Use the shapes window to organize and find shapes

The Shapes window organizes shapes and provides ways for you to find more shapes. Shapes are organized in stencils. Every diagram template includes one or more stencils with shapes that are relevant to the diagram type.

Newer versions 2010

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What are stencils?

Stencils contain collections of related shapes. For example, in a workflow template there is a stencil that contains all the work flow shapes, another that contains work flow steps, and a stencil with a collection of arrow shapes to indicate direction. In a home planning template, there is a stencil for walls, one for furniture, one for garden accessories, and so on.

Stencils are stacked one over the other in the Shapes window. The shapes from only one stencil at a time are displayed. To see the shapes for a stencil, click the stencil's title bar.

The title bars always stay at the top of the Shapes window, but if there are several, they can be hidden to leave room to display the shapes. If stencil title bars are hidden, a scroll bar appears next to the title bars so you can scroll through them.

You can extend the title bar area to show more of the title bars by clicking the border between the titles and the shapes, dragging it downward, and releasing the mouse button when the border is where you want it.

Browse and search for more shapes

Any stencil can be opened in any diagram, even diagrams not based on templates that include the stencil by default. You can browse all the available templates from the Shapes window.

To browse for more shapes

1. In the Shapes window, click More Shapes.

   A menu opens that shows categories that are similar to the template categories.

   1. 

   2. Point to a category, browse the stencils in that category, and click the shapes that you want to open in your diagram.

   3. To close the menu, click an empty area of your drawing.

   To search for more shapes on your computer

   1. At the top of the Shapes window, click Search.

      

   2. Type search terms in the Search shapes box.

   Note: If you don't see the Search at the top of the Shapes window, click More Shapes, and in the menu that opens, click Search for Shapes.

   Minimize the Shapes window to leave more room for the diagram or drawing

   You can gain some additional space for your diagram or drawing by closing the Shapes window when you do not want to see its contents.

   Even with the Shapes window minimized, you can drag shapes onto your diagram or drawing, as well as change stencils and browse for more stencils by clicking the Stencil icon ( ) at the top of the minimized window.

   To minimize the Shapes window

   • Click the Minimize the Shapes window arrow (<) in the upper corner of the Shapes window.

     

     The window is minimized to a single vertical row of shapes.

   To expand the Shapes window

   • Click the Expand the Shapes window arrow (>) at the top of the window.

     

What are stencils?

Stencils contain a collection of related shapes. For example, in a workflow template there is a stencil that contains all the work flow object shapes, another that contains work flow steps, and a stencil with a collection of arrow shapes to indicate direction. In a home planning template, there is a stencil for walls, one for furniture, one for garden accessories, and so on.

Stencils are stacked one over the other in the Shapes window. The shapes from only one stencil at a time are displayed. To see the shapes for a stencil, click the stencil's title bar. The title bars always stay at the top of the Shapes window, but if there are several, they can be hidden to leave room to display the shapes. If stencil title bars are hidden, a scroll bar appears next to the title bars so you can scroll through them.

You can extend the title bar area to show all the title bars by grabbing the border between the titles and the shapes and dragging it down.

Browse for more shapes

Any stencil can be opened in any diagram, even diagrams not based on templates that include the stencil by default. You can browse all the available templates from the Shapes window.

1. In the Shapes window, click the More Shapes title bar.

   A menu opens that shows categories that are similar to the template categories.

2. Point to a category, then browse the stencils in the category and click to open one in your diagram.

   

Search for more shapes on your computer

By default, the Search for Shapes box is hidden to leave room to display shapes. Open the Search for Shapes box to search your computer for specific shapes instead of browsing through the stencils.

1. In the Shapes window, click More Shapes.

2. Click Search for Shapes.

   The Search for Shapes box opens at the top of the Shapes window.

   

3. Type a shape name or keyword in the box and press ENTER.

Note: The Windows Search service must be running to use Search for Shapes. This Windows service is always on by default, but if you have trouble using Search for Shapes, the Windows Search service might have been stopped on your computer.

Search for more shapes on the Internet

1. In the Shapes window, click More Shapes.

2. Click Find Shapes Online.

A browser opens and displays a page where you can search for shapes online.

Minimize the Shapes window to make more diagraming room

• Click the Minimize the Shapes window arrow in the upper corner of the Shapes window.

The window is minimized to a single vertical row of shapes.

You can still drag shapes out of the window, and even change stencils or browse for more stencils by clicking the Stencil icon at the top of the minimized window.

To open the window to full size, click the Expand the Shapes window arrow at the top of the window.