Microsoft Office Visio

Microsoft Visio Professional 2007 on Windows Vista
Developer(s)	Microsoft
Stable release	12.0.6423.1000 / 2009-04-28; 7 months ago
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Type	Diagramming
License	Proprietary
Website	Microsoft Visio Homepage

Microsoft Visio (pronounced VIZ-ee-oh), marketed as Microsoft Office Visio, is a diagramming program for Microsoft Windows that uses vector graphics to create diagrams. It is currently available in two editions: Standard and Professional.

The Standard and Professional editions both share the same interface, but the latter has additional templates for more advanced diagrams and layouts as well as unique functionality that makes it easy for users to connect their diagrams to a number of data sources and display the information graphically.^[1][2]

Microsoft acquired Visio Corporation in 2000. Visio 2007 was released on November 30 2006. Also released alongside version 2002 were Enterprise Network Tools, an add-on product enabling automated network and directory services diagramming, and the Visio Network Center, a Web site where users could locate the latest network documentation content and exact-replica network equipment shapes from 500 leading manufacturers.^[3] The former has been discontinued, while the latter's shape-finding features are now integrated into the program itself.^[4]

Microsoft has revealed that the next version of Microsoft Visio will feature the ribbon user interface.^[5]

[edit] Versions

Visio began as a standalone product produced by the Visio Corporation; as of Visio 2000, Microsoft acquired it and branded it as a Microsoft Office application, like Microsoft Project; however, it has never been included in any of the Office suites. Microsoft included a Visio for Enterprise Architects edition with some editions of Visual Studio .NET 2003 and Visual Studio 2005.^[6]

• Visio 1.0 (Standard, Lite, Home)
• Visio 2.0
• Visio 3.0
• Visio 4.0 (Standard, Technical)
• Visio 4.1 (Standard, Technical)
• Visio 4.5 (Standard, Professional, Technical)
• Visio 5.0 (Standard, Professional, Technical)
• Visio 2000 (6.0; Standard, Professional, Technical, Enterprise), later updated to SP-1 and Microsoft branding after Visio Corporation's acquisition
• Visio 2002 (10.0; Standard, Professional)
• Visio Enterprise Network Tools, Visio Network Center
• Visio for Enterprise Architects 2003 (VEA 2003) (based on Visio 2002 and included with Visual Studio .NET 2003 Enterprise Architect)
• Office Visio 2003 (11.0; Standard, Professional)
• Office Visio for Enterprise Architects 2005 (VEA 2005) (based on Visio 2003 and included with Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite and Team Architect editions)
• Office Visio 2007 (12.0; Standard, Professional).
• Office Visio 2010 (14.0; Upcoming Version, Currently in Beta)

Note: There is no Visio version 7 to 9, because after Microsoft acquired and branded Visio as a Microsoft Office product, the Visio version numbers followed the Office version numbers.

[edit] File formats

• VSD - Diagram
• VSS - Shape (originally Stencil)
• VST - Template
• VDX - Visio XML Diagram
• VSX
• VTX
• VSL - Visio add-on

[edit] See also

• Comparison of vector graphics editors
• Comparison of office suites

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• Parker, David J (2007). Visualizing Information with Microsoft Office Visio 2007. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-148261-X. 

[edit] External links

• Microsoft Office Online: Visio 2007 home page
• Visio Toolbox: Microsoft Visio 2007
• Visio 2007 Viewer allows viewing Visio 5, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2007 files in Internet Explorer 5.0 (or later) in Windows 2000 or later.
• Visio 2003 Viewer allows viewing Visio 5, 2000, 2002 and 2003 files in Internet Explorer 5.0 (or later) in Windows 2000 or later.
• Visio 2002 Viewer allows viewing Visio 5, 2000 and 2002 files in Internet Explorer 5.0 (or later) in Windows 98, NT 4.0 or later. It is especially valuable for older systems.
• Open source alternatives to Microsoft Visio (see also the Wikipedia category of free diagramming software)
• Create a floor plan using MS Visio Floor Plan template.
• VisioCafe: Visio Shapes of common IT-Hardware Manufacturers
• Visio Guy: Expert Visio articles, downloads, links and discussion forum
• Custom Visio Stencil Developed for Building Automation Drawings
• Visio 2003 ERD diagram to PostgreSQL DDL SQL create schema script