Microsoft Visio 2010 - Module 1

CHAPTER 2 WORKING WITH STENCILS

INFOCUS

WPL_V502

Microsoft Visio is based on stencils. Stencils are palettes of shapes

that can be used to create almost any diagram you need. Each
palette is task-specific making it easier to locate the shape/s you
require. You can open and work with multiple stencils and can even
create your own.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of the Shapes window

 gain an understanding of Quick Shapes
 learn how to create a custom stencil
 learn how to open Visio and custom stencils
 learn how to edit a stencil
 learn how to close unwanted stencils.

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 Microsoft Visio 2010 - Module 1

THE SHAPES WINDOW

When you create a new diagram based on a open regardless of the template you used. From
specific template, all stencils associated with this the More Shapes menu in the Shapes window,
template will open automatically in the Shapes you can open and close other stencils (both built-in
window. The Quick Shapes stencil will also and custom), and create and edit custom stencils.

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 The More Shapes menu provides access to options for finding shapes, opening Visio and custom stencils and
creating stencils.

 The Quick Shapes stencil is always available in the Shapes window. See Quick Shapes later in this chapter
for more information.

 The title bars of all stencils that are open are listed near the top of the Shapes window. Right-clicking on a title
bar lets you close a stencil, reset a stencil if you have moved any of its shapes into the Quick Shape area of the
stencil, or save a Visio stencil as a fully editable custom stencil.
The stencil whose shapes currently appear in the Shapes window is highlighted in orange. To display the
shapes in a stencil, click on its title bar. You can re-order the shapes in a palette by dragging them – for
instance, you might place shapes you use most often near the top of the palette.

 If you can’t find the shape you desire, you can search for it on your computer or online.

 You can open your Favourites stencil, which is stored in your My Shapes folder, and then drag shapes from
the drawing and drop them in the Favourites stencil. After saving the stencil, you can then quickly access these
shapes whenever you need them.

 All Visio stencils are categorised according to the type of diagram they are used to create. To open a stencil,
select it from the appropriate submenu.

 If you have created your own custom stencils, you must use the Open Stencil dialog box to open them in the
Shapes window.

 You can create custom stencils that are fully editable. You can choose to create stencils which use either metric
or imperial measurement.

 All shapes that you use to create a drawing are automatically added to the Document Stencil. You can show
this stencil in the Shapes window, making it easier for you to access the shapes you’ve already used. This
saves you from having to open the appropriate stencil to find the shape.
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 Microsoft Visio 2010 - Module 1

QUICK SHAPES
You can rearrange the shapes in stencils by Shapes area at the top of each stencil. Shapes that
dragging and dropping them as desired. With this are in this area are also included in the Quick
in mind and because it’s easiest to find shapes Shapes stencil and in the mini toolbar that can
near the top of a palette, Visio has made a Quick appear for a shape with AutoConnect capability.

Quick Shapes Area In Stencils

A thin grey divider separates the top few shapes from the others in
every stencil. The shapes above this line are the Quick Shapes for
the stencil. There are typically two to six shapes in this area but you
can add and remove shapes by dragging them in and out of the
section. Notice in our sample to the right, Visio has only two shapes in
the Quick Shapes area of the Cubicles stencil – Cube workstation
and L workstation.

Quick Shapes Stencil

The Quick Shapes stencil is always
located near the top of the Shapes
window. This stencil is a dynamically
generated collection of the Quick
Shapes for the stencils that are
currently open in the Shapes window.
If there is more than one stencil open
for the diagram, the Quick Shapes
are separated by the names of the
stencils to which they belong. For
instance, there are five stencils open
in our sample to the left.
If you usually use only a few shapes from each stencil in a diagram
type, drag those shapes into the Quick Shapes area of each stencil.
You can then open the Quick Shapes stencil and not have to switch
between stencils while you work.

Quick Shapes In AutoConnect

If you have positioned a shape on the drawing that has
AutoConnect capability, you can hover over it until blue
AutoConnect arrows appear around the shape. You can then hover
over the arrow in the direction where you want to add a shape and a
mini toolbar containing up to four Quick Shapes will appear (see
the sample to the right).
As you move the pointer over the four shapes in the toolbar, a
preview of the shape will appear on the page. You can then click on
the shape you desire.
If you want different shapes to appear in the mini toolbar, move them so that they appear at the top of
the Quick Shapes area in their stencil. You cannot change the order of the shapes in the Quick
Shapes stencil.
If you have more than one stencil open, you can change which Quick Shapes will appear on the mini
toolbar. To do this, drag the stencil with the desired shapes and drop it just below the Quick Shapes
title bar.

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 Microsoft Visio 2010 - Module 1

CREATING A CUSTOM STENCIL

As you become more familiar with Visio and drawing. It is very easy to create your own custom
working with stencils, you’ll soon realise that it’s stencils, dragging the required shapes from the
much more efficient to work with a single stencil various Visio stencils.
that contains all relevant shapes for your

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Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise ensure
Visio has started…

 Create a new drawing based

on the Office Layout template
in the Maps and Floor Plans
category
Five templates will open
automatically….

 Click on More Shapes at the

top of the Shapes window and
select New Stencil (Metric)
A new empty stencil will be
added to the window. The red
asterisk * indicates that this
stencil is editable…

 Click on Office Equipment to

open the stencil, then click on 3 4
and drag the PC monitor
shape onto the new stencil
until it opens

 Drop the shape in the new

stencil
A save icon will replace the
red asterisk indicating that the
stencil has been edited and
needs to be saved…

 Click on the save icon to

open the Save As dialog box,
then navigate to the course
files folder

 Type My Stencil in File name

and click on [Save]

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To create a custom stencil:  You can also create a new custom stencil
1. Create a drawing based on a template, then from a blank drawing. In this case, you will
click on More Shapes and select New need to open the templates as desired from
Stencil the More Shapes menu.
2. Drag the shapes from the desired stencils  You can create a custom stencil from a Visio
and drop them in the new stencil stencil. Right-click on the Visio stencil, select
3. Click on the save icon Save As and then edit the stencil as desired.

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 Microsoft Visio 2010 - Module 1

OPENING A STENCIL
When you create a new drawing based on a drawing. You can open other stencils – either Visio
particular template, specific stencils will open in or custom stencils – using the More Shapes menu
the Shapes window by default. But, you are not in the Shapes window.
limited to using only these stencils for your

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Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file with
this exercise…

 Click on the File tab, then click

on Close to close any open
drawings (clicking on [Don’t
Save] when prompted)

 Click on the File tab, click on

Blank drawing under Other
Ways to Get Started and click
on [Create]
No stencils will be open. Let’s
open a custom stencil…

 Click on More Shapes at the

top of the Shapes window and
select Open Stencil to open
the Open Stencil dialog box

 Navigate to the course files

folder, then double-click on
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V502 Working With

Stencils.vss
This custom stencil will open in
the Shapes window. Let’s
open a Visio stencil now…

 Click on More Shapes, then

select Maps and Floor Plans
> Building Plan > Office
Furniture (Metric)
This Visio stencil will open in
the Shapes window

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To open a stencil:  Once you have opened a stencil, you can
1. Click on More Shapes select multiple shapes for placing onto a
2. Select Open Stencil to locate and open a page or into a custom stencil by clicking on
custom stencil the first shape, pressing and clicking on
or the additional shapes.
Select Template Category > Template to
open a Visio stencil

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 Microsoft Visio 2010 - Module 1

EDITING A STENCIL
Although you cannot edit Visio default stencils, in edit mode. After making the desired changes and
you can edit custom stencils as necessary. But saving them, you must remember to exit edit mode
before you can either add or remove shapes from so you don’t accidentally delete shapes from your
a custom stencil, you must first place the stencil stencil.

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Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file with
this exercise…

 Click on V502 Working With

Stencils to see the shapes in
this stencil

 Right-click on V502 Working

With Stencils and select Edit
Stencil
A red asterisk will appear in
the title bar indicating that the
stencil is in edit mode…

 Click on the Paper tray shape

and press to delete the
shape
Notice that the save icon has
now appeared…
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 Click on the Office Furniture
stencil to open it, then drag the
Round table shape up to the
V502 Working With Stencils
title bar and drop it in the
custom stencil when it opens
Now you must save the
changes and exit edit mode…

 Click on the save icon , then

right-click on V502 Working
With Stencils and select Edit
Stencil
The red asterisk will disappear
from the title bar indicating that
the stencil is no longer in edit
mode

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To edit a custom stencil:  You cannot edit Visio default stencils – that
1. Right-click on the stencil’s title bar and select is, you cannot remove or add shapes. But,
Edit Stencil you can relocate the shapes in the stencil by
2. Make the desired changes and click on the dragging them to a new location, such as into
save icon the Quick Shapes area at the top of the
3. Right-click on the stencil’s title bar and select stencil for shapes you regularly use.
Edit Stencil to turn off edit mode

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 Microsoft Visio 2010 - Module 1

CLOSING A STENCIL
Once you have finished using a specific stencil Being able to close unwanted stencils is particularly
for your drawing or perhaps while you are useful if you have quite a few open as this will
creating or editing a custom stencil, you can minimise the number of stencils that you need to
close it and remove it from the Shapes window. scan while looking for shapes for your drawing.

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Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file with
this exercise…

 Right-click on the Office

Furniture title bar

 Select Close
The Office Furniture stencil will
close…

 Repeat the above steps to

close the V502 Working With
Stencils stencil

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For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To close a stencil:  You cannot close the Quick Shapes stencil
1. Right-click on the stencil’s title bar as it is dynamically generated based upon
the stencils that are open in the Shapes
2. Select Close
window.

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 Microsoft Visio 2010 - Module 1

NOTES:

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