Simple free drawing program for block diagrams?

Can somebody recommend a simple and free block diagram drawing program that
easily allows one to draw block diagrams (with labels) and to interconnect
those blocks with line segments? Preferably a small size and simple
program?

Paint is a bit of a pain to use for this specific type of application. The
desired app should have simple blocks and block placement and
interconnecting lines, with movements done on a snap grid to help position
them, and that's about all. (No electrical symbols or libraries or other
fancy stuff needed).

I've searched for some, and only came up with Dia and Diagram Editor. I am
just wondering if someone has tried any others. The emphasis here being on
a very simple (intutive) and very basic program, without any extra stuff to
get in the way. Thanks!

In article ,
, Bill in Co says...

Can somebody recommend a simple and free block diagram drawing program that
easily allows one to draw block diagrams (with labels) and to interconnect
those blocks with line segments? Preferably a small size and simple
program?

Paint is a bit of a pain to use for this specific type of application. The
desired app should have simple blocks and block placement and
interconnecting lines, with movements done on a snap grid to help position
them, and that's about all. (No electrical symbols or libraries or other
fancy stuff needed).

I've searched for some, and only came up with Dia and Diagram Editor. I am
just wondering if someone has tried any others. The emphasis here being on
a very simple (intutive) and very basic program, without any extra stuff to
get in the way. Thanks!

What don't you like about Dia? Pretty simple ain't it?

--
Duncan.

On 10/20/14 11:50 PM, Bill in Co wrote:
Can somebody recommend a simple and free block diagram drawing program that
easily allows one to draw block diagrams (with labels) and to interconnect
those blocks with line segments? Preferably a small size and simple
program?

Paint is a bit of a pain to use for this specific type of application. The
desired app should have simple blocks and block placement and
interconnecting lines, with movements done on a snap grid to help position
them, and that's about all. (No electrical symbols or libraries or other
fancy stuff needed).

I've searched for some, and only came up with Dia and Diagram Editor. I am
just wondering if someone has tried any others. The emphasis here being on
a very simple (intutive) and very basic program, without any extra stuff to
get in the way. Thanks!

I think Smartdraw now has a free version, you could check.


--
Ken
Mac OS X 10.8.5
Firefox 25.0
Thunderbird 24.6.0
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"

"Bill in Co" wrote:

Can somebody recommend a simple and free block diagram drawing program that
easily allows one to draw block diagrams (with labels) and to interconnect
those blocks with line segments? Preferably a small size and simple
program?

What about the Draw program that's part of Libre Office
(http://www.libreoffice.org/discover/draw/)? They also have Chart, but
it looks to me like Draw would be closer to your requirements.

--
Tim Slattery
tim at risingdove dot com

Bill in Co wrote :
Can somebody recommend a simple and free block diagram drawing program that
easily allows one to draw block diagrams (with labels) and to interconnect
those blocks with line segments? Preferably a small size and simple program?

Paint is a bit of a pain to use for this specific type of application. The
desired app should have simple blocks and block placement and interconnecting
lines, with movements done on a snap grid to help position them, and that's
about all. (No electrical symbols or libraries or other fancy stuff
needed).

I've searched for some, and only came up with Dia and Diagram Editor. I am
just wondering if someone has tried any others. The emphasis here being on
a very simple (intutive) and very basic program, without any extra stuff to
get in the way. Thanks!

I do this sort of thing in Excel or Calc. I start with row/col sizing
similar to graph paper so the cells are small squares. I use borders
for the boxes and connector lines. I turn off gridlines so all that
displays is my labels/boxes/connectors. IMO this is as simple as it
gets...

--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
ClassicVB Users Regroup!
comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion

In message , GS writes:
Bill in Co wrote :
Can somebody recommend a simple and free block diagram drawing
program that easily allows one to draw block diagrams (with labels)
and to interconnect those blocks with line segments? Preferably a
small size and simple program?
[]
I do this sort of thing in Excel or Calc. I start with row/col sizing
similar to graph paper so the cells are small squares. I use borders
for the boxes and connector lines. I turn off gridlines so all that
displays is my labels/boxes/connectors. IMO this is as simple as it
gets...

(Not easy to resize the boxes though. Basically you're drawing lines.)

Bill wanted simple and free. Excel isn't free. (I don't know Calc - is
it the Excel equivalent in Libre/Free office?)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

She's showing her age a little bit. I always say she doesn't have teething
troubles, she has denture troubles! - Timothy West (on their narrowboat!), RT
2014-March

On 10/22/14 3:52 PM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , GS writes:
Bill in Co wrote :
Can somebody recommend a simple and free block diagram drawing
program that easily allows one to draw block diagrams (with labels)
and to interconnect those blocks with line segments? Preferably a
small size and simple program?
[]
I do this sort of thing in Excel or Calc. I start with row/col sizing
similar to graph paper so the cells are small squares. I use borders
for the boxes and connector lines. I turn off gridlines so all that
displays is my labels/boxes/connectors. IMO this is as simple as it
gets...

(Not easy to resize the boxes though. Basically you're drawing lines.)

Bill wanted simple and free. Excel isn't free. (I don't know Calc - is
it the Excel equivalent in Libre/Free office?)

But there are free spreadsheets out there that Bill might be able to use
if he wants to give it a try. Some are standalone, some part of office
packages.


--
Ken
Mac OS X 10.8.5
Firefox 25.0
Thunderbird 24.6.0
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"

J. P. Gilliver (John) explained on 10/22/2014 :
(Not easy to resize the boxes though. Basically you're drawing lines.)

Extremely easy if the 'grid' is small enough!

Bill wanted simple and free. Excel isn't free. (I don't know Calc - is it the
Excel equivalent in Libre/Free office?)

Yes!

--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
ClassicVB Users Regroup!
comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion

In message , GS writes:
J. P. Gilliver (John) explained on 10/22/2014 :
(Not easy to resize the boxes though. Basically you're drawing lines.)

Extremely easy if the 'grid' is small enough!

You said:

I do this sort of thing in Excel or Calc. I start with row/col sizing
similar to graph paper so the cells are small squares. I use borders
for the boxes and connector lines. I turn off gridlines so all that
displays is my labels/boxes/connectors. IMO this is as simple as it
gets...

I see what you're doing, but I don't see that that makes it easy to
resize, whatever the grid size is. Say you've drawn a box 5 by 5 (or 100
by 100) grid squares; you'll have the boxes around the edge with one
edge showing, and all other grid lines not. Now lets say you want it to
be twice as wide - 10 by 5, or 200 by 100. If I'm understanding what
you're doing, you'll have to turn off the lines along the right edge of
your box, then add some more with just top and bottom lines showing,
then some more with just right edge showing (not to mention the corner
ones). So maybe I'm _not_ seeing what you're doing.

Bill wanted simple and free. Excel isn't free. (I don't know Calc -
is it the Excel equivalent in Libre/Free office?)

Yes!

Ah.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Build a better mousetrap and along will come better mice.

After serious thinking J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote :
So maybe I'm _not_ seeing what you're doing.

True!
The smaller the 'grid' the easier it will be to size/resize boxes, and
create more precise connector lines.

As for sizing boxes.., this is a simple matter of being able to work
effectly with cell formatting, merge/unmerge/shift of selections, and
some keyboard combos for working with cell contents. All of this comes
with practice! Note that all is done with gridlines turned off.

If you don't mind bloating your file size then you can also use
components from the Drawing toobar which you can drag around to
position things on a page.

For example, a Textbox object can contain formatted text and can be
dragged anywhere as well as be positioned with precision via the arrow
keys. (The latter works with all shape objects)

Another example is to use the Rectangle object around specific cells to
make the are 'look' like a box. By default, these objects are
configured to move/size with their underlying cells and so can be
dragged around the sheet to a new location.

In summary, I try to avoid merging cells and using borders on merged
cells until layout is completed. I use the Rectangle and/or the Textbox
objects for layout, then format the cells so I can purge the extra
'weight' the drawing objects add to the file size.

Excel can be a very powerful tool if you know how to use it! So much
so, in fact, that I stopped using Word and PowerPoint because I can
duplicate in Excel what those apps can do and so it just made sense to
me when M$ introduced the Office Ribbon to just not bother doing the
learning curve in those apps. Since v2007, then, I've been doing all my
authoring (ebooks, manuals, user guides, forms design, slide shows) in
Excel more easily and with quicker turn-around times than working with
2/3 apps, especially if their content needs to be combined/sync'd in a
finally project.

Anyway, John, please do play around with this if your interested in
doing this kind of stuff in Excel. If you need help you'll be better
off posting in either/both of the following NGs!

microsoft.public.excel
microsoft.public.excel.misc

--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
ClassicVB Users Regroup!
comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion

On 22/10/2014 22:52, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:


Bill wanted simple and free. Excel isn't free. (I don't know Calc - is
it the Excel equivalent in Libre/Free office?)

Excel is free. You need a Microsoft Account such as hotmail, outlook or
MSN to use the online version or some call it the cloud version but the
files can be saved locally and local files can be loaded in online
version of excel. for completeness, You also get Word for free and there
is also a 15GB free HD space on onedrive. XP users don't seem to use
these services, don't know why?

Good Guy wrote:

On 22/10/2014 22:52, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:


Bill wanted simple and free. Excel isn't free. (I don't know Calc - is
it the Excel equivalent in Libre/Free office?)

Excel is free. You need a Microsoft Account such as hotmail, outlook or
MSN to use the online version or some call it the cloud version but the
files can be saved locally and local files can be loaded in online
version of excel. for completeness, You also get Word for free and
there is also a 15GB free HD space on onedrive. XP users don't seem to
use these services, don't know why?

Would I have to be online to use Excel/Word?

In message , GS writes:
After serious thinking J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote :
So maybe I'm _not_ seeing what you're doing.

True!
The smaller the 'grid' the easier it will be to size/resize boxes, and
create more precise connector lines.

As for sizing boxes.., this is a simple matter of being able to work
effectly with cell formatting, merge/unmerge/shift of selections, and
some keyboard combos for working with cell contents. All of this comes
with practice! Note that all is done with gridlines turned off.

So you then turn _on_ the gridlines, just where you want a box to be?
Sounds like hard work to me!

If you don't mind bloating your file size then you can also use
components from the Drawing toobar which you can drag around to
position things on a page.

Seems like something that doesn't use the grid; I've always found the
drawing toolbar, with its tendency to produce "floating" stuff (on
another layer), something to avoid.

For example, a Textbox object can contain formatted text and can be
dragged anywhere as well as be positioned with precision via the arrow
keys. (The latter works with all shape objects)

I think I'd just use PowerPoint!
[]
In summary, I try to avoid merging cells and using borders on merged
cells until layout is completed. I use the Rectangle and/or the Textbox
objects for layout, then format the cells so I can purge the extra
'weight' the drawing objects add to the file size.

Excel can be a very powerful tool if you know how to use it! So much
so, in fact, that I stopped using Word and PowerPoint because I can

Wow! I find tables so much more versatile in Word. (IMO, if I want a
table, I do it in Word; I only use Excel if I need to do calculations on
the contents.) But each to his own ...

duplicate in Excel what those apps can do and so it just made sense to
me when M$ introduced the Office Ribbon to just not bother doing the

I recommend the ribbon-killing alternatives - I use a Swiss one, IIRR.
[]
Anyway, John, please do play around with this if your interested in
doing this kind of stuff in Excel. If you need help you'll be better
off posting in either/both of the following NGs!

microsoft.public.excel
microsoft.public.excel.misc

Thanks; I won't bother. (Not to in any way put down what you're doing;
it's just another thing _I_ don't want to have to learn.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

A closed mouth gathers no foot.

It happens that J. P. Gilliver (John) formulated :
In message , GS writes:
After serious thinking J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote :
So maybe I'm _not_ seeing what you're doing.

True!
The smaller the 'grid' the easier it will be to size/resize boxes, and
create more precise connector lines.

As for sizing boxes.., this is a simple matter of being able to work
effectly with cell formatting, merge/unmerge/shift of selections, and some
keyboard combos for working with cell contents. All of this comes with
practice! Note that all is done with gridlines turned off.

So you then turn _on_ the gridlines, just where you want a box to be? Sounds
like hard work to me!

No! Gridlines stay turned off so all that displays is background, text,
any drawing objects used, and/or borders.

If you don't mind bloating your file size then you can also use components
from the Drawing toobar which you can drag around to position things on a
page.

Seems like something that doesn't use the grid; I've always found the drawing
toolbar, with its tendency to produce "floating" stuff (on another layer),
something to avoid.

I agree where these objects do not remain 'fixed'! Otherwise, these can
be as much a nuisance as Form/ActiveX controls.

For example, a Textbox object can contain formatted text and can be dragged
anywhere as well as be positioned with precision via the arrow keys. (The
latter works with all shape objects)

I think I'd just use PowerPoint!
[]
In summary, I try to avoid merging cells and using borders on merged cells
until layout is completed. I use the Rectangle and/or the Textbox objects
for layout, then format the cells so I can purge the extra 'weight' the
drawing objects add to the file size.

Excel can be a very powerful tool if you know how to use it! So much so, in
fact, that I stopped using Word and PowerPoint because I can

Wow! I find tables so much more versatile in Word. (IMO, if I want a table, I
do it in Word; I only use Excel if I need to do calculations on the
contents.) But each to his own ...

I agree! If you're more comfortable using Word for this then by all
means!! I just haven't found anything Word can do that I haven't been
able to replicate in Excel. I'll admit, though, that most people find
Excel very intimidating beyond using it for simple calcs/graphs.

duplicate in Excel what those apps can do and so it just made sense to me
when M$ introduced the Office Ribbon to just not bother doing the

I recommend the ribbon-killing alternatives - I use a Swiss one, IIRR.
[]
And so I moved to LibreOffice for the express purpose of not
re-learning all the new interfaces except Excel's which, initially I
used the old menubar/toolbars on the Addins tab until I got used to
where things got relocated!g

Anyway, John, please do play around with this if your interested in doing
this kind of stuff in Excel. If you need help you'll be better off posting
in either/both of the following NGs!

microsoft.public.excel
microsoft.public.excel.misc

Thanks; I won't bother. (Not to in any way put down what you're doing; it's
just another thing _I_ don't want to have to learn.)

Precisely my point!g

--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
ClassicVB Users Regroup!
comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion

Good Guy laid this down on his screen :
On 22/10/2014 22:52, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:


Bill wanted simple and free. Excel isn't free. (I don't know Calc - is it
the Excel equivalent in Libre/Free office?)

Excel is free. You need a Microsoft Account such as hotmail, outlook or MSN
to use the online version or some call it the cloud version but the files can
be saved locally and local files can be loaded in online version of excel.
for completeness, You also get Word for free and there is also a 15GB free HD
space on onedrive. XP users don't seem to use these services, don't know
why?

True BUT, you have to be online to use it! Also, I understand this
version has no support for macros!

--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
ClassicVB Users Regroup!
comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion