Network Design Center

HOW TO DRAW NETWORK DIAGRAMS

Connecting Devices
Once you have added a few network devices to your drawing, you can draw connecting lines between them to represent cables or protocols.

Click one of the line tools in the Toolbar and release. Now your cursor looks like a pencil. Touch the pencil to the edge of one device and click down with the mouse. Drag the pencil to the edge of another device, and release it when the cursor turns into an Anchor Symbol.

By default SmartDraw should allow you to link lines to your devices. If the lines fail to link, make sure Allow Lines to Link is turned on in the Options menu located under the SmartDraw Button.

Once connected, the devices stay connected, even if they are moved or resized.

To detach a line from an object it is linked to, click on the line, then pull the end knob away from the object.

Connection Points
When you link to a device, black dots called Connection Points appear on its edges. These points show the places where the device can be linked to a line or to another device. You can adjust the positions of these connection points. Click on the shape to select it. In the Design tab, click Connection Points.

The Connection Points dialog that appears allows you to alter the connection points so that they are default, continuous, or custom.

Adding a New Symbol to a Library
You can add a new symbol to an existing library by simply dragging it from the page and dropping it in an open library window. Alternately, you can create your own custom library of images by going to the SmartDraw Button, clicking on Library, and selecting Create Library.

In the Create a New Symbol Library dialog box choose a name for your library and select a category or folder from the SmartDraw tree of libraries.

To add a device to your new library, drag the device onto the library window until you see the add library cursor , then release the device with the mouse.

Drag your symbol into library window

Editing Library Symbols
Before your device is added to the library, you have the opportunity to give it a name, adjust the connection points, define how the device will be able to grow or shrink, and specify where you will be able to add text.

Note that these changes will be the permanent properties for this particular symbol in all future occurances. You must right-click on the symbol in your Library Gallery to bring the Edit Symbol dialog back up. Here you can make additional changes to the symbol's properties.

The new device symbol will appear as a button in your library window.