Creating Graphics with Draw

Use OpenOffice.org Draw to create graphics and diagrams. You can save your drawings in today’s most common formats and import them into any application that lets you import graphics, including the other OpenOffice.org modules. You can also create Flash versions of your drawings.

The OpenOffice.org documentation contains complete instructions on using Draw. See Section 1.10, “For More Information” for more information.

What's New in Draw?

The Novell edition of OpenOffice.org allows you to import Scalable Vector Graphics (*.svg) and WordPerfect Graphics (*.wpg). Select File+Open and use the Filter drop-down list to view which file formats can be opened.

Creating and Inserting Graphics

Procedure 4.1. Creating a Graphic

  1. Press Alt+F2 and enter oodraw to open OpenOffice.org Draw.

  2. Use the toolbar at the bottom of the window to create a graphic.

  3. Save the graphic.

To embed an existing Draw graphic into an OpenOffice.org document, select Insert+Object+OLE Object. Select Create from file and click Search to navigate to the Draw file to insert. If you insert a file as OLE object, you can easily edit the object later by double-clicking it.

Procedure 4.2. Opening Draw From Other OpenOffice.org Modules

One particularly useful feature of Draw is the ability to open it from other OpenOffice.org modules so you can create a drawing that is automatically imported into your document.

  1. From an OpenOffice.org module (for example, from Writer), click Insert+Object+OLE Object+OpenOffice.org 3.x Drawing+OK.

    This opens Draw.

  2. Create your drawing.

  3. Click in your document, outside the Draw frame.

    The drawing is automatically inserted into your document.