Getting Started with Visio

Core Training for Microsoft Office Visio Standard 2003

Starting Visio and Using Templates

1	To start Visio, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft Office, and then click Microsoft Office Visio 2003.
2	To choose a drawing type and begin creating a new drawing, click the File menu, point to New, and click Choose Drawing Type.
3	To view the templates included in the Brainstorming category, in the Category list, click Brainstorming.
4	To display a description of one of the available templates, in the Template area, point to the Brainstorming Diagram icon.
5	To open a template in the Brainstorming category, in the Template area, click Brainstorming Diagram.
6	To close the Brainstorming Diagram template, click the File menu, and then click Close.
7	To use a different template, click the File menu, point to New, and then click Choose Drawing Type.
8	To view the templates included in the Flowchart category, in the Category list, click Flowchart.
9	To see a description of a flowchart diagram, in the Template area, point to Basic Flowchart.
10	To open a basic flowchart diagram, click Basic Flowchart.

Working Within the Visio Environment

1	To create a new diagram based on a template, in the Category area, click Building Plan, and then in the Template area, click Office Layout.
2	To get information about a shape on the current stencil, in the Shapes window, point to the "L" Room shape.
3	To get information about another shape, in the Shapes window, point to the Room shape.
4	To add a Room shape to the drawing page, drag the Room shape to the indicated area on the drawing page.
5	To display a stencil of furniture shapes, in the Shapes window, click the Office Furniture stencil.
6	To add a desk to the diagram, drag the Desk shape to the indicated area on the drawing page.
7	To add a bookshelf to the diagram, drag the Bookshelf shape to the indicated area on the drawing page.
8	To change the zoom level so that you can place an object with more precision, on the Standard toolbar, click the Zoom arrow, and then click 100%.
9	To place a small plant on the desk, click the Office Accessories stencil, and then drag the Small plant shape to the bottom-right corner of the desk shape, as indicated.
10	To zoom out to whole-page view, click the Zoom arrow, and then click Page.

Saving Diagrams

1	To save the diagram, click the File menu, and click Save As.
2	To move to the folder where you want to store the file, in the Save As dialog box, double-click the Garden Company folder, and then double-click the Office Layout folder.
3	To name the new file, double-click Drawing3 in the File name box, and for the purposes of this exercise, press SPACEBAR to have the new file name typed for you.
4	To finish saving the file, click Save.
5	To display the properties for the file, click the File menu, and then click Properties.
6	To enter information about the file, press SPACEBAR, wait as the file's title is typed for you in the Title box, and then press TAB.
7	To accept the new properties and close the dialog box, click OK.
8	To save the edited properties with the diagram, on the Standard toolbar, click the Save button.

Working with 1-D and 2-D Shapes

1	To add a shape to the diagram to represent the store's main showroom, in the Shapes window, drag the Box shape to the indicated area on the drawing page.
2	Notice that the box is surrounded by a rectangular selection box with eight selection handles, which indicates that it is a two-dimensional (2-D) shape. To cancel the selection, click the pasteboard to the left of the drawing page.
3	To add a shape for the coffee shop, in the Shapes window, drag the Circle shape to the indicated area on the drawing page.
4	To add an arrow to the diagram, in the Shapes window, drag the 1-D single arrow shape to the right of the Box shape on the drawing page.
5	Notice that the selected arrow shape has endpoints, which indicate that it is a one-dimensional (1-D) shape. To delete the selected shape, click the Edit menu, and then click Clear.
6	To add a curved arrow instead, drag the Curved arrow shape from the Shapes window to the indicated area on the drawing page.
7	To view the placement of the arrow, cancel the selection by clicking the pasteboard to the left of the drawing page.
8	To select the arrow again so that you can adjust its location, click the arrow shape on the drawing page.
9	To change the arrow's curve, point to the yellow control handle at its right end, and when the Reposition Arrowhead ScreenTip appears, drag the handle to the indicated location.
10	To cancel the selection and see the results of your changes, click the pasteboard to the left of the drawing page.

Customizing the Visio Environment

1	To hide the horizontal and vertical rulers, click the View menu, and then click Rulers.
2	To hide the grid on the drawing page, click the View menu, and then click Grid.
3	To customize the Visio menus and toolbars, click the Tools menu, and click Customize.
4	To set Visio so that it always shows all menu items, in the Customize dialog box, on the Options tab, click to select the Always show full menus check box, and then click Close.
5	To open the Pan & Zoom window, click the View menu, and then click Pan & Zoom Window.
6	To zoom in on a particular area of the diagram, in the Pan & Zoom window, drag from the upper-left corner to the lower-right corner of the indicated area.
7	To show more of this part of the diagram, in the Pan & Zoom window, drag the lower-right corner of the selection rectangle to the indicated location.
8	To zoom in again, in the Pan & Zoom window, drag the box on the slider upward by three notches.
9	To hide the Pan & Zoom window when it is not in use, on the title bar of the Pan & Zoom window, click the Turn On AutoHide button, as indicated, and then move the mouse pointer away from the window.
10	To display the Pan & Zoom window temporarily, hold the mouse pointer over the Pan & Zoom title bar.
11	To hide the window again, move the mouse pointer away from the Pan & Zoom window.
12	To display the Pan & Zoom window permanently, point to the title bar of the Pan & Zoom window, and then click the Turn Off AutoHide button.
13	To dock the Pan & Zoom window above the Shapes window, drag the Pan & Zoom title bar over the Shapes title bar.
14	To resize the Pan & Zoom window, point to its bottom border, and use the two-headed arrow pointer to drag the border upward until it is just below the red selection rectangle.
15	To close the Pan & Zoom window, click the Close button at the right end of its title bar.
16	To open the Callouts stencil, on the Standard toolbar, click the indicated Shapes button, point to Visio Extras, and then click Callouts.
17	To float the stencil over the drawing page, drag the Callouts title bar to the area indicated on the page.
18	To display the shape icons without names, click the icon at the left end of the Callouts stencil's title bar, and on the menu that appears, point to View, and then click Icons Only.
19	To dock the stencil at the top of the Shapes window so that it stays open while you view other stencils, drag the title bar of the Callouts stencil over the title bar of the Shapes window.
20	To move the stencil back into the main part of the Shapes window, drag the title bar of the Callouts stencil down below the Blocks stencil.
21	To close the Callouts stencil, click the icon at the left end of the Callouts title bar, and then click Close.

Getting Help for Visio and Diagrams

1	To display the Visio Help task pane, click the title bar of the New Drawing task pane, as indicated, and click Help.
2	To find information about the Charts and Graphs template, for the purposes of this exercise, press SPACEBAR to have the search text typed for you in the Search for box in the Visio Help task pane.
3	To run the search, press ENTER.
4	To view a specific Help topic, in the Search Results task pane, click About charts and graphs in Visio.
5	To close the Help window, click its Close button.
6	To select the current search term so that you can replace it with another term, triple-click the text Charts and Graphs template in the Search box at the bottom of the Search Results task pane.
7	To find information about the Pie chart shape, press SPACEBAR to have the search text typed for you in the Search box.
8	To run the search, press ENTER.
9	To display a Help topic, in the Search Results task pane, click Create a simple pie chart in Visio.
10	To close the Help window, click its Close button.
11	To find information about displaying stencils, click in the Type a question for help box at the right end of the menu bar, as indicated, and then press SPACEBAR to have the search text typed for you.
12	To run the search, press ENTER.
13	To display a Help topic, in the Search Results task pane, click Open additional stencils.
14	To close the Help window, click its Close button.
15	To view samples of Visio diagrams, click the Help menu, as indicated, and then click Diagram Gallery.
16	To display information about charts and graphs, in the left pane of the Diagram Gallery, click the Charts and graphs category, and then click the Charts and graphs link.
17	To display another sample, in the right pane of the Diagram Gallery, click Next.