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Shapes I: Introductory basics you can't live without

2-D shapes

Examples of 2-D shapes.

A 2-D shape is a shape that, when selected, does not have a beginning point or an ending point. Instead, a 2-D shape has eight selection handles Selection handle image. The shapes shown here are all 2-D shapes.

How do 2-D shapes behave? When you click and drag a corner selection handle, you can change two dimensions: the length and the width. But you can't use 2-D shapes to connect other shapes. That behavior is limited to 1-D shapes.

2-D shapes are typically used to represent something — either a general concept such as a step in a flowchart, or a specific object such as a factory or a piece of equipment.

Like the laptop and the block shown here, some 2-D shapes are drawn to look three-dimensional. Even so, Visio considers these shapes as 2-D shapes. You know that because of the eight selection handles.

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