Creating Site Plans in Microsoft Visio

1. Creating Site Plans in Microsoft Visio A self-paced tutorial by MCFRS Technology Training

2. Table of Contents • Introduction and Objectives • Lesson 1: Visio Tutorial • Lesson 2: Map Guidelines and Examples • Lesson 3: GIS Maps • Lesson 4: Existing Maps • Lesson 5: New Maps • Review

3. Introduction and Objectives • This tutorial is intended for personnel who have been assigned to create and/or edit site plans in Microsoft Visio. • It is assumed that you are familiar enough with a computer to understand how to access menus, drag objects and scan pictures. • This tutorial is intended to be used with Microsoft Visio 2002.

4. Introduction and Objectives • After completing this tutorial you will be able to create a site plan from: • Geographic Information System (GIS) Maps • An existing (scanned) site plan • A new file based on minimal information

5. Lesson 1: Visio Tutorial

6. Lesson 1: Visio Tutorial • Examining Visio • Using stencils • Resizing objects • Duplicating objects • Rotating objects • Changing line thickness

7. Lesson 1: Examining Visio • Main parts of the Visio screen: Menus and Toolbars Rulers Stencil Window Grid and Workspace Page Tabs and Status Bar

8. Lesson 1: Examining Visio • Menu and Toolbar breakdown: • Menus (as in other programs) offer all of the program functions and will often offer more options than use of the toolbars. • Toolbars offer quick access to the tools you need most. Menus and Toolbars

9. Lesson 1: Examining Visio • Visio-specific tools from the Standard Toolbar:

10. Lesson 1: Examining Visio • Rulers: • For easier alignment and measurement, keep your rulers visible. • If they are not visible, they may be seen by the following: • Access the View menu. • Select Rulers.

11. Lesson 1: Examining Visio • Stencil Window • Stencils are pre-shaped drawing tools. Need a school in your map, simply click and drag the school stencil to your grid workspace. • A station mapping group of stencils is available for you to use and it is called PS2000. • Switch from one stencil group to another by clicking the group name (found in a gray bar).

12. Lesson 1: Examining Visio • Grid and workspace: • Visio offers a grid for you to use so that your alignment and spatial relations may remain realistic. • Simply click and drag objects wherever they are needed. • The entire page is shown, so do not expect objects placed in the blue area to print.

13. Lesson 1: Examining Visio • Page tabs and status bar: • Right-click the page tab to add new pages, delete unwanted pages and rename existing pages. • See the dimensions of a selected object in the status bar. Simply click once on a building, road or other object to see length and width.

14. Lesson 1: Examining Visio • To be successful in Visio, you need three things: • Patience: The difference between frustration and fixing something that is one pixel or space out of alignment may just come down to a deep breath. • Practice: No one becomes and expert in any software package without a lot of practice. • Perspective: Use your rulers and other measurement tools to ensure that things measure correctly.

15. Lesson 1: Examining Visio • Now that you’ve seen what’s involved in using Visio, it’s time to learn the basics.

16. Lesson 1: Using Stencils • Find a stencil you would like to use.

17. watch it! Lesson 1: Using Stencils • Click and drag a stencil across the page for use.

18. Lesson 1: Using Stencils • Release your mouse wherever the object is needed.

19. Lesson 1: Resizing Objects • Ensure that the object is selected. If you can see the eight green squares (called handles), it has been selected. • Note that selected lines only show two handles instead of eight.

20. Lesson 1: Resizing Objects • Click and drag a handle to resize.

21. Lesson 1: Using Stencils • Corner dots affect two dimensions.

22. Lesson 1: Duplicating Objects • Instead of dragging a stencil to the grid twice, Visio enables you to duplicate an object.

23. watch it! Lesson 1: Duplicating Objects • Hold down the Ctrl key and drag the object.

24. Lesson 1: Duplicating Objects • Release both Ctrl and the mouse button.

25. Lesson 1: Rotating Objects • Locate and click the rotate tool icon (next to the zoom control on your Standard toolbar). • Notice that the green handles change from squares to dots. • Leave the center dot alone; it is your pivot point.

26. Lesson 1: Rotating Objects • Click the rotate tool icon.

27. Lesson 1: Rotating Objects • Hover over a green handle, click and drag.

28. Lesson 1: Rotating Objects • Release the mouse when the angle is appropriate.

29. Lesson 1: Changing Line Thickness • Weight is the computer term for how thick or heavy a line appears. Building footprints, streets and even parking lots have line weights associated with them. • You will now learn how to set/change your line weight.

30. Lesson 1: Changing Line Thickness • Access the Road Shapes stencils and drag a road to your file. • Note that your road is an object and has two handles (green squares), making things easy for you to resize the road as needed.

31. Lesson 1: Changing Line Thickness • Access the Format menu and select Line.

32. Lesson 1: Changing Line Thickness • Click the drop-down menu for Weight.

33. Lesson 1: Changing Line Thickness • Select the appropriate weight (5 for streets).

34. Lesson 1: Changing Line Thickness • Click the OK button.

35. Lesson 2: Guidelines and Examples

36. Lesson 2: Guidelines and Examples • The following guidelines should be used on all MCFRS Visio Maps. For future reference these items are listed on the Tech Training Website. • Note: An example of each property will follow.

37. Lesson 2: Guidelines and Examples • Line Weights • Building Footprints: • Use a solid line with a weight of 13. • Streets and Parking Lots: • Use a solid line with a weight of 5. • Fences: • Use a pattern line 13 and a line weight of 5.

38. Lesson 2: Guidelines and Examples

39. Lesson 2: Guidelines and Examples • Fonts • Use 12 point Arial font. • Apply bold formatting as needed: • House and building numbers • Any fire-related information • Minimum building size: e.g. townhouse • Note that a five digit house number (still using 12 point Arial) fits in the building/townhouse footprint.

40. Lesson 2: Guidelines and Examples • The following images are examples of the Visio Site plans. • Notice the key items (which you should also use): • Access and lack of access • Hydrants • Fire/Rescue-related items

41. Lesson 2: Guidelines and Examples • Visio Site Plan Template

42. Lesson 2: Guidelines and Examples • Site Plan Example

43. Lesson 2: Guidelines and Examples • Floor Plan Example

44. Lesson 2: Guidelines and Examples • Floor Plan Example

45. Lesson 3: GIS Maps

46. Lesson 3: GIS Maps • The following slides will explain the process of creating a new Site Plan from converted GIS Maps. • From this point on it is understood that you have a general knowledge of MS Visio and simple items (e.g. save, open and close) will not be explained.

47. Lesson 3: GIS Maps • Open a New Site Plan Template in Visio. • Access the PS2000 folder from your C: drive. • Open the Converted GIS folder and locate your station: C:\PS 2000\converted gis\sta ## gis.vsd

48. Lesson 3: GIS Maps • Find the building or complex that you will be creating.

49. Lesson 3: GIS Maps • Zoom in considerably (e.g., 2000% - 3000%).

50. Lesson 3: GIS Maps • Press and Hold the Shift key while left clicking the items you wish to select.