Hi,
I'm using Visio to design solar panel layouts (plain rectangles in Visio). The panels are layed in rows and need to have 18mm between each of them. Is there a way I can automate that 18mm spacing?
I've tried auto align and auto space etc but not getting very far there
Any help much appreciated!
Maybe this will help
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visio/archive/2010/12/21/our-favorite-visio-tips-amp-tricks.aspx
al
Thanks - the grid thing there helps a little, but ideally I'd select say 5 rectangles and auto-space them so I get, say, 20mm put between each. I thought that might be what "Spacing Options" (Home Tab > Position > Spacing OPtions") but it doesn't seem to do much there..
got to do a lot of mental math...but
- layout 5 rectangles
- Use align to line them up
- move the last one to where you want last one
- select all
- use distribute...it will spread out and space them
Of course, you can write a macro to do this....I have done it myself
As a thought you might consider creating a transparent shape of the necessary spacing to place between your panels...
al
Thanks Vojo,
I like the distribute idea - I'll try that for sure.
Aledlund
I tried what you mentioned there - my main issue was getting the shapes to snap togethor. I've tried all manner of changes under View > Visual Aids to make it so that my two rectangles (one being the panel the other being a spacer) would snap togethor edge against edge but can't get them to do so. Is it because I created the shapes myself? I tried adding connector points and enabling them under visual aids but they still don't 'snap' inline..
Thanks!
Why not use the Visio supplied add-on: Tools > Add-ons > Visio Extras > Array Shapes. That allows you to select spacing between shapes, number shapes by rows &/or columns?
Wapperdude