Flowcharts

**learned** · 02 January 2007, 08:48 PM

I'd love to be able to use Xara for some simple but publishable flowchart diagrams. I'm totally new to Xara, but from what I've seen so far, I love it's feature set.

In looking thru the archive, it appears other people have wanted to do the same thing. Just curious if anyone has created the basic shapes required. I'm coming from non-vector drawing programs and just starting to learn xara so I was hoping not to have to reinvent the wheel on all of them.

Failing that, are there any good tutorials for combining objects to create basic shapes such as a disk or print symbol?

Thanks
A New Xara User
Ed

**gwpriester** · 03 January 2007, 01:20 AM

Once you make the basic shapes, and they are all very basic, you could create a custom clipart folder (like the one covered in Workbook 43 in which to save these shapes. Then when you want to create your flowchart, you can drag and drop the symbols from the gallery onto your chart.

Or you can create a page with all your symbols and drag and duplicate the symbols as needed (drag and right click to drop a duplicate). You can save the page as a template then open the template from the File > New... menu option.

Gary

**WolfMoonHP** · 03 January 2007, 03:17 PM

Flow charts are great educational tools, and I use them a lot in some of the classes I teach. Never thought of doint them in XtremePro, but sounds like a great idea.

Are you planning basic flow charts, electronic charts, or some other specialized chart types?
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Will

**tomcat** · 03 January 2007, 03:49 PM

If you have Microsoft Office in Version 2003 you can use the AutoShapes. There are a lot pedefined ones like Arrows, Flowchart-Symbols and so on.

Just draw one, right-click it and choose save as image. Choose WMF. Import this shapes in Xara, ungroup them and you can change them as you like.
This works with most of the Images in the Office-Clipart-Galery as well.

**WolfMoonHP** · 03 January 2007, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by tomcat

If you have Microsoft Office in Version 2003 you can use the AutoShapes. There are a lot pedefined ones like Arrows, Flowchart-Symbols and so on.

Just draw one, right-click it and choose save as image. Choose WMF. Import this shapes in Xara, ungroup them and you can change them as you like.
This works with most of the Images in the Office-Clipart-Galery as well.

Tom...You just gave me one of those forehead slapping moments! Can't believe I never thought of that!
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Will

**tomcat** · 03 January 2007, 04:21 PM

Will, if you have Visio, you have much more shapes as you ever will need. Hundreds of them in good quality. If you don't have it, get the trial version.

Originally Posted by WolfMoonHP

Tom...You just gave me one of those forehead slapping moments! Can't believe I never thought of that!

That's what forums are for. Greetz.

**molucca** · 03 January 2007, 04:44 PM

Years ago, I used autoshapes. Generally, in PP they are not too editable. I placed them into AS and exploded them. Then saved to WMF for PP. In that way, they were more editable. PP cannot draw shapes with holes, or at least it couldn't then. It could use them, however. So, this may give more capability in each application.

Rich

**tomcat** · 03 January 2007, 05:18 PM

You're right, Rich. The quality of the MS shapes is not impressive...
But, making holes in a shape is no problem within Xara, I think. So it works for simple shapes.

BTW: what is AS??

**Egg Bramhill** · 03 January 2007, 10:00 PM

Here's one I started on and went no further. It's for circuit board diagrams. the idea was that you opened up the xar file with the named objects and a file in which you wanted to draw a circuit board. In the first file you opened the name folder and selected the required component that was then automaticaly selected on the page. You copied it and posted it to your new circuit diagram xar file.

I never finished it because I got bored and I have absolutely no need to create circuit diagrams. However in the hope that it might stir others to develop the idea, I attach the uncompleted xar file. Only the left hand columns are currently named.

**learned** · 03 January 2007, 10:25 PM

Very slick! Thanks, it worked like a charm to get the shapes I need. Tweaking them as needed is a piece of cake once in Xara. My hat's off to you.

Now to see if I can do that with SmartDraw stencils too.

Originally Posted by tomcat

If you have Microsoft Office in Version 2003 you can use the AutoShapes. There are a lot pedefined ones like Arrows, Flowchart-Symbols and so on.

Just draw one, right-click it and choose save as image. Choose WMF. Import this shapes in Xara, ungroup them and you can change them as you like.
This works with most of the Images in the Office-Clipart-Galery as well.