What Flowchart Software Do You Use for Procedures and other Documentation?

I haven't figured out how to "paste" into Excel, Access, or PowerPoint (versus creating Gif or Jpeg file to insert.) Here are "clip and paste" for doc (Word 2000 and Word 95) Cove does not provide for upload of rtf (rich text format), but it works fine in that.
Remember - gentle about content!
Native program to create chart = RFFLOW Version 5.0

Added in edit: Yes, I realize I will have to RTFM! (Does this acronym need explaining?) The point was: what could I do without reading it?

For distrubution: try PDF reDirect (also freeware ...)

Hi, guys -- me again!

Try PDF reDirect if you wanna distribute your flowcharts. It's freeware. It's beeyutiful. RFFlow can print directly to it.

It's a printer driver (which you install like a printer), but when you "print" with it, it creates a PDF file, which you can view directly afterwards, using Adobe Acrobat Reader.

www.exp-systems.com

Have fun!

Wes Bucey said:

I haven't figured out how to "paste" into Excel, Access, or PowerPoint (versus creating Gif or Jpeg file to insert.) Here are "clip and paste" for doc (Word 2000 and Word 95) Cove does not provide for upload of rtf (rich text format), but it works fine in that.
Remember - gentle about content!
Native program to create chart = RFFLOW Version 5.0

Added in edit: Yes, I realize I will have to RTFM! (Does this acronym need explaining?) The point was: what could I do without reading it?

Click to expand...

Wes,

It appears to distribute well, and without getting into the details of your defined process, I like the overall look of it.

RFFlow Questions

I am the author of RFFlow so I am financially connected to RFF Electronics and RFFlow. I do understand how RFFlow works, so I can answer any questions you have about it. RFFlow is an OLE server, so you can copy and paste charts into other Windows Applications, like Word, Power Point, etc.
When you double-click on an RFFlow chart pasted into Word, RFFlow will run for you to edit the chart.

RFFlow also allows you to Save As GIF, HTML, JPEG, and BMP. For charts without photographs, GIF is probably the best. You can generate a PDF file if you have Adobe Acrobat 6 installed. You simply print to the "Adobe PDF" printer. You can also generate .EPS and .PLT files by printing to a file.

The free trial version is also a free viewer. It has no expiration and can open any size chart. The restriction on the trial is somewhat confusing. The trial allows you to draw charts of up to 24 shapes. Lines and curves are not counted. You can open a chart having more than 24 shapes, but you can't add to it. E-mail me if you have specific questions.

Roger

Roger Faaborg said:

I am the author of RFFlow so I am financially connected to RFF Electronics and RFFlow. I do understand how RFFlow works, so I can answer any questions you have about it. RFFlow is an OLE server, so you can copy and paste charts into other Windows Applications, like Word, Power Point, etc.
When you double-click on an RFFlow chart pasted into Word, RFFlow will run for you to edit the chart.

RFFlow also allows you to Save As GIF, HTML, JPEG, and BMP. For charts without photographs, GIF is probably the best. You can generate a PDF file if you have Adobe Acrobat 6 installed. You simply print to the "Adobe PDF" printer. You can also generate .EPS and .PLT files by printing to a file.

The free trial version is also a free viewer. It has no expiration and can open any size chart. The restriction on the trial is somewhat confusing. The trial allows you to draw charts of up to 24 shapes. Lines and curves are not counted. You can open a chart having more than 24 shapes, but you can't add to it. You can reach me at [email protected] if you have specific questions.

Roger

Click to expand...

How interesting!
Welcome to the Cove, Roger.
Did you visit and join as a result of WALLACE's phone inquiry?
I note the RFFlow help file states

If you move the documents to another computer, you also have to move the RFFlow file to be able to edit the chart. If you do not move the RFFlow file, the chart will still appear in the documents, but it cannot be edited.

Click to expand...

which confirms our initial analysis that the chart remains static in the "distributed" document when cut and pasted if the computer displaying the document does NOT have RFFlow installed.

I suppose it also means that an author of a chart should convert it to gif or jpeg format to assure it will not be modified (a big deal in Document Control.)

I still haven't figured out how to clip and paste into Excel or PowerPoint. I will RTFM for a little bit later today, then, if no success, I may take you up on your generous offer.

(I am the author of RFFlow and I am financially connected to RFF Electronics, www.rff.com, and RFFlow.)

The way Copy and Paste works in OLE is that the source application provides the data in several formats. Lets say I copy and paste a chart from RFFlow into Word. RFFlow provides Word with a metafile, bitmap, and RFFlow source data. Word keeps all of these. It ususally displays the chart as a metafile. When the user double-clicks on the chart inside Word, it tells RFFlow to run and gives RFFlow the RFFlow source data. If Word can't find RFFlow, Word will let it's own editor run and open the metafile data.

The bottom line is that the chart still shows up in Word, even if RFFlow is not present. You just can't easily edit the chart. That is the way it works for almost all Windows applications, not just RFFlow.

If you want the chart to be not easily edited, then you can Save As a GIF or JPEG. If the destination user has the RFFlow trial, then you should make the chart Read Only before attaching the .flo file to your email. This is enough to keep most users from editing it.

To Copy and Paste you open the chart in RFFlow, click Edit, Select All. Then click Edit, Copy. Switch to a destination application like PowerPoint and click Edit, Paste. If you only want part of your chart, then first select only part of it by dragging the mouse to draw a rectangle around that part of your chart.

Silly me. "I see!" said the blind man.

I was apparently too tired last night to remember to "right click copy" when I was fiddling with the PowerPoint last night - it works fine whether I

1. draw the selection rectangle with the mouse in RFFlow and then right click copy; move to the PowerPoint slide and right click paste
   OR
2. click Edit, Select all, then Edit, Copy, move to PowerPoint slide and click Edit, Paste Special

the chart copies to the new application.

I'll try it out later tonight with other applications.

(As always, computers usually work the same way every time; it is the human element that has the most glitches.)

To Roger

Hi, Roger,

Welcome to the Cove from me, too! I'm the guy who e-mailed you about the two open windows plus cut+paste (SAMRO, South Africa). Seems I've "opened another window" here, too!

Dan.

One man’s opinion.

Set the way back machine for the mid 80’s.
Do you recall the raging debate: DOS PC or Apple ?

I’ve was a mechanical designer back then, and used the computer for engineering stuff.
All the cool and powerful applications were written for DOS – Apple; no’da.

My brother-in-law (an army officer) was a huge champion for Apple, and waved their flag wherever a soapbox could be found. He used the computer to make presentations, and grocery list kind’a stuff.

One day we were arguing the merits of the systems we used, and I said:

“Train someone on DOS, and another on Apple. Let them get good, and switch computers. The guy who was DOS trained knows what he’s doing, and will figure out the Apple in a few minutes. The Apple guy will be hopelessly lost. My argument – More knowledge = better system.

His answer:
….So that makes it better? No: That makes it worse! I don’t have time to train the new guy, I want him to be able to figure it out in a few minutes, by himself. I conceded the debate.

Visio would make my brother-in-law happy. Especially if you already know how to draw on PC.

Interesting that this thread would pop back to the top once more, and just in time.

I had to write a paper for Monday night's Business Communications class on business communications within my workplace, and had to include an organizational chart. I used RFFlow for the org chart and was asked by the facilitator if I would share with the rest of the class how I got such a "professional" looking org chart. I expect that there are now a few more RFFlow users in the world today.