Modes

While you are working on a LanFlow diagram, you are always in one of several modes. There is a mode for selecting and moving objects, a mode for creating figures, a mode for creating labels and editing text, a mode for creating connectors, and a mode for zooming into a certain area of a diagram. You'll enter each mode to perform certain operations. Following is a brief summary of each mode.

Select Mode

The default mode is select mode. In this mode you can select objects, move objects, size objects, and perform many other functions. You will probably spend most of your time in this mode since this is the mode in which most features are available.

To enter select mode, click on the select mode tool bar button. You can tell that you are in select mode when the select mode tool bar button is pressed and the select cursor appears.

The select mode cursor.

Text Mode

You enter text mode to work with text. In this mode you can create labels, add text to figures, and edit figure text.

To enter text mode, click on the button in the text mode tool bar button. You can tell you are in text mode when the text mode button in the tool bar is pressed and the text cursor appears. You will also enter text mode if you select a label style from the style bar.

The text mode cursor.

SelText Mode

This mode is a special combination of text mode and select mode. It is just like select mode except that you can also edit text as if you were in text mode. Using this mode rather than select mode will prevent you from having to switch modes as often. The trade-off is that both selection and text editing require more precise pointing with the mouse.

To enter seltext mode, click on the tool bar button that looks like an arrow and the letter "T" together.  The cursor is the same as the select mode cursor.

Zoom Mode

You enter zoom mode to zoom in to a part of your diagram and view it in greater detail.

To enter zoom mode, click on the zoom mode button in the tool bar.

The zoom mode cursor.

Figure Create Mode

You enter figure create mode to add figures to your LanFlow diagram. To enter figure create mode, select a figure style from the style bar. There is no button on the tool bar because you must indicate the style of figure you want to create.

You can tell you are in figure create mode when the cursor is in the shape of a figure or the create figure cursor shown below. If the figure style you are creating has a button on the style bar, that button will be pressed as well.

Connect Mode

You enter connect mode to create connectors in your LanFlow diagram. To enter connect mode, select a connector style from the style bar. There is no button on the tool bar because you must indicate the style of connector you want to create. The connect cursor appears. If the connector style you are creating has a button on the style bar, that button will be pressed as well.

The connect cursor.