Visio Guy

Visio Discussions => ShapeSheet & Smart Shapes => Topic started by: Dex on September 18, 2008, 04:13:24 PM

Title: Shapes.X vs Explicit names
Post by: Dex on September 18, 2008, 04:13:24 PM
I made a group and called it CABINET
I made two component shapes in the group, one called BENCHTOP the other called KICKBOARD

In the geometry, the shape KICKBOARD happily responds to LineTo calls to Sheet.3!Prop.Row_1

It doesn't like what I thought would be obvious Sheet.CABINET!Prop.Row_1

Why is this?  Am I stuck with sheet.x even though I renamed the individual shapes within the group?  This is making references to group custom properties difficult
Title: Re: Shapes.X vs Explicit names
Post by: wapperdude on September 19, 2008, 12:38:43 AM
I hope somebody corrects me on this, because using assigned names would be nicer, but, I think you're stuck using Sheet.X!  However, it is somewhat less painful if you go to menu bar > View > Drawing Explorer Window.  In the DEW, click Foreground pages and then follow the cascading trail of shapes.  Each shape will be shown by its Sheet.X! ID.  At least you have a nice localized listing to easily see what to reference.  BTW, if you click on a shape ID in the DEW, that shape will be selected in the drawing window.

HTH
Wapperdude
Title: Re: Shapes.X vs Explicit names
Post by: Visio Guy on September 19, 2008, 12:06:58 PM
If you have a shape named "Cabinet", then the syntax would be:

Cabinet!Prop.Row_1

But the friendly names only work at the same level/scope of grouping. So shapes on the page can refer to each other by name. Shapes within a group can refer to each other by name. But if you cross a level of grouping, you have to use the Sheet.n! syntax.
Title: Re: Shapes.X vs Explicit names
Post by: wapperdude on September 19, 2008, 03:06:36 PM
 :D  Thanks for the clarification.  I hadn't tried level to level, was always traversing up the group chain.  At least I had the "!" correct.   ::)