Microsoft Visio Professional 2002

A wealth of new features awaits, with Office XP integration high on the agenda. True, Visio always worked well with Office, but now you'll find XP menus, a new task pane, Auto-Recover, Office Search, and application error reporting added to the list. Note that it also uses Microsoft's new XP registration feature, and will stop working after 10 uses if you haven't entered an activation code.

A Drawing Type Selector gets you off the starting block and lets you choose diagram styles that range from building plans, Web site diagrams, and process engineering to databases, flow charts, and physical or logical network maps. Organizational charts are much improved and a wizard helps to create new charts or import existing information from TXT and XLS formats or ODBC-compliant data sources. The curved-wall tool makes creating building layouts more fun, and you can import and export drawings in standard CAD file formats. Pictures can also be imported directly from a scanner or camera.

However, there's much more, as Visio can be programmed using VBA or C++, while project-management tools include Gantt and PERT chart creation. If you're serious about your charts and diagrams, then Visio 2002 Professional has everything you could possibly need, while the new interface makes it even easier to use. --Dave Mitchell

Amazon.com Product Description
Visio Professional 2002 is a multipurpose tool that allows you to create intelligent, precise technical diagrams and drawings. Users can model real-world requirements and relationships, incorporate detailed data, and reflect accurate dimensions. It provides intuitive drawing tools and easy-to-use diagramming solutions that allow users to focus on their work, not the working environment. Visio Professional 2002 combines and improves upon the functionality of Visio 2000 Technical and Professional, taking all the functionality of Visio Standard and adding specific shapes and diagrams for a wide range of engineering- and computer-related applications.

There is a wide range of improvements new to this version, including enhanced graphics, text, and color, as well as the ability to import and manipulate images from other sources. New online resources help users stay current and get more value from Visio 2002. Also, you can publish diagrams to the Web that are more attractive and effective. New and improved features streamline the process of rolling out and maintaining Visio 2002 across an organization. The program offers improved property reporting and database connectivity, more powerful search capabilities, and a streamlined work environment. Developers gain greater flexibility in creating custom Visio applications through support for COM add-ins, a new XML file format, and more than 90 new automation methods.

If you are going to compare Visio with anything else, the "closest" thing would be the very limited charting capabilities offered by PowerPoint (no wonder Microsoft acquired the company that created Visio!) This is no substitute (never was meant to be) for Adobe Illustrator or any similar graphics program. Hands down, without a doubt, this is the de facto standard for drawing professional diagrams of all types in no time!


A True solution for Visual Communication   June 3, 2003
Andre Da Costa (Jamaica W.I.)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I recently upgraded to this new version of Visio and I'm very much pleased with its intuitive user interface that provides an array of tools for presenting information visually. Whether its an Office layout or computer network, Visio 2002, bridges the gap when it comes to defining how data is understood and interpreted in different scenarios. The update to this application has adapted most of the common elements of Microsoft Office, which makes it very easy to learn and share among other Office applications. Integration with Word and PowerPoint is flawless. The shapes are many and satisfactory to build that particular diagram. Simple drag and drop adds to the simplicity of the program. Visio 2002 does have some drawbacks though, this includes the consistency in terms of the components of the application with other Office applications. For instance, the WordArt gallery is actually the old type and not the new one with the more inviting colourful WordArt you are probably accustomed to using in Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. The application still needs to improve on how the user can manuvre connectors if they are building networks. Visio 2002 Professional is very flexible, I even use it to create flyers and time lines that are usually used in Project management. It provides a comprehensive set of tools to make diagraming an essential tool in most IT work spaces, for the average user though forking out the amount for this product may not be recommended, but with the array of tools it provides, it is truly a solution for any organization.