Visio Expertly position, stack, and group shapes

Visio

Expertly position, stack, and group shapes


Course contents

• Overview: The importance of arranging shapes

• Lesson 1: Expertly position shapes

• Lesson 2: Stack shapes to relate shapes

• Lesson 3: Group shapes together


Controlling the arrangement of shapes in a Visio diagram is the key to communicating information. Clear shape arrangement strengthens the significance of individual shapes and crystallizes the relationships among shapes.

Overview: The importance of arranging shapes

Because arranging shapes is so important, Visio offers many methods. This course shows you how to position, stack, and group shapes.


Course goals

• Position shapes quickly and effectively.

• Stack shapes to show their relationships.

• Group shapes so that they move and function as one.

Lesson 1

Expertly position shapes


Expertly position shapes

Diagrams are great because they communicate more efficiently than a bunch of text. But some diagrams fail because of the sloppy positioning of their shapes.

Positioning shapes on the page expertly and neatly will not only make your diagrams look good, but will also help communicate the information within them more clearly.

A messy flowchart and an orderly one


Use the grid and the rulers

If a diagram contains many shapes, it has the potential to get cluttered. One way to fight the clutter is to arrange shapes by using the grid and the rulers.

The grid and rulers

When you first add shapes to the page or position shapes, use the grid lines to keep them straight. And keep an eye on the grid to make sure your shapes are evenly spaced.


Use the grid and the rulers

The rulers are also invaluable. Use them to see the exact distance between shapes or to know just how big a certain shape is.

The grid and rulers

By default, shapes snap to the grid lines and the measurement lines on the rulers. So you don’t have to do fussy hand work to position a shape: It puts itself where you want it and then stays there unless you move it.


Follow the guides

Even more visible than the grid lines are the guides: vertical or horizontal lines that you can place on a page.

You drag guides from a ruler, and by default they appear blue, as in the illustration.

Guides: another way to keep things orderly


Follow the guides

Guides help you organize your diagrams according to their content.

Guides: another way to keep things orderly

For example, if you know that your flowchart shows three processes, you can evenly space three vertical guides on the page. Then you can position the shapes running down each one.


Open the Size & Position window

Sometimes using a mouse to position or size a shape can be difficult. What if Visio snaps your shape to a location you don’t want, or you can’t seem to let go of the mouse button at the right time?

The cure for these woes and the key to positioning shapes precisely is the Size & Position window, and it is found on the View menu.

The Size & Position window with X and Y coordinates



The location of a shape is stated in terms of X and Y coordinates:


• The X coordinate is the position on the horizontal ruler at the top of the page.

• The Y coordinate is the position on the vertical ruler at the left of the page.

• The point where these meet is the shape’s pin .



To move the shape, type in new numbers for the coordinates. The shape will automatically shift to that exact location.


To size the shape, type new numbers for width and height. The shape edges change to those exact dimensions, while the shape pin stays where it was before.


Command shapes to align themselves

The grid, rulers, and guides are great when you create a diagram in a planned, organized way. But sometimes you’ll prefer to work more freely and spontaneously, organizing as you go.

So while you’re working freehand or when you’re finished, you can tidy up your diagram by using the Align Shapes command on the Shapes menu.

The Align Shapes command can be a real time saver.


Command shapes to align themselves

Align Shapes makes it simple to line up your shapes: Select the shape you want the others to line up with, then click the alignment option you want.

The Align Shapes command can be a real time saver.

In the example you see here, a vertical alignment button got these shapes in line. It’s like a sheepdog for shapes.


Distribute shapes evenly

You can use the grid, the rulers, and guides to position shapes one by one, but what if you’ve got dozens of shapes in your diagram?

The Distribute Shapes command on the Shapes menu will get you home in time for dinner.

Space patrol: the Distribute Shapes command



Let’s say you’ve got the shapes you want on the page, but one is too close to another, and another is too far away.


The ideal arrangement is to have an equal amount of space between all the shapes.



You can do this in three steps, without any fussy mouse work:


1. Select three or more shapes.2. On the Shapes menu, click

Distribute Shapes. 3. Choose a distribution option.

In this example, a horizontal distribution option evened things out.


Rotate shapes

Sometimes a shape is placed right and sized right but still needs one good turn.

For example, you might want to rotate an arrow to point where it should. Or you might want turn a desk in an office layout to get more light from a window.

Rotating 1-D and 2-D shapes


Rotate shapes

To rotate 2-D shapes, use the green rotation handle . Just click and drag the handle to the new position.

Rotating 1-D and 2-D shapes

To rotate 1-D shapes, click and drag either the beginning point or the ending point, swinging the shape around to where you want it.


Flip shapes

And now for a different kind of rotation. Sometimes you need to rotate a shape, not by turning it around, but rather as if you were turning it over, to create a mirror-image reversed version.

This is called flipping a shape. Yes, just like a pancake.

When rotating won’t do, simply flip.


Flip shapes

You can flip shapes horizontally or vertically.

When rotating won’t do, simply flip.

1. When you flip a shape horizontally, the flip action occurs from side to side.

2. When you flip a shape vertically, the flip action occurs from top to bottom.


Suggestions for practice1. Take a look at the practice diagram from exercise 1. 2. Use the rulers and create some guides. 3. Position shapes using the guides and grid.4. Use the Size & Position window. 5. Try nudging a shape.6. Align shapes and distribute spacing. 7. Rotate shapes and flip a shape.

Lesson 2

Stack shapes to relate shapes


Stack shapes to relate shapes

Sometimes the position of shapes isn’t enough to convey a relationship. Additional visual information is required.

This network diagram contains shapes placed under and on top of each other in a particular stacking order. Using stacking order the right way can make complex relationships easier to understand in your diagrams.

Relationships become clearer when you use stacking order.


How shapes stack up

Take a look at the illustration, and the concept of stacking order will be more clear to you.

Although you’ll never see stacked shapes from the side in Visio, imagining them like this helps you get the picture.

Shapes viewed from the side to show stacking order


How shapes stack up

By default, Visio puts shapes in a stacking order as you add them to the page. The rule to remember for how Visio establishes the stacking order is: “The last one wins.”


What that means is, the last shape you place on the page is the highest in the stacking order.


How shapes stack up

But this rule doesn’t always work to your advantage. For example, what if you added the computer, and then added the circle? The circle would hide the computer, and that’s no help.


Obviously, knowing how to change the stacking order will help tremendously.


How to change the stacking order

To change a shape’s position in the stacking order, select the shape, and then point to Order on the Shape menu.

You’ll see four options. Bring to Front or Send to Back moves a shape all the way in the stacking order.

Changing the stacking order for a shape


How to change the stacking order

If your stacking order includes many shapes, however, you may not want a shape to go all the way to the front or back of the order.

Changing the stacking order for a shape

In that case, you can move the shape forward or backward a step at a time, by choosing either Send Forward or Send Backward.


Suggestions for practice

1. Take a look at the practice diagram from exercise 2.2. Add the rectangle and change its stacking order. 3. Add the circles and change the stacking order in other ways. 4. Connect the Accounting and Sales circles.

Lesson 3

Group shapes together


How to group shapes together

Suppose you’ve made a map with several buildings clustered together. But oops…The cluster of buildings is on the wrong street. You need to move all the buildings down one block.

You could select each one and move it down separately. Or, more efficiently, you could group the buildings so that the cluster stays bound together, and move them all at once.

To move all the buildings, group them first.


Select, then group

The first step in grouping shapes is to select the shapes.

You can do this by holding down the SHIFT key while you click them, or by dragging a selection net around them.

Grouping shapes


Select, then group

When you’ve got the shapes selected, click Group on the Shape menu. That’s it: The shapes are now grouped.

Grouping shapes

You can do anything to a group of shapes that you can do to a single shape: resize, rotate, align it with others, and so on. Visio treats a group as one big 2-D shape.


Change just one shape within a group

Even after you’ve grouped shapes, you can still edit just one of the shapes in the group. 1. Click the group to select it. 2. Click again to select a shape within

the group. Selecting a shape within a group


Change just one shape within a group

When one shape is selected, it appears with green handles, but these handles have Xs in them. This is a signal that the shape you selected is part of a group.

Selecting a shape within a group

Now you can change that one shape any way you’d like.


Ungroup shapes

Sometimes you need to ungroup a group of shapes. The process is simple:1. Select the shape. 2. On the Shape menu, point to

Grouping, and then click Ungroup.

Ungrouping shapes


Shapes that are grouped from the start

You might have worked with grouped shapes without knowing it: Many of the shapes in Visio are actually groups already.

How did the shapes get grouped? Designers made each shape by hand, and then grouped the shapes to make them easier for you to work with.

Many Visio shapes, like this factory shape, are grouped from the get-go.


Shapes that are grouped from the start

This factory shape is a perfect example.

Many Visio shapes, like this factory shape, are grouped from the get-go.

1. This is what the factory shape looks like when you put it on the page.

2. But if you ungroup it, you’ll find it’s actually a group of several component shapes.


Suggestions for practice

1. Examine the practice diagram from exercise 3. 2. Select and group houses. 3. Select and group cars. 4. Change a single shape in a group. 5. Ungroup shapes. 6. Take a look at a shape that was grouped for you.

Documents

Visio Expertly position, stack, and group shapes