MS PowerPoint as a diagramming tool?

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CharlesWallace
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MS PowerPoint as a diagramming tool?

Post by CharlesWallace »

I am posing the following question in order to accelerate the pace with which I can diagram and share the folding sequences for several original Origami models I have developed over the pasts few years. (Diagramming a few of the the models by hand has been stimulating and rewarding, but all very time-consuming--I like to add a lot of detail and some of the accompanying notes and other content may be cryptic to others.)

Has anyone used Microsoft PowerPoint as a diagramming tool? (I’m not interested increase patterns at this time.) I ask because I am pretty adept at using it; the learning curve for resources such as InkScape or a CAD program are comparatively higher and time consuming; PowerPoint file can be converted to several other formats so the file is accessible to others; and symbols could be easily created or imported that fall in line with those we are accustomed to seeing in Master Yoshizawa's [et.al.] diagramming system.
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Brimstone
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Re: MS PowerPoint as a diagramming tool?

Post by Brimstone »

Years ago I tried using Word's drawing tools for diagramming (they are basically the same as PowerPoint's), the accuracy wasn't good. Snapping is not supported which I think is a very useful feature of drawing packages.

With what you know about PowerPoint and a 10 minute video from YouTube, you could easily use Inkscape basic tools.
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origami_8
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Re: MS PowerPoint as a diagramming tool?

Post by origami_8 »

Many years ago I drew a diagram in Microsoft Word: http://www.origami.at/diagrams/tie_fighter.pdf
Like Brimstone said it uses basically the same drawing tools as PowerPoint, yet again they changed quite a bit over the years. It is a vector oriented drawing program and therefore serves the purpose of drawing diagrams quite well, however there are far better suited programs out there. Although the basic functions are there, a dedicated vector graphic program like Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer will make your life a lot easier in the long run. Their capabilities outperform those very basic rudimentary functions of the office suite by far. Of course it is your decision what to use, but learning how to use a dedicated program pays of in the long run. Might be you won't miss those additional functions at first because you might not even know they exist, but once you got used to using them you won't want to draw diagrams without them. Personally I still use Macromedia Freehand, I think it is the best program for drawing diagrams that existed so far. Too bad it has been killed by Adobe. Illustrator is good but nowhere near as intuitive to use like Freehand. I did buy the Affinity products some time ago but still haven't warmed up to them. They evolve pretty quickly, so maybe I should give them another go.
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Gerardo
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Re: MS PowerPoint as a diagramming tool?

Post by Gerardo »

I'd personally would try it in Microsoft Publisher instead of PowerPoint, if I had the choice. They're both part of MS Office, but Publisher is better oriented for graphic design projects :).
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cleverLCS
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Re: MS PowerPoint as a diagramming tool?

Post by cleverLCS »

I'll be blunt: I have had better luck using MSPaint to draw a diagram back in my college days (before they let you move lines!) than with PowerPoint or Word. Again, that is old-school, WinXP MSPaint, which is pretty much the bottom of the barrel for drawing programs.

Just learn to use a good CAD program. They're a lot easier than you might expect.
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origami_8
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Re: MS PowerPoint as a diagramming tool?

Post by origami_8 »

I absolutely disagree, MSPaint is way worse than PowerPoint or Word since it is pixel oriented opposed to vector oriented like Word and PowerPoint.

My recommendation would be to learn Inkscape. It is free, has all the tools needed to draw good diagrams and there are plenty tutorials out there how to use it efficiently.
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