Contents

Order SmartDraw

How Do I?

What's New in SmartDraw 3?

The Basics of Flow Charting

Useful Tips and Tricks

Creating, Opening and Saving Files

Drawing Shapes and Lines (Objects)

Using Connectors

Selecting Objects

Moving and Sizing Objects

Rotating and Flipping Objects

Changing the Appearance of Shapes

Changing the Appearance of Lines

Adding Text

Arranging Objects on the Page

SmartDrawings

Creating Your Own Shapes

Linking Lines and Shapes

Changing the View

Importing From Other Programs

Exporting to Other Programs

Printing

Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)

Summary of Menu Commands

Troubleshooting

Technical Support

License


How Do I...

¨	Print on landscape paper?

SmartDraw drawings can be printed in either the portrait or landscape direction on the paper. To change this setting use the Printer Setup under the File Menu.

¨	Print my big drawing on one page?

To print a drawing so that it fits on one page, check the Print on One Page check box in the Print Dialog. If this box is checked, SmartDraw will scale your drawing to fit on the page. If your drawing is really large this may cause text to be less readable.

¨	Transfer a drawing to another program?

The simplest way to insert a SmartDraw drawing into another program, like a word processor, is to copy and paste: Make sure no objects are selected, then use the Copy command (Edit Menu). This places a copy of the drawing on the clipboard. Then go to the word processor (or any other program) and use the Paste command. The drawing will be inserted into the word processors document.

You can also save a SmartDraw drawing in a number of different file formats.

¨	Save a drawing in another file format?

Use the Export command under the File Menu to save a SmartDraw drawing in another file format: Formats supported include GIF, BMP, JPEG, and WMF. The WMF format (Windows Metafile) is the best choice if you want to later import the drawing into another program because it is a vector  format that scales properly.

¨	Transfer a drawing to a web page?

Use the Export command under the File Menu to save the drawing in either a GIF or JPEG format. This will create a web compatible bitmap of your drawing. Insert this GIF or JPEG image into your HTML page using a web-page editor. When you save to GIF, SmartDraw gives you the option of creating an image with a background that will appear to be transparent on your web page.

¨	Move things very precisely?

When one or more objects are selected, pressing the Arrow Keys on the keyboard moves the objects by one pixel at a time in the direction of the arrow. The Snap-to grid is ignored for this operation.


What's New in SmartDraw 3.0?
What's New in SmartDraw 3?

SmartDraw is the easy-to-use program that lets anyone draw great looking flowcharts, diagrams and other business graphics. Now with Version 3, SmartDraw adds a long list of new benefits that make it easier to use than ever before.

¨	Instantly Format Charts

Create perfectly formatted organization charts, fishbone diagrams, network diagrams, timelines and other arrays of shapes, automatically with the new Connector objects.

¨	Create Common Diagrams with One Step

Create instant diagrams using SmartDraws new templates for common diagram types, such as flowcharts, organization charts, time lines, fishbone charts, space planning and more. Each with its own special toolbar.

¨	Quickly Find the Symbol You Need

Quickly find the symbol you need using SmartDraws new symbol search feature. Search by name, or browse briskly through previews of each library using the symbol browser.

¨	Create Your Own Toolbar

Change a library window into a toolbar by docking it against the top of the program window. Add your own shapes to it.

¨	Create Your Own Shapes

Combine lines and curves into new fill-able shapes. Change the outlines of existing shapes. Make just the symbol you need and then add it to a library and use it over and over again.

¨	Drag and Drop Everything!

 Add new symbols to a library by simply dragging shapes from the page onto a library window.

 Add shapes to the toolbar in the same way.

 Import other graphics files by simply dragging them onto a drawing.

 Include SmartDraw drawings in Word documents and other programs by simply dragging shapes from one program window to another.

¨	Rotate and Flip Shapes

Rotate shapes, SmartDrawings, text and lines by any angle. Turn them upside down and flip them horizontally for more flexibility.

¨	Attach Text to Lines

Make your diagrams easier to understand and maintain by attaching text to lines. Move the line and the text moves, too.

¨	Change Line Shapes With One Click

Change straight lines to arcs, arcs to multi-segment lines, and multi-segment lines back to straight lines, using the new line shape menu. Change connector arrangements too.

¨	Choose From Twelve More Arrowhead styles

SmartDraw now offers 24 different arrowhead styles, including arrowheads in the center of lines, one-to-many, many-to-one, and many more. When automatic arrowheads are chosen, they automatically point in the direction that the line was drawn.

¨	Draw to Scale with Automatic Dimensioning.

Set the rulers to show the scale you want. Draw lines that are automatically labeled with their length using this scale.

¨	Draw Perfectly Straight Connection Lines.

Shapes now align with their centers snapped to the grid, ensuring that connecting lines are always perfectly straight. No more kinks!

¨	Instantly Format Text

 Give each paragraph in a shape its own alignment.

 Format text with bullets automatically.

 Insert any symbol from any font

¨	Preview Before You Print

Preview each page before printing using the new Print Preview command, just like Microsoft Word and Excel.

¨	Automatically Center Drawings

Automatically center your entire drawing on the page before you print.

¨	Attach Internet Links (and other documents) to shapes

The SmartDraw Attach feature now lets you attach web addresses, documents from other programs like Microsoft Word, and program command lines to shapes, as well as other SmartDraw drawings.

¨	Full compatibility between 16 and 32 bit versions

The Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 versions of SmartDraw 3 share common file formats. Libraries and drawings can be exchanged across 16- and 32-bit versions of the program.

¨	Enjoy Many Other Improvements:

 Hundreds of new symbols and templates

 New curved lines

 Outline-only mode for faster fit-to-page view drawing

 Much faster library drawing

 Better linking of shapes to each other

 Better grouping and ungrouping

 User-defined zoom level

 See page boundaries at all zoom levels

 Apply color and shadow styles independently

 Change the sizing behavior of any object

 Open up to 32 drawings at the same time

 Open up to 16 libraries at the same time

 Many more..


SmartDraw Tips and Tricks

Connecting shapes with perfectly straight lines

With SmartDraw, you can connect two shapes with a line that stays connected when the shape at either end is moved. This is described in detail elsewhere. Sometimes the line connecting the shapes is not perfectly straight because of the positions of the connect points on each shape.

The best way to avoid this problem is to set the snap to grid feature so that the center of shapes snap to the grid. If the lines used to link the shapes are attached at the center of the sides of the shapes, the connecting lines will be perfectly straight. Note that the snap to grid in drawings created with versions 1.0 and 2.0 is NOT set this way. Go to the Define Rulers and Grid command under the Edit menu to correct this.

Another way to correct this problem is by adjusting the shape positions with the arrow keys. If you select a line or shape by clicking on it, you can adjust its position by 1 screen pixel up, down, left or right by typing the arrow keys on the keyboard. Use this feature to fine tune the position of objects without regard to the Snap-to Grid.

Keeping the toolbar buttons selected

Normally when you click on a tool in the toolbar (or a SmartDrawing Window) and you draw a line or shape, the pointer tool (the arrow) become selected immediately afterwards. You can keep a tool selected, so that you can draw multiple lines or shapes pressing its button each time, by holding the Shift key down when you first select the tool by clicking on it.

Moving a collection of objects as a group

You can move some, or all, of the objects in your drawing without disturbing their relative positions by first selecting them and then by moving just one of the objects. The rest of the selection will also move.

You can select more than one object at a time very easily, in several different ways. You can move a collection of objects in the same ways as a single object: Using the mouse, the arrow keys and the Align command.

You can also use the Group command to formally combine selected objects into a single object.


The Basics of Flow Charting

Flow charts are diagrams that portray the flow of information and the decision-making process that controls the flow. While many styles of flow charting have developed, each with its own set of specialized symbols, most processes can be represented using just a few simple symbols.

This represents an activity such as "signing a check", or "requesting a bid"

This represents an alternate type of process. You can use the two types of process symbols to classify processes into two groups: customer vs. supplier, for example.

This is used to represent a decision that must be made. Lines representing different decisions are often drawn coming out of some of the 4 different points in the shape.

This symbol is used to represent information coming in and going out of the system, such as a customer order (input) or a product (output).

This symbol is used to represent printed information generated by the system such as an invoice or other report (output).

This symbol is used to connect multiple lines together, or when labeled with a letter, to indicate that the flow continues at the connector with the same letter on another page, or somewhere else in the system.

This symbol represents the starting or ending point of the system. It is usually labeled "Start" or "End".


Welcome to SmartDraw!
Welcome to SmartDraw 3! 	Software You Can Use!

SmartDraw is the easy-to-use program that lets anyone draw great looking flowcharts, diagrams and other business graphics. You don't have to be an artist to use SmartDraw.

SmartDraw automatically aligns shapes, lines and text. Its unique built-in library of design styles lets you pick professional looking color schemes, shadows, and textures for your drawings with the click of a mouse. Libraries of SmartDrawings provide an unlimited selection of clip-art, that you can edit or add to.

SmartDraw works as a stand alone program, and as part of the Microsoft Office, Lotus SmartSuite and programs that support Object Linking and Embedded (OLE).  You can insert a SmartDraw drawing directly into Microsoft Word for Windows, using the Insert Object command.

The Welcome Dialog controls the following:

To Start lets you choose either to open a new drawing or go to the Open dialog when you press OK. You can change this setting permanently, (and stop showing the Welcome dialog) using the Options command under the Edit Menu. (You must create or open a drawing first).

If the Beginning Users box is checked, SmartDraw will pop-up beginning user messages the first time that you try something new, to help you understand how it works. These can be switched off at any time in any of the messages that pop-up.  The appearance of beginning user messages can also be controlled from the Options Dialog.

Tips are helpful hints that bring some of the richer features of the program to your attention. You can browse through these using the Next and Previous buttons. The Details button presents a help screen describing the tip in more detail. You can look at the tips at any time using the Tips command under the Help Menu.

Unchecking the Show Welcome Dialog box will prevent the Welcome dialog from coming up the next time that you run the program. This can also be controlled from the Options dialog.


Creating, Opening and Saving Files

When you first start the program a new drawing is normally created automatically. Each drawing has its own scrollable window. Depending on the settings on your system, you may have up to 32 different drawings open at the same time.

New drawing windows may be created by pressing the New File button in the tool bar or by selecting the New...command under the File Menu. The New File button on the toolbar directly opens a new empty drawing. The New... command on the menu presents the Template Dialog. This allows you to pick a template as a starting point for your new drawing. Templates are already provided for many diagram types. These create new drawings with the best settings for this type of diagram, including a document toolbar.

A drawing window is closed using the Close command under the File Menu, or by clicking in the window's close box. Any changes you have made to your drawing DO NOT become permanent unless you save them. If you have made changes since you last saved, you are reminded to save them before the window closes.

Drawings are saved to a file on disk using the Save or Save As commands under the File Menu. New drawings must be given a name before they are saved and so either command presents the Save Dialog. For drawings that already have a file name, use the Save As command only to save to a different file name. To save and retain the same file name use the Save command. The Save button on the tool bar executes the save command.

Once a file has been saved to a file on disk it can be re-opened using the Open command under the File Menu, or the by pressing the Open button on the tool bar. This presents the Open Dialog.

The Options Dialog can be used to set the way new documents are created, and what happens when the program starts up.


The Category control shows the available templates by type and Empty Drawing. The named categories are the names of file system directories, or folders, within the program directory, where the templates in this category are stored. The Empty Drawing category is always present and allows you to create a new empty drawing.


Shows a thumbnail of the template currently selected in the Name list. This makes it easy to browse through the available templates, until you find the one that right for your task.


Once you have selected the template that you want, pressing the Create button, creates a new drawing that is a copy of the template. Changes made to this copy do not affect the original.


Shows a list of templates by name that belong to the category shown above.


Template Dialog

If you choose  the New... command from the File menu, the Template Dialog is presented. This allows you to choose the initial design of your new drawing from a selection of templates.

 Category	 Name

 Preview	 Create

You can create your own categories and templates. See  SmartDraw Templates.


Open Dialog

The Open Dialog lets you re-open a drawing that has been previously saved on disk as a file. Only documents with names ending in .SDR are normally shown in the list of files to open, unless you select another extension using the Files of Type control described below.

Windows 95 and NT 4.0

The File Name box lets you type in a name for the file to open or you can pick one from the list above by clicking on it. If you type the name and do not supply a three letter extension at the end  (like .SDR) , the current extension is added automatically.

The area above the file name field is an explorer window. To search in other folders, click on the names shown in this window or the drop down list above it. Use the context sensitive help in the dialog itself to learn about the details of this standard behavior. SmartDraw remembers the last folder you used to open or save a file with this dialog and automatically sets the folder there when you use it again.

Windows 3.1 and NT 3.51

The File Name box lets you type in a name for the file to open or you can pick one from the list below by clicking on it. If you type the name and do not supply a three letter extension at the end  (like .SDR) , the current extension is added automatically.

The Directories list shows the current directory that the File Name list is showing. To search in other directories, double click on the names shown in this list. SmartDraw remembers the last directory you used to open or save a file with this dialog and automatically sets the directory there when you use it again.

The Drives control shows the letter of the drive that the File Name list is showing. Use this control to change drives by clicking on it and picking another from the list.

The Network button, if you have one, lets you browse your network and connect other drives. Non-networked users do not have this button.

The Files of Type control changes the extension of the files shown in the File Name list. Normally this is "SmartDraw File" (SDR). The second choice, SmartDraw Template, opens files with the extension SDT. These files are the same as SDR files but they open as an untitled copy, leaving the original intact. This is useful if you want to create files with your own initial settings, or with a set of initial shapes, to serve as the starting point for other drawings. SmartDraw ships with a broad selection of sample templates. These are stored in "category" sub directories. The best way to open these is to use the Template Dialog, which allows you to browse through each category and to see a "thumbnail" of each template before you open it. You can open the Template Dialog by using the New... command under the file menu.

The OK button confirms your choice of file and puts away the dialog. The Cancel button puts away the dialog without selecting a file.

See Also: Creating, Opening and Saving Files


Save Dialog

The Save Dialog lets you save your current drawing to a file on disk. Files can be re-opened later for further work. Each file must be stored with a file name you give it.

The File Name box lets you type in a name for the file, or pick one from the list below by clicking on it. If you type the name and do not supply a three letter extension at the end  (like .SDR), the current extension is added automatically. Names can be longer than 8 letters.

Windows 95 and NT 4.0

The area above the file name field is an explorer window. To search in other folders, click on the names shown in this window or the drop down list above it. Use the context sensitive help in the dialog itself to learn about the details of this standard behavior. SmartDraw remembers the last folder you used to open or save a file with this dialog and automatically sets the folder there when you use it again.

Windows 3.1 and NT 3.51

The Directories list shows the current directory that the File Name list is showing. To search in other directories, double click on the names shown in this list. SmartDraw remembers the last directory you used to open or save a file with this dialog and automatically sets the directory there when you use it again.

The Drives control shows the letter of the drive that the File Name list is showing. Use this control to change drives by clicking on it and picking another from the list.

The Network button, if you have one, lets you browse your network and connect other drives. Non-networked users do not have this button.

The Save As Type control changes the extension of the files shown in the File Name list and the type of the file saved. SmartDraw File has an extension SDR and is the usual choice. SmartDraw Template saves the current drawing as SmartDraw Template. This is the same as a normal file but with the extension SDT. When template files are opened, an untitled copy is made and the original is left closed. When saving as a template, the drawing retains its current file name.

The Template Dialog shows only templates that are stored in sub directories of the program directory. If you want to create your own template, be sure to save it in one of the template sub directories, or create a new sub directory of your own (using the Windows file manager) to create a new template "category" and save it there.

The OK button confirms your choice of file and puts away the dialog. The Cancel button puts away the dialog without selecting a file.

See Also: Creating, Opening and Saving Files


The Program Toolbar

SmartDraw usually shows a row of buttons under the menu bar. This is called the Program Toolbar. It can be shown or hidden by selecting the Show Toolbar command under the View menu.

The top row of buttons are short cuts for the menu commands. To find out what each one does, hold the cursor over a button for a second or more. A small yellow window will pop-up, describing its purpose. This is called a ToolTip.

The buttons in the second row are used for drawing. One of these buttons is usually pushed in. What happens when you click with the mouse in the drawing depends on which of these buttons is currently pushed in.

 When the arrow button is pressed, clicking in the drawing selects, moves or grows existing objects.

 When the text  button is pressed, clicking in drawing begins a new background text object. Clicking in a shape opens it for text entry.

 When the line button is pressed, clicking and dragging in the drawing draws a straight line. Dragging and Dropping also draws a line.

 When the segment line button is pressed, clicking and dragging in the drawing draws a segmented line. Dragging and Dropping also draws a segmented line.

 When the arc line button is pressed, clicking and dragging in the drawing draws an arc. Dragging and Dropping also draws an arc.

 When the connector line button is pressed, clicking and dragging in the drawing draws a connector. Dragging and Dropping also draws a connector.

The remaining buttons draw the shape that they show. The shape buttons can be configured to show any of the 24 standard shapes, and you can control the default size and proportions of the shapes that are dragged and dropped. This is done by double clicking on the button, or by first selecting the button and then selecting the Toolbar item under the Edit menu.


Undo

The Undo command reverses the most recent operation. If used, the command changes to Redo, which returns the program to its state before the undo command was used.  Repeated use of Undo, toggles the program between the current state and the state before the most recent operation.

If the command is gray, there is no previous state to return to.


Drawing Shapes and Lines

There are two ways to draw both shapes and lines:

Drag and Drop

This method requires only one mouse click and gives you a shape or line with a standard size and shape.

To add a rectangle shape, first click on the rectangle button on the toolbar without letting go of the mouse button. Still holding down the mouse button, move the cursor onto your drawing. (This is called dragging with the mouse.) A rectangle shape follows the cursor. Once you let go of the mouse button, a new rectangle is added to your drawing.

The size of the shapes you drag from the toolbar can be set by double-clicking on the shape button. This presents the Edit Toolbar Dialog. Lines created this way are always the same size and shape. (Lines are usually drawn using the Pencil method, described below). SmartDrawings can also be dragged and dropped from the SmartDrawing window.

Pencil

The pencil method requires two clicks but gives you full control over the size and shape of the object that you draw.

To add a rectangle shape using this method, first click on the rectangle button in the toolbar, and then let go of the mouse button. As the cursor is moved into the drawing window it changes to the pencil cursor. Now if you click in the drawing window and keep the mouse button pressed and move the mouse, a rectangle is drawn, as if the mouse were a pencil. This method can be used for shapes, lines and SmartDrawings.

For shapes that can be stretched to any proportion, like rectangles, perfectly square versions can be made using the pencil draw method. To do this, simply hold down the Ctrl key while drawing the shape. This trick with the Ctrl key also applies when re-sizing a shape with the mouse.

Sticky Tool Selection

Normally, after you have drawn an object using the pencil method, the selection (pointer) tool is selected automatically. If you want to draw several copies of the same kind of object, you can force the drawing tool that you are using to remain selected by holding the shift key down the first time you click on it. Holding the shift key down when you select any drawing tool, causes it to remain selected until you click on another tool, or drag and drop a shape.

Colors and Borders

New objects have properties that match the most recent changes made to the drawing. If you change the fill color of a shape to blue, and then create a new one, it will be initially filled with blue. If no changes have been made using the menus, the colors of new objects match the color and shadow style selected for the drawing.


Using Connectors

One of the most powerful features of SmartDraw is the use of Connectors to create regular arrangements of shapes. Examples include organization charts, fishbone diagrams, network diagrams and even flow charts.

Connectors are special line objects that both shapes and other lines may link to. A connector is programmed to arrange the objects linked to it in a particular pattern. As shapes are linked to a connector, the other shapes already linked to it adjust to accommodate the new shape and maintain the arrangement. In the example below, a new shape is added to a connector that maintains a horizontal organization chart arrangement.

The new shape (white) is dropped between the two existing shapes and is automatically inserted between them.

Using Connectors in a Flow Chart

Linear connectors can be useful as components in a flow chart. A Linear connector connects shapes in either a perfectly horizontal or vertical line. To branch, other connectors can be linked to the shapes attached to the first connector. Normal segmented lines can also be used to create additional connections:

Dropping a single shape on the horizontal connector inserts the shape and reformats the whole diagram in one step!

See also: Adding Connectors,  Adding Shapes to Connectors, Connector Shape and Appearance.


Adding Connectors to a Drawing

Connectors are added to a drawing in the same way any other object is added: using drag and drop or the pencil drawing method.

SmartDraw offers a Connector tool on the Program Toolbar.

Dragging an object from this tool creates a horizontal connector with a linear arrangement. Holding the Shift key down while you drag creates a vertical connector.

Many of the diagram templates also offer connectors with other arrangements in their document toolbar. For example, the organization chart template offers a selection of connectors suitable for drawing organization charts.

See also: Using Connectors, Adding Shapes to Connectors, Connector Shape and Appearance.


Changing Connector Shape

Once you have added a connector to a drawing, you may change the arrangement it maintains (or its shape) using the Change Connector Shape command on the Line Menu. (This replaces the Change Line Shape command when a connector is selected). menu.

The Flip command can also be used to create additional variations.

When no shapes are linked to a connector, it appears as either a vertical or horizontal line. Its arrangement does not become apparent until two or more shapes have been linked to it.

See also: Using Connectors, Adding Shapes to Connectors, Adding Connectors, and Appearance.


Adding Shapes to Connectors

When a shape or line is moved close to a connector, link points are displayed and the outline of the moving object jumps to the closest one, showing its position if linked.

Releasing the mouse links the object to the connector, inserting the object at the link point.

Moving a shape away from the connector disconnects it and the shapes still linked to the connector move together to fill the space.

Lines (and other connectors) can also be linked to connectors. This can be used to make more elaborate diagrams made up of multiple connectors linked to each other:

See also: Using Connectors,Adding Connectors, Connector Shape and Appearance.


Changing the Appearance of Connectors

There is always equal amounts of space between the edges of shapes linked to a connector. This spacing [C] is controlled using the grow handles at each end of the main connector line. The length of the lines connecting the main line to each shapes is controlled by grow handles at the end of the first and last of these lines [B].The length of the line connecting the connector to another object [A] is controlled by the grow handle at the end of this line. These relationships are shown in the figure below.

A Connector has the same attributes as a line, and the Line Menu commands can be used to set its thickness, color and style.

Connectors also can show arrowheads. These appear on the lines connecting objects to the main connector line. Right facing arrowheads always point to the linked objects, regardless of their direction relative to the main connector line. Left facing arrowheads point towards the main connector line. Connectors do not support associated text or rotation.

See also: Using Connectors, Adding Shapes to Connectors, Connector Shape and Adding Connectors.


Selecting Objects

Lines and Shapes become selected when they are clicked on with the mouse and the Arrow button on the toolbar is depressed.

Once selected, the colors, borders and other attributes of objects can be changed using the menu commands. Typing from the keyboard inserts text into selected shapes.

Selected objects are shown with Handles on the corners and sides as shown below.

The most recently selected object is always shown with solid (black) handles and is called the Target object. Other selected objects are shown with hollow handles. The target object is the one others align with, and become the same size as, when using the Align and Make Same Size commands.

Objects that are Linked to other objects have round handles at their connected points.

Selecting Multiple Objects

You can select more than one object at a time. If multiple objects are selected, they move as a group. This is useful  when you want to re-position the whole or part of a drawing on the page. You can select all objects in a drawing using the Select All command under the Edit Menu (Ctrl+A).

There are many ways to select one or more objects:

Clicking on the border of an object selects it and de-selects all other objects. Holding the Shift Key (on the keyboard) down while clicking, causes any other selected objects not to de-select. Clicking on a selected object with the Shift key depressed, de-selects it (and only it).

Holding the mouse button down while dragging the mouse across the drawing window draws a temporary dotted rectangle. Any objects completely enclosed by this rectangle are selected. Holding the Shift key down while this is done adds these objects to any existing selection

Sometimes, it is hard to click on, and select, the object that you want because of other objects that lie on top (or in front) of it. There are two ways to overcome this. You can select the objects on top and Send to the Back, or you can drag around all of the objects, selecting them all. Shift-clicking on the objects in the front now de-selects them, leaving only the object you want still selected.

Shapes can always be selected by clicking on their border. Shapes that are not transparent can be selected by clicking inside their borders.


Moving Objects

Using the Mouse

Shapes and lines can be moved by clicking on them with the mouse, keeping the mouse button pressed down, and moving the mouse. An outline of the object clicked-on follows the mouse.

If more than one object is selected, all selected objects move as a group. More than one object may also be moved if the object clicked on is linked to others. When a group of objects is moved, an outline of the rectangle that encloses the group follows the mouse.

If you want to move an object only in the horizontal or vertical direction, hold down the shift key down while you drag with the mouse. Your object will move either horizontally or vertically (depending on which direction you move to the greatest extent).

Using the Arrow Keys

The arrow keys can also be used to move an object. First the object must be selected. This is usually done by clicking on it. Typing an arrow key then moves the object by 1/100" with each keystroke. The right and down arrows move the object to the right and bottom. The left and up arrows move it to the left and up. If more than one object is selected, all are moved.

Aligning Objects

The Align command under the Draw menu can be used to align all selected objects with the selected target object.

Spacing Objects Evenly

The Space Evenly command under the Draw menu can be used to arrange a collection of objects so that they are separated by equal distances.

Centering the Drawing on the Page

The Center Drawing on Page command, move the entire drawing (not just the selected objects) so that it is centered on the page.


Some Objects do not Rotate

The following objects do not support rotation: Connectors, Segmented Lines and Arcs, Picture objects that contain bitmaps. Any group that contains these kind of objects also does not rotate.


Rotating Objects

All shapes, text and some lines can be Rotated by any angle. You can do this manually by selecting the rotation handle that objects capable of rotation show when selected.

The cursor becomes the rotation shape shown in the margin when positioned over a rotation handle.

Clicking on the rotation handle and dragging with mouse rotates the shape about its center.

When the Snap to Grid feature is turned on, the angle of rotation snaps to increments of 15 degrees (15, 30, 45 and so on..)

You also rotate objects using the Rotate commands on the Draw menu. The Rotate sub-menu has commands to rotate by 90 degrees in either direction, and to return an object to the horizontal position. The Set Angle command allows you to specify the exact angle of rotation within one tenth of a degree, via the Set Rotation Angle Dialog.

The rotation commands on the menu apply to all selected objects. This allows you to rotate a group of objects by the same angle. Furthermore, the angle shown in the Set Rotation Angle dialog , is the one associated with the last one selected (the target object).

This feature allows you to align the rotation angle of a group of objects to one particular object: Simply select the objects that you wish to align, then, holding the Shift key down, select the target object that you wish to align them with. Now select the Set Angle command and press OK.

You can rotate straight lines, any shape, and most imported pictures. Segmented lines, curves, bitmapped picture objects, and connectors do not rotate. Also, objects linked to others do not rotate. (since they cannot maintain their link if they do!) However, you can rotate a shape or line before you link it. Objects that do not rotate do not show a rotation handle.

When an object is rotated, the text associated with it rotates too. If you want the text in a rotated object to remain horizontal, you can change it into a new (rotated) shape, before you add text. This is described in Creating Your Own Shapes.


Sizing Objects

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