shapes and stencils

[dtallent]

I create plans for our apartments and use a lot of shapes and stencils. I have created different files for them, like a file for bathrooms, exterior  items, appliances, signs, and several others. Whenever I start a new drawing I have to manually select the file so they will be open for me to use. Is there anyway I can set Visio to automatically open these files when I start a new drawing?

[Surrogate]

You can create template (document with extention vst(x)) and add to workspace some stencils. This gif-animation shows how save stencils in workspace

[dtallent]

No that's not what I am talking about. My shapes window on the left side opens and it has quick shapes, basic shapes, connectors, stuff like that. I am trying to figure out how to het the shapes window to load what I want instead of a default file.

[wapperdude]

That's the whole point of the template.  You create the shapes reference to show only the desired shape stencils, set up any other  options, and save the template as shown above.  How else are you going to manage all the computers that will be using your setup?    Then, when you launch the template, everything is set as desired, for that particular design environment.

User, Hey Ken, does a lot of distributing and takes a bit of a different approach.  Here's the link:  http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=7850.msg33598#msg33598.  In that post, he provides an additional link.  Might be of use.

Wapperdude

[wapperdude]

Cool!