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Importing Files

You can import files, created in other applications, and use them in your documents. ConceptDraw supports importing of the following file formats:

Raster formats

There are two methods for importing files:

1. Choose the desired item in the File/Import submenu.
2. Call the standard Open dialog from the File menu and select the desired type of file from the list.

Vector, multimedia, text and other formats

There are two methods for importing files:

1. Choose the desired item in the File/Import submenu.
2. Call the standard Open dialog from the File menu and select the desired type of file from the list.

Importing Pictures From Graphic Files

You can import pictures from files of various graphic formats (see the list above) and use them in ConceptDraw documents. That will help to add impact to your documents, make them look more professional and impressive.

To import a picture from a graphic file:

• Choose Import / Graphic File... from the File menu.
• The file open dialog will come up. Choose the required file and click OK (the Open dialog is described in the Dialogs - Modal Dialogs section).
• A new document will be created, with the imported picture in the center of the drawing page.
• You can do some editing over pictures - resize, rotate and flip, apply shadow and some other. See the Pictures section for details.

Note: You can select several graphic files at once in the Open dialog. In this case each picture will be placed in a separate ConceptDraw document.

Importing Textual Data

With ConceptDraw you can visualize textual data. The program reads data from a text file, and a diagram is generated based on the textual description.

The description must be in one of the two supported formats:

1. Flow Data Format - it's used to created documents, which consist of objects with precise coordinates and connected with connectors (for instance, flowchart diagrams);
2. Outline Format - used to generate tree diagrams where objects have hierarchical structure. You may first write an outline in a text editor, and then use ConceptDraw to automatically generate a visual diagram out of it.

To import textual data, choose Import / Text Data... from the File menu.

Importing MS PowerPoint Files

ConceptDraw allows you to import data from PowerPoint files.

ConceptDraw supports files, created in Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 (Windows) and PowerPoint X (Mac OS X).

To import a PowerPoint document into ConceptDraw:

• Choose Import / Microsoft PowerPoint... from the File menu.
• The file open dialog will come up. Choose the required file and click OK (the Open dialog is described in the Dialogs - Modal Dialogs section in ConceptDraw Reference).
• Objects in the PowerPoint file will be converted into ConceptDraw shapes. You can edit them as regular ConceptDraw shapes - resize, rotate, flip, change line and shadow style, text, etc.

Importing MS Visio Documents

ConceptDraw allows you to import data from MS Visio files.

ConceptDraw supports files, created in Microsoft Visio 2002.

To import an MS Visio document into ConceptDraw:

• Choose Import / XML for Visio... from the File menu.
• The file open dialog will come up. Choose the required file and click OK (the Open dialog is described in the Dialogs - Modal Dialogs section).
• Objects in the MS Visio file will be converted into ConceptDraw shapes. You can edit them as regular ConceptDraw shapes - resize, rotate, flip, change line and shadow style, text, etc.

Saving a Document

ConceptDraw can save documents in the following formats:

• in the binary ConceptDraw format (.CDD),
• in the textual XML for ConceptDraw format (.CDX),
• in the binary ConceptDraw 1.x format (.CDD).

XML for ConceptDraw format is an exact textual alternative to the binary ConceptDraw format; these formats are fully equivalent to each other.

The ConceptDraw 1.x format is supported to preserve compatibility with earlier versions of ConceptDraw.

Note: When you save a document in the ConceptDraw 1.x format you may lose some data or functionality not supported in ConceptDraw 1.x (for instance, scripts).

By default, documents are saved in the format in which they were opened. The default format for new documents can be set in the Preferences dialog, tab Save.

ConceptDraw also allows to:

• save documents as Templates (CDT);
• save an entire working environment as Workspace (CDW). It includes all open documents and libraries, with their positions on the screen). It helps to save the current state and quickly return to it later.

Saving Documents

To save an active document,

• choose Save from the File menu, or click the Save button on the toolbar or use the hotkey Ctrl + S.
• When you first time save the document, you can choose its name and location in the Save As dialog.
• If you have saved this document already, the modified document will be saved under its existing name.
• To save a modified document under some other name, choose the Save As command under the File menu. Specify the new name and location in the Save As dialog. The active document will get a new name and will be stored in the specified location.
• Also you can use the hotkey Ctrl + Shift + S

You may also create a copy of the active document:

• Use the Save Copy As command from the File menu, and choose the name and location for the copy.
• When you use the Save Copy As command, the name of the original document remains the same; it doesn't change as with the Save As command.
• Saving a Document as a Template
• You can save an active document as a ConceptDraw template (.cdt), and use it to create similar documents.
• Choose Save As Template from the File menu. The Save As dialog will come up. Specify a name for the template and save it. For more information about this dialog, see Dialogs - Modal Dialogs - Save in ConceptDraw Reference.

Note: If you want the template to be compatible with older versions of ConceptDraw, you may save it as ConceptDraw 1.x Template. In this case some functionality, not supported in earlier versions, will be lost (for instance, scripts).

Saving Workspace Files

If you regularly work with the same set of documents and libraries, then you can save it as a workspace file. A workspace file contains the list of open documents, size and arrangement of windows and the list of open libraries.

To save the current state of the application in a workspace file, use the Save Workspace command from the File menu. The Save As dialog will come up. Specify the name and location for the workspace file and click Save.

All information about open documents and libraries together with their on-screen arrangement will be saved in the workspace file.

Also you can use the hotkey Ctrl + Alt + S

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