Microsoft KB Archive/304893

= Visio equivalents for CAD commands =

Article ID: 304893

Article Last Modified on 11/28/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007
 * Microsoft Office Visio Standard 2007
 * Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2003
 * Microsoft Office Visio Standard 2003
 * Microsoft Visio 2002 Professional Edition

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This article was previously published under Q304893



SUMMARY
If you are familiar with working in a CAD (computer-aided design) program, you might find terminology in Microsoft Office Visio confusing. Some of the commands common to CAD programs are not available in Visio at all. Others are a little different and might even be easier to use in Visio.

This article lists the commands and tasks that are commonly available in CAD programs and explains their equivalent functionality in Visio.



MORE INFORMATION
Set the Drawing Scale:

To set the drawing scale in Visio, click Page Setup on the File menu, click the Drawing Scale tab, and then select the scale you want to use. Set the scale before you begin working.

Move an Object:

To move an object, select the shape with the Pointer tool and drag it to the new location. Or, to open a window in which you can specify a new shape position, point to Windows on the View menu, and then click Size and Position.

Copy an Object:

To copy an object, select the shape, and then hold down the CTRL key while you drag the object to a new location. You can also copy a selected object by pressing CTRL+C and paste it by pressing CTRL+V.

Create a Block or a Cell:

To create a shape such as a block or a cell, use the Visio drawing tools. If you want to create a master shape, drag the shape you created to a stencil.

Pan and Zoom a Drawing:

To pan and zoom a drawing, open a window in which you can adjust the view of the drawing. To do this, point to Windows on the View menu, and then click Pan and Zoom.

Using Operations such as Union, Fragment, and Join to Create Objects:

To create an object by using an operation such as Union, Fragment, or Join, select one or more shapes, point to Operations on the Shape menu, and then choose the action you want.

Add a Hatch Pattern to an Object:

To add a hatch pattern to an object, select the shape and then click Fill on the Format menu. You can set the color, pattern, and pattern color for the hatch. You can also create your own patterns.

Use Entity Snaps or Object Snaps:

To use Entity Snaps or Object Snaps, click Snap and Glue on the Tools menu, and select the Shape Extensions option. On the Advanced tab, select the shape extensions you want to use.

