The creation of text documents in the Word editor is not limited to just a set of the texts themselves. Very often you have to insert formulas, images and diagrams into documents. Many texts are also supplied with explanatory flowcharts, for which the Word contains all the necessary tools. With their help, you can quite easily and quickly create diagrams and flowcharts of almost any degree of complexity.
Let's consider the basics of working with schemes in a Word using a relatively simple example.
- Go to the tool for creating and editing circuits. For this in the section Insert click the button Shapes.
- As a result of pressing the button, you will see all the tools available for work, divided into main groups: lines, basic shapes, curly arrows, flowchart elements, leaders, stars and ribbons.
- Suppose you need to create the circuit shown in the figure below.
- We begin to build the scheme by creating the top block. To do this, select a rectangle in the main shapes and add it to the page. The rectangle and other shapes can always be resized by dragging their sides at the control points.
- Now we need to add text to the rectangle. To do this, right-click on the rectangle and in the menu that appears, select Add text.
- Enter the required text.
- Create all other caption blocks in the same way.
- Now we need to show the links between the blocks. This can be done using arrows and lines. Select the Lines tool in the shapes and use them to consistently connect the upper block with all the lower ones.
- The circuit is ready. You can refine it by adding a special color scheme to the blocks. To do this, whiten the desired block, go to the section Format and assign the selected style to the block.
- This completes the creation of the flowchart.
MS Word is, first of all, a text editor, however, you can draw in this program too. Of course, you should not expect such opportunities and convenience in work, as in specialized programs originally intended for drawing and working with graphics. Nevertheless, a standard set of tools will be sufficient for solving basic tasks.
Before considering how to draw a drawing in Word, it should be noted that drawing in this program can be done in two different ways. The first is by hand, similar to how it happens in Paint, though a little easier. The second method is drawing from templates, that is, using template shapes. You won't find an abundance of pencils and brushes, color palettes, markers and other tools in the brainchild of Microsoft, but it is still quite possible to create a simple drawing here.
Microsoft Word has a set of drawing tools that are similar to the standard Paint integrated into Windows. It is noteworthy that many users do not even know about the existence of these tools. The thing is that the tab with them is not displayed on the program's quick access panel by default. Therefore, before we start drawing in Word, we have to display this tab.
1. Open the menu "File" and go to section "Options".
2. In the window that opens, select "Customize Ribbon".
3. In the section "Main Tabs" check the box next to "Painting".
4. Click "OK"for the changes you made to take effect.
After closing the window "Options" a tab appears on the Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Word "Painting"... We will consider all the tools and capabilities of this tab below.
Drawing tools
In the tab "Painting" in Word, you can see all the tools with which you can draw in this program. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
Tools
There are three tools in this group, without which drawing is simply impossible.
Choose: allows you to point to an already drawn object located on the document page.
Draw with your finger: intended primarily for touch screens, but can also be used on conventional ones. In this case, instead of a finger, the cursor pointer will be used - everything is like in Paint and other similar programs.
Note: If you need to change the color of the brush you are painting with, you can do this in the adjacent group of tools - "Feathers"by pressing the button "Colour".
Eraser: this tool allows you to erase (delete) an object or part of it.
Feathers
In this group, you can choose one of the many available pens, which differ primarily in line type. By clicking on the "More" button located in the lower right corner of the style window, you can see a preview of each available nib.
There are tools next to the style window "Colour" and "Thickness", allowing you to select the color and thickness of the pen, respectively.
Convert
The tools in this group are not really intended for drawing, if not at all for these purposes.
Freehand editing:allows you to edit documents with a stylus. Using this tool, you can manually trace sections of text, underline words and phrases, indicate errors, draw directional arrows, and more.
Convert to Shapes:once you sketch a shape, you can convert it from a drawing to an object that can be moved around the page, you can resize it and perform all the manipulations that are applicable to other drawn shapes.
To convert a sketch into a shape (object), you just need to point to the drawn element using the tool "Choose"and then press the button Convert to Shapes.
Handwritten excerpt in math expression: we have already written about how to add math formulas and equations in Word. With this tool group "Convert" you can write in this formula a symbol or sign that is not in the standard set of the program.
Playback
By drawing or writing something with a pen, you can enable visual reproduction of this process. All it takes is to press a button Handwriting Playbacklocated in the group "Playback" on the Quick Access Toolbar.
Actually, this could have ended, since we examined all the tools and capabilities of the tab "Painting" Microsoft Word programs. But you can draw in this editor not only by hand, but also according to templates, that is, using ready-made shapes and objects for this.
On the one hand, this approach may be limited in terms of possibilities, on the other hand, it provides a much wider choice of tools for editing and decorating the created drawings. For more information on how to draw shapes in Word and draw with shapes, read below.
Drawing with shapes
It is almost impossible to create a drawing of any shape, with fillets, variegated colors with smooth transitions, shades and other details. True, often such a serious approach is not required. Simply put, don't put high demands on Word - it's not a graphics editor.
Adding a drawing area
1. Open the document in which you want to draw a picture, and go to the tab "Insert".
2. In the illustration group, click the button "Shapes".
3. In the drop-down menu with available shapes, select the last item: "New canvas".
4. A rectangular area appears on the page, in which you can start drawing.
If necessary, resize the drawing box. To do this, pull in the desired direction on one of the markers located on its border.
Drawing tools
Immediately after adding a new canvas to the page, a tab will open in the document "Format", which will contain the main tools for drawing. Let's consider in detail each of the groups presented on the quick access panel.
Insert shapes
"Shapes" - by clicking on this button, you will see a large list of shapes that can be added to the page. All of them are divided into thematic groups, the name of each of which speaks for itself. Here you will find:
- Lines;
- Rectangles;
- Basic shapes;
- Curly arrows;
- Shapes for equations;
- Block diagrams;
- Stars;
- Callouts.
Select the appropriate shape type and draw it by setting the start point with the left mouse click. Without releasing the button, specify the end point of the shape (if it is a straight line) or the area that it should occupy. Then release the left mouse button.
Change Shape - by selecting the first item in the menu of this button, you can literally change the shape, that is, instead of one draw another. The second item in the menu of this button is "Start changing nodes"... By selecting it, you can change the nodes, that is, the anchor points of specific places of the shape (in our example, these are the outer and inner corners of the rectangle.
"Add an inscription" - this button allows you to add a text field and enter text into it. The field is added in the place you specified, however, if necessary, it can be freely moved around the page. We recommend that you first make the field and its edges transparent. For more details on how to work with a text field and what you can do with it, you can read our article.
Shape styles
With the help of the tools of this group, you can change the appearance of the drawn shape, its style, texture.
After choosing the appropriate option, you can change the shape outline color and fill color.
To do this, select the appropriate colors in the drop-down menu of buttons Shape Fill and "Shape outline"to the right of the preset shape styles window.
Note: If the standard colors do not suit you, you can change them using the parameter "Other colors"... Also, you can choose a gradient or texture as the fill color. In the "Outline color" button menu, you can adjust the line thickness.
Shape Effects Is a tool with which you can further change the appearance of a shape by choosing one of the proposed effects. Among those:
- Shadow;
- Reflection;
- Backlight;
- Smoothing;
- Relief;
- Turn.
Note:Parameter "Turn" is available only for 3-D shapes, some of the effects from the above sections are also available only for shapes of a certain type.
WordArt styles
The effects in this section apply exclusively to text added to the item using the button "Adding an inscription"located in the group "Insert Shape".
Text
Similar to WordArt styles, effects are applied exclusively to text.
To arrange
The tools in this group are designed to change the position of the shape, align it, rotate it and other similar manipulations.
The rotation of the figure is performed in the same way as the rotation of the figure - by a template, strictly specified or arbitrary value. That is, you can choose a standard rotation angle, specify your own, or simply rotate the shape by pulling the circular arrow located directly above it.
In addition, using this section, you can superimpose one shape on top of another, just like you can do with pictures.
In the same section, you can wrap text around a shape, or group two or more shapes.
Lessons on working with Word:
Note: Group Tools "Arrange" in the case of working with figures, they are absolutely identical to those when working with drawings, with their help you can perform exactly the same manipulations.
The size
There is only one possibility of a single tool of this group - changing the size of the figure and the field in which it is located. Here you can set the exact value for the width and height in centimeters or change it step by step using the arrows.
In addition, the size of the box, as well as the size of the shape, can be changed manually using the markers located along the contour of their borders.
Note: To exit drawing mode, press "ESC" or click with the left mouse button in an empty place in the document. To return to editing and open a tab "Format", double-click the picture / shape.
That, in fact, is all, from this article you learned how to draw in Word. Do not forget that this program is primarily a text editor, so you should not assign too serious tasks to it. Use specialized software for such purposes - graphic editors.
We are increasingly using computers and virtual instruments. Now you don't always want to draw diagrams on paper - it is long, not always beautiful and difficult to correct. In addition, a program for drawing circuits can produce a list of necessary elements, simulate a printed circuit board, and some can even calculate the results of its work.
Free software for creating circuits
There are many good free programs for drawing electrical circuits on the network. Their functionality may not be enough for professionals, but to create a power supply scheme for a house or apartment, their functions and operations are enough. Not all of them are equally convenient, there are difficult to learn, but you can find several free programs for drawing electrical circuits that anyone can use, so simple and intuitive interface is in them.
The easiest option is to use the standard Windows Paint program, which is available on almost any computer. But in this case, you will have to draw all the elements yourself. A special program for drawing diagrams allows you to insert ready-made elements into the desired places, and then connect them using communication lines. Let's talk about these programs further.
Free software for drawing diagrams doesn't mean bad. In this photo, working with Fritzing
The program for drawing diagrams QElectroTech is in Russian, and it is completely Russified - the menu, explanations - in Russian. Convenient and intuitive interface - a hierarchical menu with possible elements and operations on the left side of the screen and several tabs at the top. There are also shortcut buttons for performing standard operations - saving, printing, etc.
There is an extensive list of ready-made elements, it is possible to draw geometric shapes, insert text, make changes in a certain area, change the direction in some particular fragment, add rows and columns. In general, the program is quite convenient with the help of which it is easy to draw a power supply diagram, put down the names of elements and ratings. The result can be saved in several formats: JPG, PNG, BMP, SVG, data can be imported (opened in this program) in QET and XML formats, and exported in QET format.
The disadvantage of this program for drawing diagrams is the lack of a video in Russian on how to use it, but there are a considerable number of lessons in other languages.
Microsoft Graphics Editor - Visio
For those who have at least a little experience working with Microsoft products, it will be easy to master the work in the Visio graphic editor (Visio). This product also has a fully Russified version with a good level of translation.
This product allows you to draw a diagram to scale, which is useful for calculating the number of wires needed. A large library of stencils with symbols, various components of the circuit, makes the work similar to assembling a constructor: you need to find the desired element and put it in place. Since many are accustomed to working in programs of this type, the search is not difficult.
The positive aspects include the presence of a decent number of lessons on working with this program for drawing diagrams, and in Russian.
Compass Electric
Another program for drawing circuits on a computer is Compass Electric. This is a more serious product used by professionals. There is a wide functionality that allows you to draw various plans, flowcharts, and other similar drawings. When transferring the circuit to the program, a specification and a wiring diagram are formed in parallel and they are printed out.
To get started, you need to load the library with system elements. When you select a schematic image of one or another element, a window will "pop up", in which there will be a list of suitable parts taken from the library. A suitable element is selected from this list, after which its schematic image appears in the specified place of the circuit. At the same time, the designation corresponding to GOST is automatically affixed with continuous numbering (the program changes the numbers itself). At the same time, the parameters (name, number, value) of the selected element appear in the specification.
In general, the program is interesting and useful for developing device circuits. It can be used to create a wiring diagram in a house or apartment, but in this case, its functionality will hardly be used. And one more positive point: there are many video tutorials on working with Compass-Electric, so it will not be difficult to master it.
DipTrace program - for drawing single line diagrams and schematic
This program is useful not only for drawing power supply diagrams - everything is simple here, since only a diagram is needed. It is more useful for board development, as it has a built-in function for converting an existing circuit into a trace for a printed circuit board.
To get started, as in many other cases, you must first load the libraries with the element base available on your computer. To do this, you need to launch the Schematic DT application, after which you can download the libraries. They can be downloaded from the same resource where you will take the program.
After loading the library, you can start drawing the diagram. First, you can drag and drop the necessary elements from the libraries onto the working area, unfold them (if necessary), arrange and connect with communication lines. After the circuit is ready, if necessary, select the line "convert to board" in the menu and wait for a while. The output will be a finished printed circuit board with the arrangement of elements and tracks. You can also see the appearance of the finished board in 3D.
Free program ProfiCAD for drawing up wiring diagrams
The free program for drawing schemes ProfiCAD is one of the best options for the home craftsman. It is easy to use, does not require special libraries on the computer - it already has about 700 elements. If they are not enough, you can easily replenish the base. The required element can be simply "dragged" onto the field, deployed there in the desired direction, and installed.
After drawing the diagram, you can get the net table, bill of materials, wire list. Results can be obtained in one of the four most common formats: PNG, EMF, BMP, DXF. A nice feature of this program is that it has low hardware requirements. It works fine with systems from Windows 2000 and up.
This product has only one drawback - so far there is no video about working with it in Russian. But the interface is so clear that you can figure it out yourself, or watch one of the "imported" videos to understand the mechanics of work.
If you find yourself using a schematic drawing program frequently, some paid versions are worth considering. Why are they better? They have broader functionality, sometimes more extensive libraries and a more sophisticated interface.
Simple and convenient sPlan
If you don't really want to deal with the intricacies of working with multilevel programs, take a look at the sPlan product. It has a very simple and intuitive device, so after an hour and a half of work you will be free to navigate.
As usual in such programs, a library of elements is needed, after the first start they must be loaded before starting work. In the future, if you do not move the library to another location, the setting is not needed - the old path to it is used by default.
If you need an element that is not in the list, you can draw it, then add it to the library. It is also possible to insert extraneous images and save them, if necessary, in the library.
Other useful and necessary functions are auto-numbering, the ability to change the scale of an element by rotating the mouse wheel, a ruler for more understandable scaling. In general, a pleasant and useful thing.
Micro-Cap
This program, in addition to building any type of circuit (analog, digital or mixed), also allows you to analyze its operation. You set the initial parameters and get the output. That is, it is possible to simulate the operation of the circuit under various conditions. This is a very useful opportunity, because, probably, teachers and students love it very much.
Micro-Cap has built-in libraries that can be updated using a special function. When drawing an electrical diagram, the product automatically develops circuit equations, and also calculates depending on the given ratings. When the denomination is changed, the output parameters change immediately.
Software for drawing power supply circuits and more - more for simulating their work
Element ratings can be constant or variable, depending on various factors - temperature, time, frequency, the state of some circuit elements, etc. All these options are calculated, the results are presented in a convenient form. If there are parts in the diagram that change their appearance or state - LEDs, relays - when simulating work, they change their parameters and appearance thanks to animation.
The program for drawing and analyzing Micro-Cap circuits is paid, in the original - English, but there is also a Russian version. Its cost in the professional version is more than a thousand dollars. The good news is that there is also a free version, as usual with reduced capabilities (smaller library, no more than 50 elements in the circuit, reduced speed). For home use, this option is also quite suitable. It's also nice that it works fine with any Windows system from Vista and 7 and up.
Working in a Word document with text, you may come across pictures, diagrams, drawings. By inserting various objects into the text, it becomes more visual, and the one who reads it perceives information better.
In this article, we will look at two ways that you can create a diagram in a text editor MS Word - a SmartArt graphic and inserting regular Shapes. I will show it in Word 2010, but these screenshots are also suitable if you have Word 2007, 2013 or 2016 installed.
The site already has articles: how to add a drawing to the Word, and how to make a graph in the Word. By clicking on the links, you can read them and make your document interesting and more informative.
How to draw diagrams with SmartArt
The outline is added to a word processor by inserting a SmartArt graphic into the document. To do this, go to the tab and in the "Illustrations" group click on the "SmartArt" button.
A window like this will appear. In it, you need to choose the appropriate drawing. On the left, click on the section, in the example "Hierarchy", and select one of the proposed pictures. On the right is a preview area, see how it looks and what it is best for.
Now let's start placing the blocks. You can delete unnecessary ones by selecting it with the mouse and pressing the "Delete" button. Thus, remove all unnecessary rectangles.
Next, you need to add blocks. Select the one under which you want to insert additional, and on the tab Add Shape, in the list, click on the item "Add shape below".
After that, select the top rectangle again and add another one below. Here you can choose to add the desired object above the selected block, in front of it, or behind it.
After you do the previous point, you need to type the text. Select the schematic area and in the tab Working with SmartArt Graphics - "Constructor" click on the button "Text area"... Or, on the left border, click on the button with two small arrows.
A small window will open on the side. In it you need to enter text for each of the blocks. Here the markers indicate the levels, and by clicking opposite the marker you can see where the text will be written.
Write in front of each marker what text should be in which object.
When everything is filled in, the window for adding text can be closed by clicking on the cross in it.
Now you can work on the appearance of the circuit itself. To do this, select it and go to the tab Working with SmartArt Graphics - "Constructor". You can choose any other style in the SmartArt Styles group.
You can also "Change colors" schemes by clicking on the corresponding button.
If the selected view does not suit you, you can change it in the appropriate group. Hover over any of the suggested layouts to see how your diagram will look. If this layout fits better, click on it to select.
By going to the tab Working with SmartArt Graphics - "Format" can change any shape or text. For example, select a shape, click Change Shape and click on any other from the proposed list. For each, you can change the fill, outline, or add an effect.
Likewise for the text, select it and you can apply one of the ready-made styles, change the fill, outline or add an effect.
As a result, I got the following scheme.
How to draw an arrow diagram using Shapes
You can make diagrams in Word in another way, without using ready-made templates, but create it by inserting suitable shapes into the document.
To do this, open the tab, click on the "Shapes" button and click on the one you need from the list, it can be an oval, rectangle, rhombus and more.
After that, the cursor will change from a stick to a plus sign. Use it to draw a shape in the desired place on the document. Then you will have a tab "Drawing Tools" - "Format". On it again click on the "Shapes" button and click on the desired one in the list. Add them all this way.
If you have drawn an object on a sheet and you need to move it a little, then you can do this with the mouse, grabbing it beyond its border. Or select it, hold down the "Ctrl" key and move it using the arrows on the keyboard.
Next, let's connect the blocks with straight lines or arrows. Highlight one to open a tab "Drawing Tools" - "Format". Then click "Shapes" and from the drop-down list click, for example, on the arrow. Draw an arrow so that it points directly to the block itself. You can connect multiple arrows using a straight line.
You can read more about how to make arrows in Word in the article by clicking on the link.
To draw a straight horizontal or vertical line by drawing an arrow, press and hold the Shift key.
Using a straight line and an arrow, I was able to draw a diagram like this.
Now let's change the appearance of the arrows. Select them in turn, and for each you can choose one of the ready-made styles, or click "Shape Outline" and choose the color, arrow thickness and so on yourself.
By clicking "Shape Effects" you can add one of the suggested effects. I chose a shadow.
Having drawn and changed the appearance of all arrows, go to the text. Select one rectangle and on the tab "Drawing Tools" - "Format" click on the button "Draw an inscription"... A plus sign appears instead of the cursor. Draw them a rectangle for the inscription in the desired block.
As you can see, the text box is filled with white and has an outline. Let's clean it up. Click on it and on the tab "Drawing Tools" - "Format" choose Shape Fill - "No fill".
We repeat the same for the outline: "Shape outline" - "No outline". Do this for all text boxes.
The next step is formatting the written text. Select the text and on the Home tab select the font, size, color and place it in the center.
So, we changed the appearance of the arrows and the text in the diagram, it remains to work with the blocks. Select any of them with the mouse by clicking on it - the tab will open "Drawing Tools" - "Format". In the Shape Styles group, click on the one you like. Or use the Fill, Contour and Effects buttons to make any look that suits you best.
If, having drawn a diagram, you notice that you need to change one of the blocks, for example, a rectangle for a rhombus, then you do not need to delete it and draw a rhombus, you can simply replace it. Select the rectangle, for example, go to the tab "Drawing Tools" - "Format" and click on the button that shows a line with markers. Select from the list that opens Change Shape and indicate which one to insert.
The Microsoft Word text editor contains all the necessary tools for creating diagrams directly in the documents themselves. The main tools for creating diagrams in Word are vector shapes and SmartArt objects. With their help, with a minimum amount of settings and time consumption, you can create diagrams of almost any complexity and adapt them in accordance with the needs and tasks that the created document solves. Let's consider the use of these tools by examples.
How to make a diagram in Word using SmartArt objectsSmartArt objects are ideal for building small, common logic diagrams. To use them to make a diagram in Word, follow these steps.
- Open the document in which you will create the diagram and go to the section Insert in the main menu of the text editor.
- Double click on the button SmartArt and in the window that opens, select a template suitable for the scheme. We have selected a hierarchical block list as an example. Click the button OK to insert a template into the page.
- Let's edit the template to match the planned scheme and add signature blocks. To do this, click the button with the inscription Text area from tab Constructor or just left-click on the schematic area.
- A window will appear in which you can edit the scheme as a text list, changing the structure due to the multilevel organization of the list and add inscriptions to the blocks, which will become the lines of the list.
To begin with, we will bring the structure of the circuit to the intended one. As a result, we will need to create the following schema.
- Delete all lines from the list except the first. In this case, only the first initial block will remain on the diagram.
- Using line feeds with the key Enter and changing the nesting levels of the list with the key Tab let's modify the list in accordance with our goal. To make it clearer for yourself, you can remember that the keyboard shortcut Enter+Tab will add blocks in the vertical direction, and the key Enter - horizontally. As a result of the changes, we get the following template.
- All that remains is to add labels and get a ready-made scheme. If necessary, you can always change the color template of the entire scheme and fine-tune the parameters of the shapes included in it, such as fill, line colors, characteristics of shadows, shapes and shape rotation, etc.
How to create a diagram in Word using shapes
We talked about how to create diagrams in Word using vector shapes on the pages of our site in the corresponding article. We will not repeat ourselves and suggest that you familiarize yourself with the materials of the article, in which an example of working with shapes is considered in sufficient detail and the necessary illustrations are provided.
At first, it may seem difficult for you to create schemes in Word, but with a little practice and experimentation, you will master all its nuances and will be able to create schemes of any complexity.
