Working with other programs (OLE).

ConceptDraw is an OLE-compatible program (supports Object Linking and Embedding). Due to this feature, you can use your ConceptDraw objects in other OLE-compatible programs, as well as work with other programs' objects from within ConceptDraw.

OLE-compatibility means that you can combine objects created in different programs, such as pictures, audio and video files, and others, within a single document.

Linking

You can link data from other programs to your document.á When you link to an another program object, your document stores not the linked object itself, but only a reference to the location where its file resides. When you change the original data file, all changes are reflected in your document.

To modify a linked object, call its context menu. The Linked <Application> Object menu item includes a submenu of actions you can perform on the linked objects: Edit and Open. Click any to launch the <Application> program, where you can edit the linked object.

Note: it's usually enough to double-click an OLE object to launch its editing program.

Embedding.

You can embed objects, created in other programs into your Concept Draw document, and use Concept Draw objects in other programs - for instance, illustrate your Word documents with Concept Draw drawings. All embedded data is stored with the document, even if it the original file exists.

To modify an embedded object, right-click it.áThe lower item on the context menu includes a submenu of actions you can perform on the embedded object: Edit and Open. Click any to launch the object's application, where the object can be edited.

Note: it's usually enough to double-click an OLE object to launch its editing program.
á

Inserting a new OLE object

If there are other OLE-compatible programs on your system, you can insert their new, empty objects in your Concept Draw document, and then edit them from within Concept Draw.

To do this, make the following steps:

- Choose Object under the Insert menu. The Insert Object dialog will open.
- Choose Create New to create a new object.
- From the Object Type list, choose the type you want. If there's no such type in the list, it's possible that the corresponding application is not installed on your system.
- If you only want the object to be displayed as icon, choose Display As Icon option.
- Click OK.

You'll get into the new object editing window. To finish editing, click away from the object (if you're in the ConceptDraw window), or choose File/Exit & Return to ConceptDraw (if the OLE-application opened in a new window).

Editing an OLE object

To edit an OLE object, that already exists in your document, call the context menu for the object. A new submenu will appear at the bottom of the menu - its exact name varies with the type of the chosen object (for instance, for Microsoft Word objects it's called Document Object). It includes two options:

-Edit - to edit the object from within ConceptDraw.
-Open - to open the object's application in a new window and edit the object there.

After you choose an item, the editing starts. To finish editing, click away from the object (if you are within Concept Draw window), or choose File/Exit & Return to Concept Draw (if you're in the object is program).

Note: it's usually enough to double-click an OLE object to launch its editing program.

Inserting an object from a file

You may open an existing OLE-compatible file that contains the object you want to insert in ConceptDraw. To do this:

- Choose Insert/Object from the menu. Insert Object dialog box will open.
- Choose Create From File option.
- Click Browse.
- Select a file, that you want to insert in your document.
- If you choose the Link option, the object in the file will be stored apart from the document and all changes, madeá in the object file will reflect on your document. Otherwise, the object will be embedded and stored with the document
- If you want the object displayed as icon only, choose Display As Icon option.
- Click OK.

Note: dragging a file from Explorer into ConceptDraw has the same effect as inserting OLE object from the file with the Display As Icon option chosen.

Inserting an object from an open OLE-compatible program

If you want to insert in your ConceptDraw document an object from an already running OLE-compatible program, do the following:

- Copy the object on the Clipboard.
- In ConceptDraw, open the document in which you want to insert the object.
- From the Edit menu, choose Paste Special.

You may also use the Drag & Drop functionality for inserting OLE objects. Select the object in the OLE-compatible application, drag it into the open ConceptDraw window and drop it there. The result will be the same as if you used the Paste operation.

Creating a new ConceptDraw object in an OLE-compatible program

You can create ConceptDraw objects staying within another OLE-program.

Do the following:

- In the OLE-compatible program, open the document, where you want to insert a ConceptDraw object.
- On the Insert menu, choose Object. Insert Object dialog box will open.
- Choose Create New option.
- From the list of available object types, choose ConceptDraw Document.
- If you want the object to be displayed as icon only, choose Display As Icon option.
- Click OK.

You'll start editing the new object in the ConceptDraw window. To get back to the primary application, on the File menu click Exit & Return to <Application Name>.

Editing a ConceptDraw object within another OLE-compatible program.

To modify a ConceptDraw object within another OLE-compatible program, right-click the object to get its context menu. The ConceptDraw Document item gives you the choice of two actions: Edit or Open. Choosing any of them turns the object editing mode on. To finish editing, choose Exit & Return to <Application Name> under the File menu.

Note: it's usually enough to double-click an OLE object to launch its editing program.

Inserting an object from a ConceptDraw file into other OLE-compatible programs.

You can insert objects stored in Concept Draw files in other OLE-compatible programs.
To do this, in the OLE-compatible program

- From the Insert menu, choose Object. The Insert Object dialog will open.
- Choose Create From File option.
- Click Browse.
- Select the ConceptDraw file (a .cdd file) that you want to insert in the document.
- If you choose the Link option, the object in the file will be stored apart from the document and all changes, madeá in the object file will reflect on your document. Otherwise, the object will be embedded and stored with the document
- If you want the object to be displayed as icon only, check Display As Icon option.
- Click OK.

Inserting an object from an open ConceptDraw document into another OLE-compatible program.

If you have an object in an open document, that you want to insert in another OLE-compatible program, do the following:

- Select the object.
- From the Edit menu, choose CopyObject.
- In the target program, open the document where you want to insert the object.
- From the Edit menu, choose Paste or Paste Special.