Special Edition Using Microsoft Visio 2002 is a comprehensive reference designed to explain intermediate to advanced level tasks that Visio users need to know to help create better looking and more communicative diagrams. Some topics included in this book are ShapeSheet manipulation, automation with VBA, Visio Object Model, depth of any specific stencil sets, advanced functions and features, and more. The book covers both the Standard and Professional versions of Visio, as well as Visio Enterprise network tools, an add-in for the Vision Professional version.

Keith A. Powell has many years of technology industry experience as well as authoring several books on the various software tools and operating system products that have been popular since the 1980s. He is a senior manager with KPMG Consulting in Chicago, and devotes the majority of his time working with the latest techniques surrounding the topics of e-Commerce architecture, strategy, security, and deployment. He and his long-time best friend and wife, Vannessa, spend much of their free time enjoying rollerblading and bike riding in the lakefront parks of Chicago. Keith can be reached with questions/comments anytime at ChicagoBooks@msn.com or kpowell@kpmg.com.

Introduction. Who Should Read This Book? How This Book Is Organized. Conventions Used in This Book. I. VISIO BASICS. 1. A Review of Visio 2002 Tools and Commands. What's New in Visio 2002? Exploring the Visio 2002 Interface. Understanding Stencils. Using Shapes to Create Basic Drawings. Understanding the Drawing Page. Drawing Tools. The Size & Position Window. Efficiency Shortcuts. 2. Inserting Objects Using Object Linking and Embedding. Understanding Object Linking and Embedding. Why Link or Embed? Differences Between Linking and Embedding to Visio. Considerations for When to Use Linking Versus Embedding. Inserting a New Object Using OLE Embedding. Inserting an Existing Object. 3. Understanding and Using Pages and Layers. Why Use Pages and Layers? Pages and Layers Defined. Inheritance and Inserted Pages. Understanding the Special Details. Creating and Editing Layers. Printing. 4. Making Drawings Interactive with Hyperlinks. What Is a Hyperlink?. Relative Versus Absolute Hyperlinks. On-Page and Off-Page Reference Shapes. Creating a Hyperlink. Following a Link. 5. Creating Custom Toolbars and Menus. The Customize Window. Using the Visio 2002 Toolbars. Creating a Custom Toolbar. Customizing and Creating Menus. Understanding Name and Accelerator Characters (Hotkeys). 6. Defining a Style in Visio 2002. Components of a Visio Style. Steps to Defining a New Style. A Few More Style Hints. 7. Finding the Right Shape Using Find Shape. What Is Find Shape? Using Find Shape. Searching for Files in Visio 2002. 8. Using Operations on the Shape Menu. Review of Drawing Tools. Characteristics of Open and Closed Shapes. Shape Operations. 9. Modifying Shape Behavior. Establishing Settings for Shape Behaviors Using the Behavior Tab. Establishing Settings for Selection Operations Using the Double-Click Tab. Establishing Settings for Interactions Between Shapes and Dynamic Connectors Using the Placement Tab. 10. Using Files and Setting Custom Properties. Understanding ShapeSheet Basics. Understanding Custom Properties. Adding Data to Existing Custom Properties. Defining New Custom Properties. Obtaining Reports Based on Custom Properties. 11. Editing and Creating Stencils. Editing an Existing Stencil. Creating New Masters. Working with Masters. Creating a New Stencil. Documenting a Stencil. 12. Creating a Custom Template. What Templates Are and How They Work. Template Components. When to Create a Template. Creating and Saving a Custom Template. II. USING THE VISIO WIZARDS AND KITS. 13. Creating and Maintaining Charts Using Macros. Creating Flowcharts Using the Import Flowchart Data Wizard. Creating Organization Charts Using the Organization Chart Wizard. Creating Gantt Charts and Timelines Using Wizards and Templates. 14. Using the Network Diagram Kits. Introducing the Network Diagram Kits. Using the Network Diagram Kits. Obtaining Additional Technical Resources for Visio 2002. 15. Linking a Drawing with an ODBC-Compliant Data Source. Linking a Drawing with an ODBC-Compliant Data Source. Exporting Data in a Drawing to a Linked ODBC-Compliant Data Source. Managing Changes to Drawings and Data Sources. Database Settings Overview. Database Refresh and Database Update Overview. III. USING VISIO 2002 TO INTERACT WITH DATA. 16. Using Visio 2002 As a Data Form. Creating Forms and Charts. Creating Charts and Graphs. Charting Shapes. Borders and Titles, and Backgrounds. Creating Marketing Charts and Diagrams. Marketing Shapes, Borders and Titles, and Backgrounds. Using Form Design. Creating a Unique Form Based on Your Requirements. 17. Exploring Data-Driven Shapes and Diagrams. Linking Diagrams with Data Sources. Requirements for Linking to Data Sources. Introducing the Linking Process and an Example. IV. THE SHAPESHEET. 18. Understanding Visio's Coordinate Systems. How Visio Represents Objects. Introducing the ShapeSheet. Viewing ShapeSheets. 19. Exploring the ShapeSheet. Understanding the ShapeSheet. The Relationship Between a Shape and Its ShapeSheet. Shape Transform Section. Connection Points Section. Geometry Section. Miscellaneous Section. Line Format Section. Fill Format Section. Character Section. Commentary on the ShapeSheet. 20. Developing Custom Solutions. Why Customize Visio? Basic Ways of Customizing Visio. Components of a Custom Solution. V. ADVANCED VISIO SOLUTIONS. 21. Using AutoDiscovery and Layout. Introducing the AutoDiscovery and Layout Tool. AutoDiscovery Requirements. Understanding AutoDiscovery and Its Limitations. Using the AutoDiscovery Toolbar. 22. Working with Other Network Solutions. Working with the Visio Network Equipment (VNE) Stencils. Using the Locate Network Equipment (LNE) Utility. Working with Logical Network Diagrams. 23. Using Visio Directory Services Solutions. Understanding Microsoft Active Directory Services (ADS). Diagramming an Existing Active Directory Network. Understanding Novell Directory Services (NDS). Understanding the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). Understanding LDIF. 24. Using Visio for UML Modeling. Introducing the Unified Modeling Language (UML). Using Visio 2002 for UML Modeling. Using the UML Model Explorer. Understanding the UML Packages. Working with UML Models. 25. Creating Database Models. Templates Available in the Database Solution. Creating a Database Model Using the Database Model Diagram Template. Updating a Database Model Diagram to Reflect Changes to a Related Existing Database. Generating a Physical Database from a Database Model Diagram. 26. Creating Information Technology Diagrams. Creating COM and OLE Diagrams. Creating Data Flow Model Diagrams. Creating Enterprise Architecture Diagrams. Creating Jackson Diagrams. Creating Program Structure Diagrams. Creating ROOM Diagrams. Comments on the UML Modeling Environment in Visio 2002 Professional. Creating Windows User Interface Diagrams. 27. Creating Process Flow Diagrams Using Visio's Flowchart Solution. Creating Audit Diagrams. Creating Basic Flowcharts. Creating Cause and Effect Diagrams. Creating Cross-Functional Flowcharts. Creating Mind Mapping Diagrams. Creating Total Quality Management Diagrams. Creating Work Flow Diagrams. Creating Data Flow Diagrams. Creating Process Charting Models Using the IDEF0 Diagram Solution. Creating Specification and Description Language Diagrams. VI. APPENDIXES. Appendix A. Visio 2002 Resources. Visio 2002 Resources. Additional Process Resources. Appendix B. Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts. Using Shortcuts. Quick Keyboard Actions Within Visio 2002. Appendix C. Visio File Types. Visio File Formats. XML File Formats. Import/Export File Formats. Chart Wizards. ODBC-Compliant Data Sources. Index.