Amazing Visio - Easy Stencil Help

Quick Access:  To see all the stencils of different color - variation combinations, please click here.

Tutorials

Please go through the tutorials if you have not done so yet.  These tutorials will take less than one hour but will get you started right away to fully utilize the potential of Easy Stencil.  Simply click here to begin.

The Essential

These topics are essential for you to fully utilize the potential of Easy Stencil to quickly create drawings that give you the best results.  Please spend a few minutes to go through these topics.

Using Template to Create A New Drawing: Click here.

Using Stencil and The Shapes Inside: Click here.

Using Format Painter to Apply The Nice Look And Feel of Easy Stencil Shapes to Your Shapes: Click here.

More...

Adding A Connection Point: A connection point on a shape keeps a connector glued to it.  To add a connection point:

1. Click the Connection Points icon on the View toolbar to show the existing connection points.

2. Choose the Connection Point Tool on the Standard toolbar.

3. Press and hold the Ctrl key.  A tiny "x" sign is added to your mouse pointer.

4. Move the mouse pointer on the shape, either inside or along the border.   Press the left mouse button where you like to add a connection point.  In this example, one has been added to the lower bottom corner inside the shape.
   

Tip: Instead of adding connection points, simply turn on Glue To Shape Geometry.  This will let you glue a connector to any point along the boundaries.  The feature is specifically helpful when you need to attach a large number of connectors to a boundary.

1. Choose Tools > Snap & Glue.

2. Choose Snap Geometry of category Glue To.  Click OK.

To test:

1. Add a shape and a connector to your drawing.

2. Drag the end of the connector to the shape's boundary.  Let go when you see Glue To Geometry pops up.

3. A connection point is added.  Drag the shape around, the connector stays connected.

Do I Need To Deploy Amazing Visio Stencils Along with My Drawing?

No.  In fact it is not permitted.  The stencils are licensed for your own use only.  The recipients need to purchase separate licenses if they like to use these stencils.

Simply deploy the drawing itself.  The recipients can view your drawing properly without Amazing Visio stencils.

Grouping Shapes: You can put different shapes into a group so that they can be handled as a single shape, such as to move around.  To group shapes:

1. Select multiple shapes.

2. Click the Group icon on the Action toolbar.  

Tip: To ungroup a Group, click the Ungroup icon next to the Group icon.

Keeping A Line Horizontal Or Vertical:  Press and hold the Shift key while dragging a line by its end.

Keeping A Shape's Horizontal / Vertical Ratio: Press and hold the Shift key while changing the size of a shape.

Lining Up Shapes:

1. Select the shapes. 

2.   Click the down arrow of the Align Shapes icon on the Action toolbar. 

3. Choose a pattern.

Sharing Your Visio Drawing with Anyone, Online Or Offline: Click here.

Protecting Your Shapes from Being Moved Or Resized:

1. Protecting Shapes Directly:
   

   1. Select one or more shapes.

   2. Click your right mouse button on a selected shape.  Choose Format > Protection.

   3. Choose one or more options.

   Tip: Some built-in Visio shapes are "tough" -- they stay protected even after you have turned off all the protections.  To unprotect them, use the ShapeSheet.  Click here for details. 

2. Using A Background Page: Click here for details.

3. Grouping Shapes: Put shapes into a group so that only the group can be moved or resized while the relative size and location of individual shapes inside the group won't be changed.  For details on grouping shapes, please refer to this topic on this page.

Rotating A Shape:

1. Click the Rotation Tool on the Standard toolbar. 

2. Click a shape to rotate. 

In addition:

1.   Click these icons on the Action toolbar to rotate or flip a shape.

2. Use grouping to rotate multiple shapes like a single shape.  Click here for details on this page.

Rotating Or Moving Text:

1. Click the Text Block Tool on the Standard toolbar. 

2. Click a shape.    

In addition:

1. Click a shape then click the Rotate Text 90 Degrees icon on the Action toolbar.

2. Click a shape then click one of these icons on the Format Text toolbar to change the text vertical location.

Setting Up the Direct Access to the Online Help: Click here.

Setting Up Page for Drawing and Printing: Click here.

Turning A Toolbar On and Off:

1. Right click the background of the menu, such as on the right side of the Help menu.

2. Check or uncheck a toolbar.

Using Pictures and Clipart: Click here.

Using PowerPoint Backgrounds: Click here.

Using Your Visio Drawing in Other Software - PowerPoint, Word, Excel, E-mail and Others: Click here.

Where Can I Get More Tutorial Information?

Try one or more of the follows:

• Microsoft Visio Site: Go to http://www.Microsoft.com/office/visio.

• Yahoo Search: Go to http://www.Yahoo.com, then search for "visio tutorial".

• Google Search: Go to http://www.Google.com, click the Group tab, then search for "visio tutorial re:" where "re:" restricts the display to "reply" only, i.e. to display answers for posted questions.

• Amazon Books: Go to http://www.Amazon.com, then search for "visio".

Which Visio Version Do I Need in Order to Use Easy Stencil?

Visio 2000 or later, all editions (such as Standard and Professional).

Why My Drawing File Size Is So Big Even though I Have Deleted Most Of The Shapes?

It may be that there are many unused shapes in your Document Stencil.   Click here to get rid of them.

Working with Fill Patterns: Click here.

Working with Shape Borders And Connectors: Click here.

Working with Shape Shadows: Click here.

Working with ShapeSheet: Click here.