Word 2007 should let me draw a line that is not a "connector".

[Mark Barsamian]

I wanted to submit a "suggestion", and was routed to this discussion group.
This problem has been discussed in the discussion group already, but here it
is:

When adding a line to a drawing in Word 2007, the program treats the line as
a "connecter", and snaps the ends to nearby shapes. The only way to override
this is to hold down the "alt" key while moving the end of the line. But this
is not a good work-around, because it also disables the "snap-to-grid"
feature. So there is no way to create a new line and have it snap to the grid
but not snap to nearby shapes. This is very very frustrating for anyone
trying to d drawings with any degree of precision. It has made me wish that I
did not "upgrade" from Word 2003.

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[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Mark,


Some of the effectiveness of the work arounds can depend on the granularity of the grid settings. Withing a Word 2007 Drawing
Canvas
Insert=>Shape=>New Drawing
draw the line, if already a red dot connector, press alt to move the line or line end away from the connector point (end dot changes
from red to green), release the alt key and you can move or resize the line snapped to the grid, or on a new line drage the
connector from 'red dot' to green dot connector beyond the other shape connection point and release then work with the line.

===================
I wanted to submit a "suggestion", and was routed to this discussion group.
This problem has been discussed in the discussion group already, but here it
is:

When adding a line to a drawing in Word 2007, the program treats the line as
a "connecter", and snaps the ends to nearby shapes. The only way to override
this is to hold down the "alt" key while moving the end of the line. But this
is not a good work-around, because it also disables the "snap-to-grid"
feature. So there is no way to create a new line and have it snap to the grid
but not snap to nearby shapes. This is very very frustrating for anyone
trying to d drawings with any degree of precision. It has made me wish that I
did not "upgrade" from Word 2003.>>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[Mark Barsamian]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your reply. I guess my suggestion was not clear. Let me rephrase
it.

The grid size that I typically use is 0.05". At that grid spacing, it is
fairly easy to detect when the end of a line is being snapped to the grid.

When I press the [alt] key while working with the end of a line, two things
happen:
(1) the line is no longer treated as a "connector" (its end is no longer
snapped to connection points)
(2) the line end is no longer being snapped to my grid

Here is what I would like to happen:
(1) I would like the line to not be treated as a "connector"
(2) But I would still like the line end to be snapped to my grid.

If I do what you suggest, first pressing the [alt] key to disconnect the end
of the line from the connection point, and then releasing the [alt] key to
work with the line some more, it doesn't work. The line merely reverts to
being treated as a connector. That is, as soon as I try to work with the line
without pressing the [alt] key, the line end is again snapped to a connection
point.

Thanks,
-Mark

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Mark,

I agree that Word 2007 should have had both connectors and non-connector lines within a Drawing canvas, but...

Normally, I don't bother with the Alt key, but do zoom to about 250% or so when working on 5/100" grid, continuing to pull the line
after it tries to attach to the connector either into part of the shape or along the edge of the shape, or across and out the other
side of the shape at a point that does not have a connection point/sizing handle. Once it has extended beyond a shape I can move
the line around without it trying to regrab a connection point.

Basically, I just ignore Word trying to 'grab' the end of my line and keep it moving to get where I want, but stay away from the
right click (

FWIW, you can, with a grid that tight use the 'curve line' and pull it across the grid. It doesn't have the 'connector behavior (as
it's treated as a rectangular object) and if youu double click at the end of the first straight segment it makes a straight line
without a curve (although you may want to right click on it and use 'close path' right after drawing it)

===========
Hi Bob,

Thanks for your reply. I guess my suggestion was not clear. Let me rephrase
it.

The grid size that I typically use is 0.05". At that grid spacing, it is
fairly easy to detect when the end of a line is being snapped to the grid.

When I press the [alt] key while working with the end of a line, two things
happen:
(1) the line is no longer treated as a "connector" (its end is no longer
snapped to connection points)
(2) the line end is no longer being snapped to my grid

Here is what I would like to happen:
(1) I would like the line to not be treated as a "connector"
(2) But I would still like the line end to be snapped to my grid.

If I do what you suggest, first pressing the [alt] key to disconnect the end
of the line from the connection point, and then releasing the [alt] key to
work with the line some more, it doesn't work. The line merely reverts to
being treated as a connector. That is, as soon as I try to work with the line
without pressing the [alt] key, the line end is again snapped to a connection
point.

Thanks,
-Mark >>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[jblantz]

You CAN draw non-connector lines, though doing so is *not intuitive.* (What
were they THINKING when they made the line shapes that you SEE in the
pallette ONLY as connectors?!!! That everybody thinks like a programmer? That
people want mostly to draw flowcharts and diagrams?)

1. Go to Insert tab|Illustrations group|Shapes dropdown

2. In the Lines pane of the Shapes box, select the Freeform shape — the next
to last one at right, next to the squiggly line shape.

3. Click the two points between which you want the straight line and then
immediately hit the ESC key to stop drawing. If you want orthogonal
(horizontal and vertical lines), use hold down the SHIFT key after clicking
the first point. You can also lines at preset angles when holding down the
SHIFT key.

But be CAREFUL not to draw more line segments than you want! It's all too
easy to do! The tool behaves a bit like a "polyline" tool, if you're familiar
with CAD — and I have not found anything like an "explode" tool in Word to
break apart unwanted multi-sement shapes. Again, to draw just a single line,
just click at two points and then hit ESC.

It's a pain, but it works.

Best regards,

Joel

 

[Graphic_Girl]

This is not true! The Freeform tool was my favorite tool and I used it
daily. In 2003 what you are suggestion worked fine. You could hit ESC or
double click at the end of whatever shape you wanted to create. In 2007 the
line is NOT constrained and is NOT straight. I am spending way too much
time creating the exact same drawings I used to creat in a flash in 2003.
Our entire marketing group upgraded to 2007 and we are all hating it because
of this one issue. 2007 has a lot of great new features but Microsoft's
efforts to dumb down their programs is taking away advanced users ability to
maximize the programs functionality. Why on earth would they take away the
ability to force a straight line?? This is a MAJOR issues that needs to be
corrected. Please vote for this fix so that we can get back to working at a
decent pace. These crooked lines are NOT acceptable. BRING BACK THE SIMPLE
SHIFT TO CONSTRAIN FREEFORM LINES AND REGULAR LINES, AND MAKE THE CONNECTOR
TOOLS AN OPTION NOT THE DEFAULT.

 

[Plugh]

Hello.

I just ran across this thread, and I think there's a bit more to the story.
I am new to Word 2007 and am trying to make good use of drawings. I dit two
rather complicated drawings, and am getting better. On my third drawing, I
used a connector for the first time. Its behavior of starting and ending on
object edges made sense to me. I was pleased.

Next I wanted to draw some "plain old" lines in the figure. These now
exhibited the connection point behavior of connector objects. Up until this
point, I could start and stop a line anywhere (snapped to a grid in my case)
without using ALT or SHIFT or anything else. So, it seemed to me I had
somehow turned on this connecting point behavior. Unfortunately, it sounds
like I can't turn it off.

I really think this may be a bug: After all, the behavior didn't start
until I used a connector for the very first time. Moreover, if I go to one
of my first two drawings, which are in the same document, this connecting
behavior is not exhibited. Restarting Word doesn't help. It seems that once
you use a true connector, Word gets "stuck" in the connecting behavior for
lines and arrows.

I agree that the freeform line can be a workaround, but I am almost certain
that having regular lines and arrows "connect" is not the intended behavior.

I will continue to search for an answer, but I hope this thread may still be
active.

Kind regards.

 

[Plugh]

OK, I see it now, and I think the other comments in this thread are right on.

My earlier drawings contained few boxes. My current drawing was a block
diagram with some good-sized boxes inside a rectangle. So, almost everywhere
in this drawing, there is a nearby box to latch onto. [It's the same in the
other drawings, but there are few and very small boxes.] So, first I removed
the large surrounding rectangle. That keeps the origin of my (nonconnecting)
line or arrow from latching right on to the big rectangle. As for the
destination, when I really want to end at a box, I use the ALT key, as
suggested in the other posts.

One clue to the non-connecting behavior is that the cursor is a pure cross
when non-connecting, and a cross with a little square when connecting.
That's what helps me to see, especially when placing the first endpoint, that
I am in "connecting mode", perhaps against my will.

So I guess there's no deep mystery or even a bug lurking here. Hi ho.

 

[VT_Canadian]

I've tried all of the above suggestions and nothing is working. I think
Plugh is right -- this is a bug. At first you can draw a non-connecting
line, then a switch goes off and you can no longer make it connect.

For now I'm forced to retreat to an older computer that has Office 2003
still running, edit my drawings, then bring them into Word 2007. An ugly
work-around, but it's all I can do.

Microsoft - please put this on the "BUG LIST" and clean it up.

Thanks,

Brian

 

[1Gof2]

After reading this thread I tried using the "freeform" as suggested by
jblantz and I must say it works perfectly. I don't know why microsoft made us
all look for solutions for something which never should have been a problem,
but this solution suits me.