Can I create my own autoshapes and add them to the drawing menu?

[John]

I have some very simple electronic symbols (resistor, capacitor, coil, etc.)
which I want to use over and over again. I would like to draw them myself,
define them as autoshapes and add them to the drawing menu or make them
easily available in another way in the Word drawing mode. Who can help me?
Thanks, John.

 

[Graham Mayor]

I would create them as graphics and save as autocorrect or autotext entries.
See also http://www.symbols.net/electrical/

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[John]

Thank you, Graham.
I am not quite sure though how I should do that. May I ask what do you mean
by: Create them as Graphics? In Word drawing mode? And then how do I save
them as autocorrect or autotext entries? And finally, how do I invoke them
ingain when I am in Word drawing mode?
Sorry for being not as experienced as you seem to be.
John.

 

[Graham Mayor]

I had assumed by the fact that you said you would like to draw them
yourself, that was exactly what you were going to do by using the drawing
tools in Word.

Word is not the best graphics editor in the world but you may be able to
achieve what you want by using the various line autoshapes. Or you could
right click the items in the linked page and save them to your hard drive.
The symbols are produced in pairs. You can edit them with any graphics
editor (I would suggest SnagIt as it has excellent tools for annotating
screen shots which would be very useful when creating a technical manual -
the trial version will work long enough for you to extract all the symbols
you wish) or you could use the picture property tools in Word to crop the
images and set the size e.g. with the capacitor symbols pair crop top .7cm,
bottom .3 cm and Right 4.6cm to isolate the capacitor.

Insert the image into a Word document, select it and choose Tools >
Autocorrect Options and the image (or part of it) will appear in the
formatted text box. Add a trigger key combination in the 'replace' box eg
#cap and OK out of the dialog. Type #cap to insert the capacitor symbol.
Repeat for all the other symbols you want to use.

Autotext is similar except that you select and press ALT+F3 and give it a
name. Personally I favour autocorrect, provided you can remember the trigger
names.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[John]

Thanks, it works in both ways you described! I never expected these features
to work with other objects than plain text.
One problem remains: when I use AutoCorrect or AutoText, then a new drawing
with the symbol is inserted at the insertion point in the text of the Word
document.
However, what if I am editing a schematic drawing in drawing mode, how can I
then ADD one of the predifined symbols to the same drawing in the open
window, so that I e.g. can interconnect them with the LINE tool afterwards?
Perhaps that is not possible?

John.

 

[Graham Mayor]

If you set the image layout property to 'in front of text' it becomes a
'floating' image. You can save it in this mode as an autotext entry and
insert that entry in your drawing. Do however note that Word has limited
drawing functions and if you are serious about presenting circuit drawings,
you would be better using some third party graphics/drawing tool.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[John]

Yes! Thanks for all your advice, Graham. Now I can do exactly what I set out
to do: Make simple drawings with my own autoshapes.

Regards, John.