Visio® 2007 For Dummies®

Chapter 6. Connecting Shapes

In This Chapter

• Discovering connectors and their functions

• Adding connection points to shapes

• Unraveling a sticky glue mystery

• Gluing connectors to a shape

• Working with connectors that cross paths

• Gluing shapes to shapes

This chapter helps you discover two important Visio features: connectors and glue. Connectors are lines that show the relationships between individual shapes. In some cases, such as a flowchart, you can't create a diagram without using connectors because the shapes alone can't convey your meaning. Glue ensures that connectors remain attached to a shape. Imagine trying to move shapes around and then having to redraw the connectors with every move. The relationship among glue, connectors, and shapes is a close one. After you understand how each one works, you're on your way to becoming a powerful Visio user.

Discovering Connectors

Connector is a term that's unique to Visio. The simple explanation is that connectors are lines between boxes. A connector is a special, one‐dimensional shape that you use to connect two‐dimensional shapes to one another. This technical definition allows for the fact that connectors are not always lines; they can also be one‐dimensional (1‐D) shapes such as arrows, arcs, hubs, and other specialized shapes (for example, an Ethernet cable) that connect two‐dimensional (2‐D) shapes to each other. Given that connectors are a type of shape, they also have properties that let you define the relationship between the connector ...