Shapes, icons and images

The shape library is the panel on the left of PlexiiDiagrams. It has three tabs: Shapes, Icons and Images. Anything in it can be clicked to place it in the middle of your view, or dragged onto the canvas to place it exactly.

Before you start

• The shape library is on every plan.
• If the library is hidden, click the left of the two panel buttons at the right end of the menu bar, or choose View > Shape library.

Shapes

The Shapes tab holds 430 shapes in 16 categories. Flowchart is open when you start. Click a category's name to open or close it; the number beside it is how many shapes it holds.

Hover a shape to see its name.

Search for a shape

Type in Search 430 shapes at the top of the tab. The search looks in every category, including the closed ones, and shows how many shapes match. If nothing matches, try the Icons tab.

Keep your favourite shapes at the top

1. Right-click a shape in the library.
2. It is added to Favourites at the top of the tab, and a small star marks it.

Right-click it again to take it out of Favourites.

Add shapes from the menu

The Insert menu lists the everyday shapes first: Process, Decision, Start / End, Data (I/O), Database and Circle. Below them is one submenu for each category, such as Flowchart shapes and UML shapes, and quick items for Text, Table, Sticky note, Swimlane and Image….

Icons

The Icons tab searches 3,892 icons.

1. Type in Search 3,892 icons, such as cloud, person or database.
2. Click an icon to add it, or drag it onto the canvas.

The tab shows up to 240 icons at a time. If there are more, it says so; type more of the name to narrow it down.

You can also put an icon inside a shape. Select the shape, open the inspector's Style tab, and type in Icon under Shape.

Images

1. Open the Images tab.
2. Click Upload images and choose one or more pictures, or paste a link in Or add from a link and click Add.

You can also drag image files straight onto the canvas, or paste an image with ⌘ V on a Mac or Ctrl V on Windows. Images up to 2.5 MB are stored inside the diagram.

Text, sticky notes and tables

• Text: press T, or click the Text tool in the toolbar, then click the canvas and type. You can also right-click empty canvas and choose Add text here.
• Sticky note: Insert > Sticky note, or the Sticky notes category.
• Table: Insert > Table adds a grid you can type in. Double-click a cell to type, and press Tab to move to the next cell. Set the number of rows and columns in the inspector's Style tab, under Rows and Columns.

Change a shape after placing it

Select a shape, then use the inspector on the right:

• Style tab:
  • Fill & line: Colour tints the fill and outline together. Fill, Line, Line style, Corners, Opacity and Drop shadow set each part on its own. Reset clears the style settings you gave the shape.
  • Shape: Type turns it into another shape, keeping its text and lines. Icon adds an icon.
• Text tab: Font, size, text colour, bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, and where the text sits in the shape. Label lets you edit the text in a box.

To copy one shape's look onto others, select it and choose Edit > Copy style, or press ⌥ ⌘ C on a Mac or Ctrl Alt C on Windows. Then select the others and choose Edit > Paste style, or press ⌥ ⌘ V or Ctrl Alt V. Both are also on a shape's right-click menu, and as buttons in the Style tab under Fill & line.

The toolbar has quick buttons for the selection too: Bold, Italic, Larger text, Fill and Shape colour.

Common questions

I cannot find a shape. Search for it by name at the top of the Shapes tab. The search covers every category, even closed ones.

My favourites are gone on another computer. Favourites are kept on the computer where you set them.

My picture was not added. Pictures larger than 2.5 MB cannot be stored in a diagram. Make a smaller copy and add that.

The image from a link will not add. Use a link that starts with http:// or https:// and points at the picture itself.

Related tasks

• PlexiiDiagrams overview
• Draw a flowchart
• Edit and arrange shapes
• Pages, layers and themes
• Connect shapes and route lines