Getting Started

Visio Option Settings

We recommend changing a few settings in the Visio Option page to change a few Visio features which will help with drawing wellbore diagrams.

Open Visio from your Start Menu.

Uncheck the Dynamic Connecting Feature

Microsoft Visio is commonly associated with the creation of flowcharts, organizational chart and network layouts, enabling users to visualize business and technical frameworks.

The default settings work well with these types of diagrams as they automatically add connecting lines between objects. For wellbore diagrams, they are not needed, and they may actually run interference with creating wellbore diagrams.

Select the File tab, and then select Options on the bottom left of the side panel to open the options window. Then open the Advanced option window. Uncheck the top two features: the “Enable Live Dynamics” and the “Enable Connector Splitting.”

Change the Zoom Settings.

I suggest turning off three of the zoom features:

  • Zoom to Scroll

  • Center on Selection

  • Select Shapes Partially Within Area

I prefer to use the control and shift key method as mentioned at the start. I feel it is a bit more intuitive once mastered, and fewer step involved to zoom in and out of the WBD, which you will do quite often. Having said that, it is entirely up to you to find which works best for you.

Visio Tip: Zoom Keystroke Shortcut

Holding both the Control & Shift Keys down together enables your Mouse to be used as a very handy Zoom Tool. While you press the two keys, the mouse offers zoom options:

  • The scroll wheel zooms in and out

  • Left-click zooms in

  • Right-click zooms out

  • Left-click and hold allows you to draw a box around your zoom target

  • Right-click and hold allows you to pan the drawing

Add a Tab for Locking Objects and Editing Objects.

Adding a tab allows quicker access to locking objects on the page. These commands are mostly for embedded Excel tables, but also for any other objects or images (logos) that we do not want to accidentally move or delete. Locking Excel tables ensures the size and position of the table remains the same after you open it to make changes, then close it.

  • Just below the Advanced Section in your Option Page, open the Customize Ribbon section.

  • On the right-hand side, select the Home Tab. Below it, add a New Tab and name it Lock Tables.

  • Select the folder inside the Lock Tables. Then, on the left-hand side, select the All Commands, then scroll down and find the Protection command.

  • In the center, you will see the Add option. Add it to your new group.

Let’s add one more command while we are here.

  • Go back to all commands and scroll down to the Edit Object command and add it to your new group as well.

  • Click okay.

You will be back at the Home Tab, and you should see the new tab in your Ribbon Tool Bar. You can customize and add other commands to the Ribbon Tool Bar as you get more comfortable using Visio. I would exercise caution in the beginning.

Close Visio once you have changed the settings. Open powerdraw using the powerdraw Icon in the Start Menu.

When opening an existing drawing or a template for a new drawing, open powerdraw, not Visio. Opening powerdraw will open Visio, plus it will open the powerdraw stencils and the PowerDraw toolbar tab. This will open the powerdraw Add-ons Tab in the Tool Bar.

In this video I walk through all these steps to help you set up Visio before we explore working with Visio.