Visio Guy

Visio Discussions => ShapeSheet & Smart Shapes => Topic started by: Yacine on August 30, 2015, 11:34:35 AM

Title: Keep reference to parent shape
Post by: Yacine on August 30, 2015, 11:34:35 AM
The setup:
A group shape contains a more or less complex sub-shape.
The sub-shape references cells of the parent shape.
Open the group in a separate window.
Select the sub-shape and duplicate it.
Result: in some of the formulas initially written in the original sub-shape, the reference to the parent shape get replaced by a "REF()" statement.

I could not figure out why and when this happens. Does anyone have a clue how to avoid this?
Title: Re: Keep reference to parent shape
Post by: wapperdude on August 30, 2015, 02:50:37 PM
Not sure what you mean by "separate window"...(1) opened the grouped shape via the stencil window> edit matter shape, or (2) dropped the group on a new page?

(2) will fail because the duplicated subshape is not part of the group, hence, no parent references exist.

(1) which I think you mean, ought to work...which entails open master shape for editing.  That pops up a new window containing the matter, i.e., group shape.  You still have to push down into the group to get to the sub.  Duplicating the sub, still places it outside the group, but, ironically, the window still retains the master references.  At least, that's my V2007 experience.  Now when you close the window, save the shape, you actually get a NEW group...the original group plus the new sub!  Seems like Visio did a bit of a cheat.  Don't now how repeatable this is, but, strictly speaking, the new sub is not part of the original group.

HTH
Wapperdude
Title: Re: Keep reference to parent shape
Post by: Yacine on August 30, 2015, 05:19:09 PM
Hi Wapperdude,
I meant "select shape/menu edit/open group"

The sub-shape is needed several times in the group, but it is so complexe, that you first fine tune one, then duplicate it. Unfortunately, when duplicating some of the formulas get corrupted.
Title: Re: Keep reference to parent shape
Post by: wapperdude on August 30, 2015, 05:31:33 PM
Is "open group" a V2010 thing?  Yours is the 2nd, recent reference to that.  I've never seen it in V2007, not e even grayed out in any menu.

Wapperdude
Title: Re: Keep reference to parent shape
Post by: wapperdude on August 30, 2015, 05:54:38 PM
Ah!  Found it.  In V2007:  Edit>Open Group.  Never used that before.  Yes.  I can confirm that some references are dropped.

Will explore further.  In meantime, you might want to try saving your group as a master on a stencil, then from the stencil open the master for editing.  Not ideal, but, it does look like it preserves the references.

Cheers.
Wapperdude
Title: Re: Keep reference to parent shape
Post by: wapperdude on August 30, 2015, 05:59:45 PM
Looks like the open group thing might be a dead end.  Perhaps you can use Paul Herber's SuperUtilities.  As I recall, you can copy sections of the shapesheet and paste to another shape.  Haven't needed to do that in awhile, so, memory might be faulty.

Wapperdude
Title: Re: Keep reference to parent shape
Post by: Yacine on August 30, 2015, 07:33:02 PM
Hi Wapperdude,
The Master methode worked.
Thank you so much for the tip.