Microsoft Visio formerly known as
Microsoft Office Visio, is a
commercialCommercial software, or less commonly, payware, is computer software that is produced for sale or that serves commercial purposes.Commercial software is most often proprietary software, but free software packages may also be commercial software....
diagramming programDiagramming software is a computer program that is used to produce graphical diagrams. Diagrams are used in software and business to represent dataflows, workflows and software architecture.- Flowchart :* ARIS Express * Creately...
for
Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
that uses
vector graphicsVector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon, which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics...
to create diagrams.
Features
The current version, Microsoft Visio 2010 for Windows, is available in three editions: Standard, Professional and Premium. The Standard and Professional editions both share the same interface, but the latter has additional templates for more advanced diagrams and layouts as well as unique functionality that makes it easy for users to connect their diagrams to a number of data sources and display the information graphically. The Premium edition has three additional diagram types with intelligent rules support, validation and subprocess (diagram breakdown) support.
File format
Due to its proprietary file format, few other programs can read Visio files. However, Visio can read and write files as VDX files. VDX is a XML Schema based ("DatadiagramML") and well documented file format. With VDX it is possible to work with an XML based file format without the need to use the old binary file format VSD. DatadiagramML is supported by many other
business process managementBusiness process management is a holistic management approach focused on aligning all aspects of an organization with the wants and needs of clients. It promotes business effectiveness and efficiency while striving for innovation, flexibility, and integration with technology. BPM attempts to...
(BPM) tools like Agilian,
ARIS ExpressARIS Express is a free-of-charge modeling tool for business process analysis and management. It supports different modeling notations such as BPMN 2, Event-driven Process Chains , Organizational charts, process landscapes, whiteboards, etc. ARIS Express was initially developed by IDS Scheer, which...
,
ConceptDrawConceptDraw PROJECT is a project management software package developed by Computer Systems Odessa for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X platforms. It presents projects as Gantt charts with linked tasks, milestones and deadlines. Since 2008 it has been a part of the ConceptDraw Office software...
,
OmnigraffleOmniGraffle is a diagramming application made by The Omni Group. OmniGraffle is built only for Mac OS X and the iPad. It may be used to create diagrams, flow charts, org charts, and illustrations. It features a drag-and-drop WYSIWYG interface...
or
IBM WebSphereIBM WebSphere refers to a brand of computer software products in the genre of enterprise software known as "application and integration middleware". These software products are used by end-users to create applications and integrate applications with other applications...
. Omnigraffle Pro on the Mac can read and write Visio files.
History
Visio began as a standalone product produced by Shapeware Corporation; version 1.0 shipped in 1992. Just before 1.0 shipped, Shapeware Corporation changed their name to
Visio CorporationVisio Corporation was a software company based in Seattle, Washington. Its principal product was a diagramming application software of the same name. It was acquired by Microsoft and is now in a division of that company, which continues to develop the application under the name Microsoft...
to take advantage of market recognition and related product equity. Microsoft acquired Visio in 2000, re-branding it as a
Microsoft OfficeMicrosoft Office is a non-free commercial office suite of inter-related desktop applications, servers and services for the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, introduced by Microsoft in August 1, 1989. Initially a marketing term for a bundled set of applications, the first version of...
application, like
Microsoft ProjectMicrosoft Project is a project management software program, developed and sold by Microsoft, which is designed to assist a project manager in developing a plan, assigning resources to tasks, tracking progress, managing the budget, and analyzing workloads.The application creates critical path...
; however, it has never been included in any of the Office suites. Microsoft included a Visio for Enterprise Architects edition with some editions of Visual Studio .NET 2003 and Visual Studio 2005.
Along with Microsoft Visio 2002 Professional, Microsoft introduced Visio Enterprise Network Tools and Visio Network Center. Visio Enterprise Network Tools was an add-on product that enabled automated network and directory services diagramming. Visio Network Center was a subscription-based website where users could locate the latest network documentation content and exact-replica network equipment shapes from 500 leading manufacturers. The former has been discontinued, while the latter's shape-finding features are now integrated into the program itself. Visio 2007 was released on November 30, 2006.
Unlike the core Office 2007 applications, Microsoft Visio 2007 did not feature the Ribbon user interface, but Microsoft Visio 2010 does.
Versions
- Visio 1.0 (Standard, Lite, Home).
- Visio 2.0
- Visio 3.0
- Visio 4.0 (Standard, Technical)
- Visio 4.1 (Standard, Technical)
- Visio 4.5 (Standard, Professional, Technical)
- Visio 5.0 (Standard, Professional, Technical)
- Visio 2000 (6.0; Standard, Professional, Technical, Enterprise), later updated to SP1 and Microsoft branding after Visio Corporation's acquisition
- Visio 2002 (10.0; Standard, Professional)
- Visio Enterprise Network Tools, Visio Network Center
- Visio for Enterprise Architects 2003 (VEA 2003) (based on Visio 2002 and included with Visual Studio .NET 2003 Enterprise Architect)
- Office Visio 2003 (11.0; Standard, Professional)
- Office Visio for Enterprise Architects 2005 (VEA 2005) (based on Visio 2003 and included with Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite and Team Architect editions)
- Office Visio 2007 (12.0; Standard, Professional).
- Visio 2010 (14.0; Standard ($249.99), Professional ($559.99), Premium ($999.99)
There are no Visio versions 7, 8, or 9, because after Microsoft acquired and branded Visio as a Microsoft Office product, the Visio version numbers followed the Office version numbers. Version 13 was skipped due to
superstitionTriskaidekaphobia is fear of the number ; it is a superstition and related to a specific fear of Friday the 13th, called paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia.The term was first used by Isador Coriat in Abnormal...
.
See also
- Concept map
For concept maps in generic programming, see Concept .A concept map is a diagram showing the relationships among concepts. It is a graphical tool for organizing and representing knowledge....
- Diagrams
- Flowchart
A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents an algorithm or process, showing the steps as boxes of various kinds, and their order by connecting these with arrows. This diagrammatic representation can give a step-by-step solution to a given problem. Process operations are represented in these...
- List of concept mapping and mind mapping software
- Comparison of project management software
External links