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Creating Organizational Charts In WordPerfect
DocumentID: 612411
Revision Date: 29-Feb-96 1:35:27 PM

The information in this document applies to:
WordPerfect® 5.1 for DOS

Problem

Solutions: To some people, no other feature in WordPerfect 5.1 gives you as many options for enhancing documents as Tables. Designing Flow Charts in WordPerfect 5.0 was limited to Line Draw options (see Advantage/Disadvantage Chart for Line Draw at the end of this memo). But, now WP has Tables and they allow at least two different ways to create Organizational Charts. Becoming familiar with these two methods can speed up support for this particular feature.

The first method is referred to as Modular Piecing. This is done primarily by creating a number of small tables (or modules) which can then be combined to give different looks to an Organizational Chart. Here are the instructions for three basic modular pieces.

Module 1 is made by creating a table with 4 columns and 2 rows.
A. Change position of table to Center (Options)
B. Turn on Block, press End, and change the column widths to .347"
C. Block the entire table and change all lines to dotted
D. Join the cells of the first row and make the border thick
E. Change the left line in cell C2 to Thick
F. Save the file as MODULE.1

Module 2 is made by creating a table with 9 columns and 3 rows.
A. Change the position of the table to Center
B. Turn on Block, press End and change the column widths to .347"
C. Block the entire table and change all lines to dotted
D. Block from C1 to G1 and change the top line to Thick
E. Change the left line in cell C1 and H1 to Thick
F. Join cells A2 through D2, and F2 through I2 and make their borders Thick
G. Change the left line in cells C3 and H3 to Thick
H. Save the file as MODULE.2

Module 3 is made by creating a table with 14 columns and 3 rows.
A. Change the position of the table to Center
B. Turn on Block, press End and change the column widths to .347"
C. Block the entire table and change all lines to dotted
D. Block from cells C1 to L1 and change the top line to Thick
E. Change the left line in cells C1, H1, and M1 to Thick
F. Join cells A2 to D2, F2 to I2, and K2 to N2 and make their borders Thick
G. Change the left line in cells C3, H3, and M3 to Thick
H. Save the file as MODULE.3

Once all of these modules are created and saved, they can be appended to one another simply by retrieving them into a document, one after another.

If they are brought into the same document without any [HRt] codes between the Table codes, and with all of the non-thick lines removed, they create an attractive, continuous pyramid chart.

This method is perfect for the normal pyramid chart because it basically creates itself. And the last module could be modified to end at this point or continue on to even more levels. More complex charts require a few more steps to achieve the desired result.

The following chart shows that modifications can be utilized with a number of different looks by using the three modules in a different order. To duplicate the chart, you must:

A. Retrieve MODULE.1 two times to the screen
B. Now retrieve MODULE.3 under both MODULE.1 files
C. Next, retrieve MODULE.2 three times to the screen
D. Take note of the line position of the first MODULE.2 (e.g., 5.61")
E. Edit the position of the first MODULE.2 and make it Left
F. Advance the second MODULE.2 to the correct line location and position the table to Center
G. Advance the third MODULE.2 to the same line location and position that table to Right
H. Next, edit MODULE.3 by changing the column width in cells E2 and J2 to 2.1"

The results can be fantastic. The finished product is quite impressive when names are entered and the dotted lines are all removed. The only real drawback to this method of using tables is that your charts can only be created by using a combination of the different smaller modules, and can require some extensive editing. All extra connection lines or divisions would have to be manually added, or new modules constructed.


The second method for tables could be termed Line Elimination. The name, in itself, already explains how to use this method. Instead of taking pieces and putting them together, simply create an entire Table and then remove (or eliminate) the lines that aren't needed. Here are some important tips to follow:

1. Be generous on the number of columns and rows you allow yourself to work with for the desired chart. It is easy to find things to do with leftover cells in a table. But not having enough can cause you serious frustration. Take the widest level in your chart and use it as a guide. For example, if my chart described a CEO, the two vice-presidents, and four administrators, the administrators would be my widest level. If I assign four cells as sufficient space for each administrator, and I want at least one cell between them, I'm going to need a minimum of 19 columns for the third level.

2. It seems easier to work with even numbers because of the ease it gives you in forming center lines from joined sections in a Table.

3. When using this method, create a table which fills the entire page. In order to do this properly, be aware of column and row limits according to your paper orientation.

With a 12pt font, and margins left at default, 24 (or 23) columns will fit across the page. In these settings, your row limit is 29 using a double or single line border.

With a Courier 10cpi font, margins at default, 24 (or 23) columns will fit, and the row limit increases to 31 with a double border, or 32 with a single border.

Almost the reverse is true in landscape mode. With a Courier font and default margins, you can create a table with 32 columns and 23 rows (single border) or 32 columns and 22 rows (double border).

With a proportional font and the same margins, the table can have 32 columns and 21 rows (single border) or 20 rows (double border). Note: It is important to ALWAYS change the table position to Full in order for it to utilize the margins left to right for this method.

Once a table is on the screen, turn on Block, press Home, Home, Down, and change all lines to Dotted. Then think of yourself as a sculptor with a chunk of marble in front of you--waiting for your creation to be chipped out of the rock.

Use your imagination with the prior charts to see what you can create. One option would be to pencil in what you would eventually like. Doing this allows you to see which lines would then need to be eliminated.

You can achieve the same modular look by blocking cells and joining them together from a dotted environment. The steps seem numerous, but for more complex applications, it can actually be faster than piecing together modules. The only real key to success is knowing how the lines in table cells work.

Line/Cell ownership is an important concept because only certain lines can be adjusted from a certain cell. The values are:

=================================================================
| This cell owns the | This cell owns the | This cell owns the |
| Top and Left lines | Top and Left lines | Top, Left, and |
| only! | only! | Right lines. |
|---------------------+--------------------+--------------------|
| This cell owns the | This cell owns the | This cell owns the |
| Top and Left lines | Top and Left lines | Top, Left, and |
| only! | only! | Right lines. |
|---------------------+--------------------+--------------------|
| This cell owns the | This cell owns the | This cell is the |
| Top, Left, and | Top, Left, and | only cell that |
| Bottom lines. | Bottom lines. | owns every line |
| | | in its parameter. |
=================================================================

In order to use one table and achieve the same look as our combined Modules, you must:

A. Create a table that is 14 columns and 7 rows
B. Change the position of the table to Center
C. Block the entire table and change the lines to Dotted
D. Join cells (F1 to I1), (C4 to F4), (I4 to L4), (A7 to D7), (F7 to I7), and (K7 to N7)
E. Define the left lines in cells H2, E3, K3, E5, K5, C6, H6, and M6 as single
F. Block cells E3 to J3 and change the top line to Single
G. Block cells C6 to L6 and change the top line to Single

* Borders could be set to Thick.

Except for thick lines, you now have the same look as you had with the Modules. The next step would be to block and remove the unnecessary dotted lines. Note: One important factor is that it is better to remove the lines than to join blank areas together. (In Table Edit mode, block the necessary area, choose 3 for lines, 5 for inside, and 1 for none. The reason for this is that it lends itself to easier editing.

Block by block can be removed until the table is free of all the extra lines. Then you can remove the outside borders. The main bonus with Line Elimination is that it allows for complex table creations from just one table which can be manipulated without exiting Edit Mode and entering it for an adjacent Table.

The only way to increase your own abilities with either type of method concerning the creation of Organizational Charts is to try them.


ADVANTAGE/DISADVANTAGE CHART FOR LINE DRAW

Line Draw - Advantages
1. The draw option is quick
2. You get a variety of borders (e.g., characters, asterisks, letters, etc.)

Line Draw - Disadvantages
1. Extremely hard to edit
2. Typeover mode can be inconsistent
3. Limited to Courier or Line Draw fonts only
4. Block and Copy require immediate editing (e.g., the spaces between the end of text and the box border)

Tables - Advantages
1. No need for Typeover mode
2. Available for use with any font from soft fonts, built-in, or cartridges
3. Shading is immediately available
4. Information can be copied into any cell with all attached attributes

Tables - Disadvantages
1. May require more time
2. Borders in and around table must be of line format (no characters available)

Answer:

Details:


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