New Diagram Wizard

The final step when creating a new diagram is using the New Diagram Wizard to conveniently select options for the diagram. The wizard appears after you have chosen the template for your new diagram. Use the wizard to select options from those that are available for the template you have chosen. Possible options include color scheme, diagram size, font, font size, and so on.

Template Variants

The first options that the wizard presents are known as variants, predefined template variations that provide choices of color schemes, diagram sizes, and so on. When you are viewing variants, a preview will help display your choice. Variants are carefully crafted by diagram designers to provide functional and attractive diagrams. They are available for many of the common diagram types.

Color Scheme

	Choose a predefined initial color scheme (if available) and click Next. The colors are chosen to be attractive and clear when printed. The colors visible on your monitor can be darker or lighter than those that are printed, so it is possible for some color schemes to be less than ideal for the screen. Lighter color schemes are usually the best all around. The color scheme you choose will be remembered when you create future diagrams using the same template.

Effects

	An additional screen of the New Diagram Wizard permits you to add some optional shadow and fill effects to the new diagram. Choose from among the presets available for drop shadows and gradient fills.

Diagram Size

	Choose a predefined diagram size to control how large or small the objects in your diagram appear. The predefined sizes are designed to be clearest when printed. The smallest size is just large enough to read comfortably. Larger sizes are easier to read but limit the amount of information you can fit on a page. It is possible to adjust sizes later, but setting sizes later for each style is far more difficult. The size you choose will be remembered when you create future diagrams using the same template.

Effects

Another screen allows you to select optional shadow effects and fill effects (such as gradient fills) for the new diagram styles. You can choose from any of the shadow or fill presets.

Template Overrides

Additional wizard options are available for all diagram templates. These options appear on the final page of the diagram wizard and currently control text appearance and formatting.

Font

	You may choose to select a special font for your diagram. If you leave this “<As Is>” it will use the fonts as they are defined in the diagram template. Templates are defined with a common font that can be assumed to be present on every computer, usually Arial or Times. You can choose a custom font here with one step. If you choose to change the diagram font using the wizard, the new font will be used everywhere in the diagram unless you change it later for particular styles or objects. For example, if you saved a custom template using many different fonts but select a font from the wizard rather than “<As Is>”, the wizard-selected font will be substituted for all of your custom fonts in the new diagram.

Font Size

	You may choose slightly larger or smaller font sizes in your diagram than are defined in the diagram template. If you leave this field “<As Is>” the font sizes used are those chosen to be optimal by the designer of the template. However, if you have a diagram that requires especially large or small text you can adjust it here. Note that small increments (a point size or two) are usually enough. Also note that if you choose a font size increment other than “<As Is>”, ALL font sizes in the new diagram will adjust accordingly.

Line Spacing

	By default text lines are single spaced. However, you may choose to space lines closer together to squeeze more text per shape, or further apart for easier reading. Several options are available. These can easily be changed later from within the Diagram Properties dialog box.

Wrap

	Most diagram templates are defined such that shapes automatically expand when you type more text than can fit on a line within the confines of the shape. If you prefer to use automatic word wrap, check this box.