Creating Connectors


The most common way to add a connector to your LanFlow diagram is to choose a connector style that represents the shape and initial properties of the connector object you are creating. This moves you into connect mode where you attach the connector to figure in your LanFlow diagram.

To choose a connector style and initiate connect mode

  1. Click on the button in the style bar that represents the connector type you want to create. If the style you want does not have a button in the style bar, you can use one of the following methods instead.
  2. OR, Press and hold the Connectors button in the style bar to activate the connector style drop menu. Move to the representation of the style, and release the mouse button.  If the style you want still doesn't appear, go to the full connector style list by selecting the ellipsis (...) from the menu. Choose a Connector Style Dialog Box
  3. OR, Choose the connector style by name from the list box directly below the Connectors button.
The connect cursor indicates you are in connect mode.

After selecting the connector style and entering connect mode, you can use the property bar to change properties of the connector that will be created such as the color and orthogonality. These changes will not affect the style definition only the properties of the new connectors.

Once you have selected the connector style to create...

To connect two figures with a connector

  1. Enter connect mode by choosing a connector style from the style bar.
  2. Move the connect cursor over a figure. The cursor changes from white arrow to black indicating that you are about to connect to a figure.
  3. Press the mouse button. You can either release the mouse button immediately or keep it pressed until step five.
  4. Move the mouse until it is over the second figure. The cursor color (white or black) indicates whether you are over the second figure.
  5. Click the mouse button again (or release it for the first time). A connector of the style you chose now connects the two figures.
To make connectors orthogonal (vertical and horizontal lines only):

To create only orthogonal connectors composed of lines that are are all vertical or horizontal only, hold down the ALT key while creating the connections.


You can also create connectors which are not attached to figures or which are attached at only one end to a figure.

To create an unattached connector

  1. While in connect mode, move the mouse cursor to a position NOT over a figure. (If you select Freeform attach mode, it doesn't matter whether you are over a figure or not.) The white connect cursor indicates that you are not over a figure.
  2. Press the mouse button. You can either release the mouse button immediately or keep it pressed until step four.
  3. Move the mouse to the point at which you want the other end to terminate (not over a figure).
  4. Double click the mouse to force the end of the connector.
When you are creating a connector, you also have the option of attaching either end of the connector to the middle of a previously existing connector.

To connect to another connector

Create the connector as described above but click either end on an existing connector. The previous connector is split in two and a junction is created with the new connector.