Create wind vector arrows for MS Word. How?

[Agaricus bisporus]

I need create or download 2 and 3 headed arrows for wind drift vector diagrams in a Word document. I can make them laboriously by layering several components but cannot duplicate them or fix/save the design for multiple use. I deally I'd prefer a line with arrowheads in the middle that can be copied, dragged and dropped and extended in length as required but ornery arrrers will do. Am I crying for the moon?

Any boffins out there know how?

[mixture]

If you've got nothing better, create them in paint and save them there.

Otherwise, if you've got some form of vector drawing software (à la Adobe Illustrator, create them in there, and save them as vectors, you'll then be able to size them as you need them without loosing fidelity).

A quick google yields "Inkscape" as an open-source attempt at making a free Adobe illustrator. Given the simplicity of what you'e aiming to achieve, it's featureset will probably be more than enough. (See Wikipedia here for a more extensive list of free/opensource vector software).

Just make sure you save your work it in a vector not raster format !

(for the avoidance of confusion, the word vector in my case refers to "vector graphics", i.e. in contrast to "raster graphics", not special wind vector drawing software !)

[WillDAQ]

Can't you just draw the shape with lines and then group the lines (select all, right click, group)?

Then just copy, paste and rotate the group as required.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Thanks, if had a week to learn how that would be useful, I was hoping for something a bit more user-friendly. It certainly looks a damn good program though.
I can't see anything in it about vectors. How is it a vector drawing program?
It is so complex I can't even get it to draw straight lines without attaching bezier curves (wtf???) to them! Too much for me I'm afraid.

Will, I've tried that - in Word there is a group button but there seems no way to select all. Just can't make it work.

[compressor stall]

Hold down CTRL (or CMD on mac) whilst you click to select multiple arrows?

[MacBoero]

WillDAQ has hinted at a way that works.

MS Word has vector drawing tools built in, so nothing extra is needed.

So based on MS Word 2003...

Click the arrow drawing tool and draw an arrow, and it is best to do this diagonally.

Set the arrow head shape to design you want.

Copy the arrow and paste a copy of it end to end with the previous one.

Edit the properties of the arrow that points away from the other, and remove its head.

You now have what looks like a line with an arrow head in the middle.

Select one arrow, by clicking it.

Select the other by SHIFT+clicking it.

Both arrows are now selected and highlighted.

Group them.

The grouped object can be copied around as needed.

You'll notice the grouped object has a box around it. At the corners are little white circles and at one edge on a short lead-out a green circle. The object can be stretched and rotated to most angles by dragging one of the white circles at the ends of the line. Fine tuning rotation can be achieved by using the green circle. If you create the construct horizontally or vertically, the resulting object doesn't behave quite right, which is why I recommend creating using diagonals to start with.

I would paste in some diagrams illustrate, but a little busy at the moment.

[mixture]

I can't see anything in it about vectors. How is it a vector drawing program?

Sometimes I wonder why I bother....

In my post above :

for the avoidance of confusion, the word vector in my case refers to "vector graphics", i.e. in contrast to "raster graphics", not special wind vector drawing software !

I specifically said a vector was a type of graphic ! And that you should use them because :

you'll then be able to size them as you need them without loosing fidelity

How you draw your wind vectors in them is up to you. But you shouldn't need to use besier curves to do so ! I've never used it...but surely the non Adobe software offers the ability to draw lines !!

Anyhow, good luck to you in your endeavours. I'm done with contributing to this thread.

[Spurlash2]

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