1.3.1 Visio for Patent Professionals: Adding Reference Numbers and Lead Lines

Try This Yourself:

Prerequisite for the Exercise

Before starting this exercise, please follow these steps:

1. Download the File: Fill out the form below to get the Visio-How-Tos–Working-with-Reference-Numbers-and-Lead-Lines.vsdx and IP-DaVinci-Stencil–Basic-Reference-Numbers-and-Lead-Lines.vssx files.
   

   Download Form

   Visio-How-Tos–Working-with-Reference-Numbers-and-Lead-Lines.vsdx IP-DaVinci-Stencil–Basic-Reference-Numbers-and-Lead-Lines.vssx

   * Your name
   

   * Your email
   

   Δ
2. Open the File: After downloading, open the file to begin the exercise.

Exercise Steps

1. Open the Stencil:

• Inside the Visio file, go to the ‘Shapes’ window, then navigate to ‘More Shapes’ > ‘Open Stencil’.
• Select the ‘IP-DaVinci-Stencil–Basic-Reference-Numbers-and-Lead-Lines.vssx’ file to access the premade shapes for the exercise.

2. Drag-and-Drop the Combo Lead Line Shape:

• Hover over the ‘Combo Lead Line’ shape in the ‘IP-DaVinci-Stencil–Basic-Reference-Numbers-and-Lead-Lines’ stencil within the ‘Shapes’ window.
• Press and hold the left mouse button, then drag the ‘Combo Lead Line’ shape from the stencil and drop it onto the canvas, positioning it on top of the first reference number in the image.

3. Adjust the Lead Line End:

• If the ‘Combo Lead Line’ shape is not already selected, click on it to select it.
• Hover over the white endpoint of the lead line until the pointer appears as a four-headed arrow.
• Press and hold the left mouse button, then drag the endpoint to the left until it touches the left edge of the image, as shown.

4. Adjust the Reference Number Position:

• Hover over the white point next to the reference number until the pointer appears as a four-headed arrow.
• Press and hold the left mouse button, then drag the point until the reference number is positioned on top of the corresponding reference number on the image, as shown.

5. Adjust the Shape of the Lead Line:

• Hover over the middle yellow point of the lead line until the pointer appears as a four-headed arrow.
• Press and hold the left mouse button, then drag the point until the lead line is shaped and positioned as needed or as shown in the example.

6. Adjust the Reference Number Text:

• If the ‘Combo Lead Line’ shape is not already selected, click on it to select it.
• Start typing to replace the original placeholder text (####) with the new reference number.

7. Move the ‘Combo Lead Line’ Shape:

• If the ‘Combo Lead Line’ shape is not selected:
  • Hover over the shape until the pointer appears as a four-headed arrow.
  • Press and hold the left mouse button, then drag the shape to a new position on the canvas.
• If the shape is already selected:
  • Ensure that your cursor is not pointing on any of the two white points or the yellow point of the shape.
  • Press and hold the left mouse button, then drag the shape to a new position on the canvas as needed.

8. Add a Figure Number:

• Drag and drop the figure number shape from the stencil onto the canvas.
• Double-click the figure number shape to select all the text.
• Click one more time at the end of the text to position your cursor at the end.
• Press the Backspace button on your keyboard to delete the original placeholder figure number (1).
• Type the new figure number as needed.