Let's start to see some ways that we can connect our shapes.
The reason that you would connect the shapes is maybe to show a relationship
between those two shapes or a flow, or something like that.
So in this case,
we have the diagram that we've been working on throughout the lessons.
I like to start connecting these shapes.
So we'll click on the Home menu, and
we'll pick on the connector tool right over here.
When you click on the connector tool and start to move it towards the shapes.
Notice what's going to happen, the shapes will have the connector points.
So I'm going to move the mouse to that connector point on the start and
just drag it down to the connector point on the User ID.
And then there is that connector.
Now, the connector is still on until you would turn it off.
So, let's try this again.
My connector is still on, I'm going to move my mouse to the Enter User ID.
And go to the bottom connector, and just drag it down to the Login Correct, good.
All right, so we can start to see our shapes are connecting.
Now in this case, I wanted to go from the Login Correct over to this one.
So the connected tool is still on, I'm going to move
the mouse to that connector point and drag it to the connected point over here.
Very good.
And I'll click on the connector tool, get the connecting point and
drag it from here to this one.
So we can always use the connector tool like that.
When you're done with your connector tool, we're going to go ahead and
pick on the pointer tool.
You always go back to the pointer tool when you're done with a certain tool.
This way I can select things or add things in and things like that.
Now it turns out the diamond here is a decision.
And then in this direction I want to say yes, and
in this direction I want to say no.
So we can add text to our lines, so I'm going to click on that line.
See how it is selected now, and I'll type in the word, yes.
And then I'll click on this line, type in the word, no.
So now you can see how the text is associated with the line.
So, right there, we just use the connector tool.
Now when you use that connector tool, it assumes that you want to
keep on connecting things so it keeps it on, until you pick on the pointer tool.
Another thing you can do is you could add them one by one.
So if I click on the Insert menu and pick on connector here,
then it's just going to add one connected to the page.
So for example, I picked on the connector tool under the Insert menu,
and then you still see the connector points here.
So I'm just going to go from the start and then move it over into the stop like that.
Good.
Now within that connector line, notice how you have different points there.
So you can actually get those points and resize it or
reshape it in case it has to go around different shapes.
All right, so you can use those connected points to resize or readjust that line.
So maybe you have to go around the different shape.
But notice when I use the connected tool and the Insert menu, is just one and done.
In other words, it's already back to the Select tool.
Now I don't really need that line there, it's just an example.
So I'm going to click on that line, and then press my delete key, right?
So you can always add things or delete things into your diagram pretty easily.
I would like to connect these so let's try one of those,
we'll pick on the connector tool.
And then I'm going to click on the connector point for the keyboard and
drag it over to the connector point for the other process here.
Good.
Now because I started here, and drag it from here to there.
That's where the arrow is going to go.
You see the arrow.
So you could actually just move the line so
it's going in the other direction if that were the case.
But it's especially going to be where it starts to where it ends,
that's the direction of the arrow.
Very good.
So another thing that you could do is you can go back to the Home menu,
and then just use the pull down here and just use a line.
Now if I just threw a line over here, it's not going to connect anything.
However, if I used a line with the shapes, then it will connect.
So notice how my line tool is still there.
If I move my mouse to the shape, it automatically makes that a connector.
So I'm just going to get from this connector point to this one, okay?
And that made it kind of a straight line,
whereas the connectors themselves would have those connector points, all right?
No problem with that.
Now I don't really need that one.
Now always remember to go back to the pointer tool.
I pick on the pointer tool, and then click on that line, and then delete it.
And then of course, I'll pick on this line and delete that one as well.
So to connect your shapes together,
we can use the connector tool here on the Home menu.
You can also use the connector tool on the Insert menu.
We can also use, if we go back to the Home menu,
if we click on this pull down, you could use the line.
But the line is just going to connect two shapes,
otherwise you can make a straight line.
And those are going to be different ways to connect your shapes here in your Visio
diagram.