And Telecom; Annotations; Walls, Shell And Structure; Appliance; Bath And Kitchen; Cabinets
Home - Large Plan	Electrical And Telecom: Annotations; Walls, Shell And Structure; Appliance; Bath And Kitchen; Cabinets; Furniture; Building Core
Home - Small Plan	Electrical And Telecom; Annotations; Walls, Shell And Structure; Appliance; Bath And Kitchen; Cabinets; Furniture; Building Core
HVAC Control Schematics	HVAC Controls, HVAC Equipment
Security Systems	Alarm And Access Control; Video Surveillance; Initiation And Annunciation; Walls, Shell And Structure; Building Core; Annotations
Landscape - Large Plan	Plants; Watering; Site; Recreation; Annotations;
Landscape - Small Plan	Plants; Watering; Site; Recreation; Annotations
Annotation Solutions

Templates	Stencils
None	Annotations; Connectors; Drawing Tool Shapes; Title Blocks
Block Diagram Solutions

Templates	Stencils
Basic Diagram	Basic Shapes
Block Diagram With Perspective	Blocks With Perspective
Block Diagram	Blocks (Raised), Blocks
Business Diagram Solutions

Templates	Stencils
Charts And Graphs	Charting Shapes
Form Design	Forms Shapes
Marketing Charts And Diagrams	Marketing Diagrams, Marketing Clipart, Charting Shapes
Office Layout	Office Layout Shapes
Organization Chart	Organization Chart Shapes
Project Timeline	Project Timeline Shapes
Electrical and Electronic Solutions

Templates	Stencils
None	Qualifying Symbols
EE - Circuits And Logic	Analog And Digital Logic, Terminals And Connectors, Transmission Paths, Integrated Circuit Components
EE - General	Fundamental Items, Transmission Paths, Semiconductors And Electron Tubes, Switches And Relays
EE - Industrial Control Systems	Fundamental Items, Transmission Paths, Switches And Relays, Terminals And Connectors, Transformers And Windings, Rotating Equipment And Mech Functions, Annotations, Connectors
EE - Systems	Composite Assemblies; Maintenance Symbols; Maps And Charts; Switches And Relays; Telecom Switching And Peripheral Equipment; Terminals And Connectors; Transformers And Windings; Transmission Paths; VHF,  UHF, SHF
Facilities Management Solutions

Templates	Stencils
Interior Elevations	Annotations; Interior Elevations
Site Plan	Vehicles; Watering; Annotations; Accessories; Parking And Roads; Landscape Plants
Space Plan - Building Area	Electrical And Telecom; Walls, Shell And Structure; Annotations;  Office Desks; Services; Office Furniture; Building Core
Space Plan - Room Plan	Electrical And Telecom; Walls, Shell And Structure; Annotations; Office Desks; Services; Office Furniture; Modular Office Furniture; Modular Wall Panels; Accessories
Flowchart Solutions

Templates	Stencils
Audit Diagram	Audit, Connectors And Callouts
Data Flow Diagram	Data Flow
Flowchart - Advanced	Audit, Connectors And Callouts, Data Flow, Miscellaneous, SDL, Total Quality Management, Work Flow
Flowchart - Basic	Flowchart, Flowchart (Additional)
Mind Mapping Diagram	Mind Mapping Shapes
IDEF0 Diagram	IDEF0 Diagram Shapes
SDL Diagram	SDL, Connectors And Callouts
TQM Diagram	Total Quality Management
Work Flow Diagram	Work Flow, Connectors And Callouts
Industrial Process Solutions

Templates	Stencils
Pipes And Valves - All Stencils	Pipes 1, Pipes 2, Valves 1, Valves 2, Connectors, Annotations
Process Flow - All Stencils	Valves 1, Pipes 1, Instrumentation, Pumps And Compressors, Heat Equipment, Vessels, Equipment, Connectors
Process Plant Facilities	Machines And Equipment; Storage And Distribution; Warehouse - Shipping And Receiving; Walls, Shell And Structure; Vehicles
Maps Solutions

Templates	Stencils
None	Flags
Directional Map	Directional Map Shapes
Geographic Maps	Maps Of Africa, Maps Of Asia, Maps Of The Middle East, Maps Of N. And S. America, Maps Of The World, Maps Of Europe, Maps of U.S. And Canada
Mechanical Engineering Solutions

Templates	Stencils
None	Fasteners 1, Fasteners 2, Geometric Dimensioning And Tolerancing, Welding
Mechanical Parts Library	Nuts - Bolts - Screws, Fasteners, Steel And Aluminum Shapes, Bearings And Washers, Seals
Fluid Power - All Stencils	Equipment, Valves, Valve Assembly, Annotations, Connectors
Mech Eng - General Working Drawing	Annotations; Title Block; Drawing Tool Shapes;
Network Diagram Solutions

Templates	Stencils
Basic Network	Basic Network, Basic Network (Additional)
Visio Extras Solutions

Templates	Stencils
None	Custom Patterns (Scaled), Custom Patterns (Unscaled), Custom Line Patterns, Borders, Callouts, Clipart, Connectors, Symbols


About wizards and other automated tools

  Related Topics

Wizards and other automated tools in Visio Technical automate routine tasks, perform unique functions, and create special drawing types from scratch. The following list describes what each tool helps you accomplish.

TIP  Many wizards and automated tools include a Help or More Info button. Click one of these buttons when you need background information or help understanding the options on a screen.

Wizards and automated tools in Visio Technical

Name	What it does	How to run it
Area Analysis	Allows you to calculate the area of a room or space created using the Double Line Wall shape.	Tools > Macro > Facilities Management > Area Analysis
Array Shapes	Creates and arranges multiple copies of a shape at regular intervals. You can specify the number of rows and columns in the array and the amount of space between each shape.	Tools > Array Shapes
Build Region	Assembles selected geographic shapes into a region. You can designate an anchor shape to control the position and size of other shapes in the region.	Tools > Macro > Maps > Build Region
Chart Shape Wizard	Creates stackable and extendable shapes you can use to add special effects to charts.	Tools > Macro > Business Diagram > Chart Shape Wizard
Convert AutoCAD Drawings	Converts multiple AutoCAD drawings into Visio Technical drawings.	Tools > Macro > Visio Extras > Convert AutoCAD Drawings
Convert AutoCAD Library	Converts symbol libraries in AutoCAD to Visio Technical masters on a stencil.	Tools > Macro > Visio Extras > Convert AutoCAD Library
Custom Properties Editor	Edits, adds, or deletes custom-property data from masters on a standalone stencil or that you've used in a particular drawing.	Tools > Macro > Custom Properties Editor
Database Wizard	Links Visio shapes and drawings to databases created in ODBC-compliant database programs.	Tools > Macro > Database > Database Wizard
Flowchart-TQM Diagram Wizard	Guides you through the process of laying out and formatting a Cause/Effect, Force Field, Top Down, or Cross Functional (Rummler-Brache) diagram.	Tools > Macro > Flowchart > Flowchart - TQM Diagram Wizard
Measure	Calculates the total perimeter and area of any closed shape, such as a shape that outlines the floor area of a floor plan.	Tools > Macro > Visio Extras > Measure
Mechanical Parts Library	Allows you to create over 15,000 bolts, fasteners, and structural sections from a library of shapes that are linked to a comprehensive parts database.	File > New > Mechanical Engineering > Mechanical Parts Library
Move	Moves shapes on the drawing page a precise distance using x-, y-, or polar coordinates.	Tools > Macro > AEC  > Move
Netlist Generator	Performs a circuit analysis of electrical circuit diagrams in a Visio Technical drawing and generates a netlist for analysis in Spice format.	Tools > Macro > Electrical and Electronic > Netlist Generator
Office Layout Wizard	Guides you through the process of setting the drawing scale, choosing the page size and orientation, and creating the basic wall structure for an office layout diagram.	Tools > Macro > Business Diagram > Office Layout Wizard
Organization Chart Wizard	Generates an organization chart from a  variety of file formats.	Tools > Macro > Business Diagram > Organization Chart Wizard
Page Layout Wizard	Automates the setup for the page size, orientation, and scale for a drawing. Assists you in adding a title block and border to the pages in a new or existing drawing.	Tools > Macro > Visio Extras > Page Layout Wizard
Print ShapeSheet	Prints all values and formulas in a ShapeSheet spreadsheet.	Tools > Macro > Visio Extras > Print ShapeSheet
Project Timeline Wizard	Generates a project timeline from a data file in Microsoft Excel (.xls), comma- or tab-delimited text, or Microsoft Project Exchange (.mpx) format. Or generates a project timeline structure into which you can enter data.	Tools > Macro > Business Diagram > Project Timeline Wizard
Property Reporting Wizard	Generates inventory reports, such as bills of materials or equipment and furniture inventories, and numeric reports, such as cost totals or averages, from shapes which have data in their custom-property fields.	Tools > Property Report
Shape Explorer	Locates specific shapes and stencils in Visio products.	Tools > Macro > Shape Explorer
SmartShape Wizard	Customizes the appearance or behavior of a selected shape's text, connectors, notes, or protection.	Tools > Macro > Visio Extras > SmartShape Wizard
Stencil Report Wizard	Generates a Visio Technical drawing of the masters on a selected stencil. You can choose how many masters appear on a page, whether the page includes a header or footer, and whether or not to list each master's name and status bar prompt.	Tools > Macro > Visio Extras > Stencil Report Wizard
Valve Builder	Facilitates more efficient creation of valve shapes. You can select basic valves and assembly-required controls from a dialog box.	Tools > Macro > Mechanical Engineering > Valve Builder; or File > Stencils > Mechanical Engineering > Fluid Power - Valves, then drag the Valve Builder shortcut shape to the drawing page
Wall Utility	Displays a toolbar that works with shapes on the Walls, Shell And Structure stencil to form T-joints or corner joints between walls, extend walls to meet others, and match doors and windows to wall thicknesses and angles.	Tools > Macro > AEC  > Wall Utility


About creating custom solutions

  How To	  Related Topics

By taking advantage of the Visio SmartShapes® technology and open architecture, you can create specialized shapes, develop combinations of shapes and programs that model the real world and solve specific drawing problems, and customize the user interface.

The following tools are available to you in the Visio Technical development environment:

•	The ShapeSheet spreadsheet, which takes you under the surface of shapes to create formulas for specific shape behavior.

•	Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), with which you can create macros and control Visio Technical through Automation.

•	The Visio Type Library, which contains Automation descriptions of the objects, properties, methods, events, and constants that Visio Technical exposes to Automation controllers.

The book Developing Visio Solutions, which comes with Visio Technical, contains everything you need to know about Visio Technical as a development platform, including sample code, tips, and techniques. In addition, you can view the online Automation Reference by choosing Help > Automation Reference in Visio Technical.

You can also visit the Visio Solutions Development section of the Visio Corporation Web site (http://www.visio.com/devweb/), where you can learn more about Visio Technical as a development platform and find other developer resources.


Working with the ShapeSheet spreadsheet


Working with the ShapeSheet spreadsheet

When you want to use specialized shapes that model the behavior and appearance of the real-world objects they represent, you can create them by working with formulas in the shapes' ShapeSheet spreadsheets.

Behind each Visio shape or shape you draw using the Visio drawing tools is a ShapeSheet spreadsheet containing formulas that determine how a shape behaves. When you make changes to a shape on the drawing page, you update its ShapeSheet formulas. You can also make changes directly in the ShapeSheet spreadsheet, where you have more precise control over a shape's appearance and behavior. For example, you can add formulas that create a control handle, change a shape's fill color if it reaches a certain size, or make one shape's behavior dependent upon the behavior of another shape on the drawing page.

The ShapeSheet spreadsheet contains sections, each of which controls part of the shape.

To display a shape's ShapeSheet spreadsheet:

•	Select the shape, then choose Window > Show ShapeSheet.

Once you've created specialized shapes, you can make the shapes part of a drawing solution by storing them on new stencils and distributing the shapes and stencils in a template.

  Overview


Working with the Automation


Working with Automation

You can take advantage of the Visio open architecture to solve graphics problems and create custom solutions. Open architecture means that Visio Technical exposes its objects, such as windows, drawing pages, shapes, layers, menus, and toolbars, through a well-structured Automation interface. Using a development environment that supports Automation, you can write programs to control Visio objects. For example, you can automatically update drawings you create from data that changes from day to day. Or, you can automate routine shape development tasks that you perform over and over.

To write the programs, or macros, that control Visio objects, you can use the fully-licensed version of Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) that comes with Visio Technical, or you can use Visual Basic, C/C++, or any other Automation controller.

Visio Technical includes a type library—a file that contains Automation descriptions of the objects, properties, methods, events, and constants that Visio Technical exposes to Automation controllers. Visio object types can help you write code more effectively because you can view Visio Automation descriptions in and copy code templates from the Object Browser.

To open the Visual Basic Editor and create, debug, or run VBA programs:

•	Choose Tools > Macro > Visual Basic Editor.

TIP  You can also press Alt+F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor.

  Overview


Additional sources of Visio Technical information

  Related Topics

The following table lists places you can find information about Visio Technical and describes the type of information you'll find in each place.

More information on Visio Technical

Source	Type of information
Using Visio Products	A good place to start if you've never used Visio products before.
	Covers tasks common to Visio Standard, Visio Technical, and Visio Professional.
Developing Visio Solutions	Contains information about the Visio program as a development platform, including sample code, tips, and techniques.
Online Automation Reference	Describes the Visio objects, properties, and methods that you can access from an external program.
	Choose Help > Automation Reference.
More Info buttons on Visio Technical wizard screens	Opens a window of information about the options on a wizard screen, or about Visio features relevant to the task the wizard helps you complete.
	Click More Info on a wizard screen.
Screen tips	Toolbar buttons  Float the pointer over a toolbar button for a moment to see a tip about what the button does.
	Control handles  Float the pointer over a control handle ( [image]) on a shape for a moment to see a tip about what dragging the handle accomplishes.
Online help	An online version of the information in Using Visio Technical and in Using Visio Products, and an explanation of every Visio command and dialog box option. You can search the file by keyword.
	To look in online help, choose Help > Visio Help.
	To learn about options in a dialog box, click the Help button in the dialog box.
Template help	Provides information about how to create specific drawing types, including the most efficient sequence in which to work, how shapes work together, and tips and tricks.
	Choose Help > Template Help, double-click Visio Templates, and then double-click a drawing type.
Shape help	A window of information that explains how to use a shape.
	Right-click any shape, then choose Shape Help.
Technical support	Choose Help > Visio On The Web > Online Support.
Visio Corporation Web site	Includes information about Visio Corporation and its products, such as:
	Case studies that describe how corporations have used Visio products.
	White papers that describe in detail certain Visio features or functionality.
	Downloadable files for updates and programs that can help you use Visio more effectively.
	Developer tips and tools.
	Choose Help > Visio On The Web > Visio Home Page.
Drawing Resources Web page	A Web page on the Visio Corporation Web site that contains links to resources related to drawing types Visio Technical supports.
	Choose Help > Visio On The Web > Drawing Resources.
Visio Solutions Library	A section of the Visio Corporation Web site where you can learn about and purchase job-specific shapes, time-saving utilities, and other custom drawing solutions.
	Choose Help > Visio On The Web > Visio Solutions Library.