The following information has been provided by Microsoft and describes Visio
features that have been added to or improved in Microsoft Visio 2002.
Throughout, Visio 2002 is referred to as Visio 10, Microsoft's internal name for
the new release.
Microsoft Office Family Application
Visio 10 helps users work more efficiently through a familiar interface,
common functions, and interoperability features that make it a true member of
the Microsoft Office family.
Common look and feel.
The Visio 10 user interface features the new
Office 10 look. Menus include the same personalization options that make
Office applications easy to learn. Visio 10 also includes the Task Pane and
its Office Search feature.
Common functions.
Visio 10 shares common functions with Office as
well: Users can take advantage of built-in AutoCorrect features, use the same
keyboard shortcuts as Office applications, and use the familiar Office
spelling checker. And it’s easy to move among applications now that Visio 10
displays the same Open, Save, and Save As dialog boxes used in Office 10.
Plus, Visio 10 now provides built-in access to Clip Gallery Live.
Answer Wizard Help.
Visio 10 uses the same Help system as Office
applications. Users can easily get answers by typing their questions directly
into the Answer Wizard pane. Additional Web-based Answer Wizard topics provide
the latest information and assistance. In addition, the Help window now tiles
alongside the application so it won’t get in the way as users work in the
drawing page.
Reliability and data recovery tools.
Visio 10 includes the AutoRecover
feature, an automatic backup system that prevents loss of work and lets users
easily recover diagrams in the event of unexpected problems. For added
assurance and diagnostic help, Visio can automatically report application
errors to Microsoft.
In-place editing in Office applications
. In-place editing of Visio
documents within Office applications now exposes more of the tools available
in the Visio user interface, enabling users to more easily update and revise
diagrams from within Office documents.
Tight Web Integration
Visio 10 users get the right tools and information as they’re needed from
the Web. With product updates and solutions, detailed technical information, and
timely articles, Office Update and other Web sites help users easily stay
current and get more value from Visio 10.
Find Shape feature
. Users can extend their library of shapes without
waiting for the next product release. The Find Shape feature provides local
and Web-based shape storage and search capability, and links within Visio 10
provide quick access. Users can download shapes developed since the last
product release or new shapes provided by third parties. In addition, Visio
Network Center subscribers can use the Find Shape feature to search the Visio
Network Equipment library for manufacturer-specific network equipment shapes.
Save as Web page
. Users can publish Visio diagrams as Web pages
complete with a property view that displays custom property data for shapes.
Shapes can even display multiple hyperlinks for enhanced navigation
capabilities. In addition, diagrams feature more accurate hyperlink
positioning when converted to HTML, and Visio files can be converted to Web
pages in batches.
Automatic application updates
. Users no longer need to wonder if they
have the latest Visio technology. Just like Office applications, Visio 10
includes built-in Web access to the AutoUpdate utility. It analyzes their
Visio installation and recommends needed updates, making them immediately
available for users to download and install.
Office on the Web.
The Office on the Web site provides continually
updated information, tips and tricks, product updates, and add-on solutions
that help business users increase their productivity while using Visio 10.
Online technical resources
: Visio
10 users have access to technical articles through familiar Microsoft resources,
such as MSDN, TechNet, and the Microsoft Knowledge Base.
Sharper-looking Diagrams
Visio 10 enables users to create sharper-looking diagrams than ever before
through enhanced graphics, text, and color, as well as integration with tools
that enable users to import and manipulate images from other sources.
Smoother graphics and text.
Diagrams created in Visio 10 feature smoother-looking lines and text. Gradient
fills also appear clearer than in previous versions. Diagrams display higher
fidelity within Visio and when exported to other graphics formats or to the
Web.
Richer color.
Visio 10 provides a
rich color diagramming environment that supports over 16 million colors per
document.
Transparency support.
Users can
add transparent objects to diagrams to add depth to diagrams and create more
realistic effects. For example, shadows now allow backgrounds to show through.
Media Gallery Integration.
Easily
annotate and add pizzazz to diagrams with images, sounds, and videos selected
from tens of thousands of media items available through the Microsoft Media
Gallery.
Scanner/digital camera interface.
Enhance Visio diagrams by importing scanned images or digital photos.
Photo editing tools.
Visio 10
allows users to crop or group, or change the fill, border, shadow, or
transparency of an imported graphic using the same photo editing tools
featured in Office.
Improved deployment and maintenance
New and improved features make Visio 10 straightforward for organizations to
deploy and maintain.
Full Windows Installer technology.
Like Office, Visio 10 can be deployed using Windows Installer technology.
Windows Installer simplifies desktop management. End users can install
additional Visio features on demand—features are added only as needed or as
disk space allows. IT administrators can use Install on Demand to determine
which features to deploy to different groups of users, thus improving
manageability. In addition, the self-repair feature reduces support costs—Visio
10 detects and fixes missing or corrupt files, so users don’t waste time
troubleshooting.
Custom Install Wizard.
Visio 10
uses the Office installation wizard, which provides control over customized
installations, including silent and unattended installations.
SMS-based deployment.
Systems
Manager Server (SMS) support simplifies installation. Organizations can create
packages for automatic deployment to specified user groups on the local network
and at remote sites.
Secure Windows environment support.
System administrators can more effectively install and run Visio 10 in a secure
Windows environment. Features such as install on demand and detect and repair
are now accessible to users without local administrator privileges. Multiple,
concurrent users will experience faster performance and a more intuitive
interface thanks to improved Terminal Server support.
Visio Resource Kit.
This
Web-based tool guides administrators through specific scenarios to ease
deployment efforts.
Productivity improvements
Visio 10 features several enhancements such as improved
property reporting and database connectivity, more powerful Find capabilities,
and a streamlined work environment to help users work more efficiently and
effectively.
Property reporting.
A single,
consistent property report wizard in Visio 10 replaces seven separate property
reporting tools from Visio 2000. The new wizard features a consistent user
interface and functionality, while providing diagram-specific reports. Users
can use standard or customized report formats to export a wide range of
diagram information to an XML file, Web page, Visio table shape, text file,
Excel spreadsheet, Access database, or any ODBC-compliant data source.
Auto-hide window docking.
Multiple auto-hide windows such as Pan and Zoom, Custom Properties, and
Drawing Explorer can now be docked in the stencil area and are organized using
page tabs, freeing work space and providing an unobstructed view of the
diagram.
Enhanced Find capabilities.
The
Visio 10 Find command allows users to search within custom properties, shape
names, and user-defined cells in addition to shape text.
Improved Database Wizard.
Visio
10 consolidates the multiple steps of the Visio 2000 database wizard into a
single dialog, providing clearer options for establishing connectivity between
shapes and ODBC-compliant data sources.
Customization
Developers gain greater flexibility in creating custom Visio
applications through support for a new XML file format, an extended object
model, and COM add-ins.
Extended object model.
Over 70
new automation methods provide access to more Visio diagram data.
COM add-in support.
Visio 10
enables developers to extend and enhance Visio programmatically through COM
add-ins.
Digital signatures for VBA projects.
Support for digital signatures enables users to choose whether to enable
macros when opening a Visio document .
XML file format.
The new Visio 10
XML file format enables interoperability with other XML-enabled applications
and facilitates storage and exchange of diagram-based information, including
data not associated with a page or shape.
Built-in VBA 6.3.
Developers can
extend and enhance Visio 10 functionality using built-in VBA 6.3.
Developing Visio Solutions.
This
helpful guide provides resources, including sample files, for developing
custom Visio solutions and is now available on the Microsoft Developer Center
at http://msdn.microsoft.com/visio.
