Edraw offers a set of vector drawing tools that can rival a professional illustration program. Besides, it knows what makes a diagram different from a drawing, and helps you create amazing diagrams quickly and easily. Customizable Grid and Snap tool help position your shapes precisely. A number of Alignment, Distribution and Make Same tools will automate routine operations with multiple shapes. Unlimited number of layers is supported.

Edraw software is intended for professional flowcharting, diagramming and illustrating. Its flexible, handy drawing tools help quickly document a variety of complex structures, systems and processes.

In the library menu, you can use the drawing tools which contain all the tools you need to draw and edit your own shapes.

These shapes and clipart in the edraw library were created by the above drawing tools.

Rectangle and square tool

1. On the Tools toolbar, click the Rectangle tool.
2. Point to where you want a corner of the shape.
3. Drag until the shape is the size you want.

   To draw square, drag the mouse to 45 degree direction from start point, the assistant line will appear and snap mouse, drag mouse along the assistant line until the size you want.

   

   Note Make sure Drawing aids option checked, otherwise the assistant line will never appear.

Ellipse and circle tool

1. On the Tools toolbar, click the Ellipse tool.
2. Point to where you want to start drawing the shape.
3. Drag until the shape is the size you want.

   To draw circle, drag the mouse to 45 degree direction from start point, the assistant line will appear and snap mouse, drag mouse along the assistant line until the size you want.

   

   Note Make sure Drawing aids option checked, otherwise the assistant line will never appear.

Line  tool

1. On the Tools toolbar, click the Line tool.
2. Point to where you want to start the line.
3. Drag to draw the line.

   Notes

   • To draw a polyline, continue drawing lines that touch each other.
   • To draw a polygon, draw touching lines that form a closed shape.
   • To draw horizontal or vertical straight line, drag the mouse near the direction, the assistant line will appear and snap mouse.

   

Arc  tool

1. On the Tools toolbar, click the Arc tool.
2. Point to where you want to start the arc.
3. Drag to draw the arc.

Curve tool

1. On the Tools toolbar, click the Pen tool.
2. Point to where you want to start the curve.
3. Click and move the second point you want.
4. Click and move the third point you want.
5. Click and move the fourth point you want, and click.

Freehand curve tool

1. On the Tools toolbar, click the Pencil tool.
2. Point to where you want to start the freehand curve.
3. Drag to draw the freehand curve.

Draw a shape that has multiple segments

1. You can use the pen tool to create multiple segments.
2. To draw the first segment, point to where you want to start the shape, and then drag until the segment is the size you want.
3. To draw the second segment, point to the endpoint (endpoint: Either of the square handles that appear at the beginning or end of a selected line, arc, or other one-dimensional shape.) of the first segment (the pointer will look like a plus sign), and then drag.

   After you draw the second segment, the shape displays vertices (vertex, vertices: One of the diamond-shaped handles that appears between two segments on a multiple-segment shape, or at the end of a segment. You can reshape a shape or connector by dragging its vertices.) instead of endpoints .

4. To draw additional segments, point to the vertex at the end of the last segment you added, and then drag to draw the next segment.
5. To close the shape, drag the endpoint of the last segment you create over the vertex at the beginning of the first segment.

   The shape becomes opaque, indicating its a closed shape (closed shape: A shape that is surrounded by a continuous outline, such as a rectangle or circle. You can fill a closed shape with a color or a pattern.).

Tips

• To undo a segment, on the Edit menu, click Undo Add Segment. Segments are deleted in the reverse order in which they were drawn.
• If an existing segment resizes when you try to draw a new segment, you have accidentally selected the vertex of the resized segment. On the Edit menu, click Undo Edit Segment, and then click away from the shape to clear its selection. Point to the vertex and drag to draw the next segment.