Shapes not on same scale as rulers

[gotcha640]

Hello Visio Guy forum

I've just started poking around Visio, and it looks like a lot of fun.

I'm trying to start small, laying out my living room, and I'm having a little trouble with the measurements.

I've made the walls, set their dimensions through right click/properties, flipped the reference lines around, and got the room to add up to the measurements I took.

I'd now like to make some reference measurements (i know these two rugs are on the same line, this many inches from this wall, etc) but the rulers at the top and side don't match the dimensions of my shapes. My longest wall is over 30 feet, and my canvas (if that's what you call it in visio) is letter paper size.

I understand I can scale the shape dimensions to make the whole thing fit on a page, but right now the scale shows 1:1.

What setting am I missing that would make these shapes the same scale as the paper they're on?

Any help appreciated.

Bonus points for not having to start over


*** update ***

I've downloaded the Office Layout template, deleted all the stuff out of it, and pasted my shapes in, and ended up with something over a mile long. So that's not right.

When I make new walls in this emptied out template, the number I put in Properties and the number in the Size and Position window match. 

Still curious about what setting I need to tweak, and how to define the canvas size.

[vojo]

since you are making your own shapes, I assume you are pretty good with shapesheet.

You can use thepage!pagescale to get the scale of the page.

From here, it can get a bit dicey.
if you are using width and height to define the shape....and want to allow user to adjust...you will have to plunge into the world of
setattr formulas...they can be tricky
if you want to use custom properties to set shape dimensions, you can do the following
user.scale = thepage!pagescale / <say 3mm>     // if pagescale = 3mm then scaling is 1.00....if 6mm....2.00
prop.width = <user input>
user.width = prop.width * user.scale

I am sure there are other ways to do this....all will center on pagescale

For example, could do a template and set page scale in the template....every time used, same scale....and make
your shapes assume the template is being used.

[gotcha640]

Fwoooom.... right over my head.

Just to clarify how beginner I am, I opened Visio for the first time this morning after spending a few minutes trying the free online drawing programs. There were more options than I thought I needed to navigate on my own, so I googled up a template. I deleted stuff, stretched and shrunk and grouped stuff, and decided I could start a new project on my own.

So, file, new drawing US, file, shapes...walls shells structure.

Drag in a wall, default appears to be 8 feet, default scale is no scale. Turn on rulers. So my 8 foot wall (label says 8'-0", right click/properties says 8 ft., Shape Data box says 8 ft.) is exactly 1 inch long, according to the rulers, and the Size and Position box, and my eyeballs.

What simple setting am I missing here?

As a thanks for your help (or a warning to others...) I've attached my living room.

Left end is all sliding glass doors, which I will indicate in future improvements, and the right leads to kitchen, bathroom, and stairs. The box on the bottom is a fireplace, which I will also indicate later.

[vojo]

file==>page setup==>page properties
tools ==>ruler n grid

[gotcha640]

If I change the scale to anything other than 1:1, it works as intended. If just seems odd that the default would be 1:1, and that it wouldn't line up correctly with a built in shape.

[wapperdude]

Couple of points:
1.  Which version of Visio? Beginning with V2010, MS went to the ribbon UI, and so, things are organized differently.
2.  I believe all sub-versions, i.e., Standard, Pro, whatever, have floorplan stencils and templates already installed
     a.)  many shapes available
     b.)  the template sets a new default scale factor more appropriate room drawings
3.  The Visio default is either no scale or 1:1.  Gotta start somewhere!  Using built-in templates gives a better beginning default.
     a.)  At 1:1, your drawing would have to be 10, 15, 20 feet wide, actual page size, for a drawing that is either 10, 15, or 20 feet wide.  That would take a lot of paper to print!
     b.)  Scale factor must be chosen for desired total dimension to fit on desired number of printed pages of desired sheet size.
           i.)  for A size, SF: 1/2 in = 1 ft:  a single sheet would be 17 ft by 22 ft edge to edge.
          ii.)  should set the scale factor FIRST, before making any shapes.  Otherwise, may have to re-do some shapes.
     c.)  Page scale factor allows you to draw at the actual size.  It automatically scales objects to fit on the page.

HTH
Wapperdude