Help: Is there any way to add more autoshape to word?

[yurble_vn]

Hi All,

I just try to create more autoshape to illustrate, for example water drop shape. But when try to draw with Microsoft drawing autoshape, it is quite frustrated.

1.Is there any way to add more autoshape to word (not just insert the picture of that shape) ? Because autoshape is really powerful in using.
2. Is there any big and useful collection of MS autoshape collect available in internet?

THanks all in advance.

[fumei]

1. No, I do not believe so. AutoShapes are elements of ENUM MsoAutoShapeType - see ObjectBrowser for the full list. As such, they are not accessible, or at least I do not believe so.

2. No, I do not believe so, but have you looked?

[yurble_vn]

1. For more autoshape: What I'm currently doing is: bypass through Visio.

First, I draw my shape in Visio which will be tons easier.
Union the shape
Then copy the shape to word and edit picture. It will divide the shape into shaden and outline.
Then, I use the outline as autoshape.


2.About the collection: I thought there should be one. For your information, I get known of adding autoshape through one presentation of McKensey (a consultant institut on management) that I found online. So I considered it should be common and asked here.

Will try to look around.

Anyone have any ideas?

[fumei]

"Then, I use the outline as autoshape."

I do not know what that means.

[TonyJollans]

I confess to not knowing much about this but I think "AutoShapes" are special predefined shapes built into Word. Other shapes that you can draw and/or add to Documents are not AutoShapes.

If you have an AutoShape that you have tailored - added a picture to it or something - you can change the shape to a different AutoShape, whilst always being constrained by the list of those available.

Although other shapes may appear, superficially, to be AutoShapes because, for example, Word uses the AutoShapes dialogue and refers to them in menus as AutoShapes, you can't actually do all the AutoShape stuff with them.

It's a subtle distinction, but a real one, I think. So, although I'm happy to be shown to be wrong, I suspect the answer to the question is: No, there is no way to add more AutoShapes to Word.

It is interesting to note that, in 2007 at least, PowerPoint has a bigger collection of AutoShapes than Word and there is no way I know to get the extra ones from PowerPoint into Word, never mind from somewhere on the web.

[fumei]

The AutoShapes collection in Word are mathematical constructs - formula - within a DLL of Word. They are not accessible, except to use. You can not add to the DLL (it is a DLL after all), nor, AFAIK, you can not write an additional DLL with new/other AutoShapes as Microsoft has never released the structure. Word is not OpenSource software.

I am with Tony in that I would be happy to be wrong, but I do not think it is possible to add new AutoShapes. I did a fairly serious search and I found nothing that even hints at it being otherwise.

[yurble_vn]

Thanks All for the clearer view.

Let I talk more about what I looking for:
First, what I mean authoshape is: SHapes that can be format easily:
+ Filled with a picture
+ Make it transparent
+.....

Why it is useful --> because we can do many thing to express the idea in an easy way.

But, sometime, word autoshape is not sufficient.
-------------------
About copying autoshape(in my opinion), I saw no different.
What I can do in word autoshape, I can do too with the added one.

tomorrow I will try to upload an example. because I just have visio in my company.

Again, thanks for the feedback

[yurble_vn]

"Then, I use the outline as autoshape."

I do not know what that means.

When copy the shape you draw in Visio to word, it include 2 parts: an outline and backgound.

After ungrouping the shape that I copied from Visio to word, i use the outline one.