Help! How to edit shape data in larger text area?

[PetteriM]

Hi,

I'm a complete newbie with very specific need. I want my shapes to store some textual documentation, e.g. goal of process step or user story, flow of use case etc. Then i could export all kind of documentation to excel, word etc. That part is doable, but entering text into one short text field is not...

Built in UML-shapes has long text enty area for "Documentation". I have no idea how can i make the shape data fields larger. I think it can't be done through define shape data, right?

I guess, I need
a) define the shape data
b) create some form and code for accessing /showing / editing data in form
c) add call to macro or add-in into shapesheet right-click menu or double click.

Do any of you guys have some relevant example? Hands-on instructions explaining how to do something like that? Please, explain it to me like i'm six years old!

Thanks i advance,
Petteri

[Visio Guy]

David Parker of bVisual has some utilities that might help:

cData
cData - TextData Window

[Visio Guy]

Ok, I just talked to David Parker about the fact that there is no "download" or "buy" link.

He is currently reworking the tool for Visio 2007/2010. It works with Visio 2002/2003, but it has some old licensing issues.

A fairly crude text-editing window could be made using VBA and a custom form without too much effort.

[PetteriM]

Thanks for the info abou cData. It doesn't seem to be availble for 2007 version, though.

Guess I'm stuck...
I thought about adding a larger text area into shape for showing / editing the information. Then I'd need to come up with solution for hiding / showing part of the shape in my library. Do you think that might work?

-Petteri-

[Paul Herber]

I'm in the process of adding a facility to my Visio utilities to allow proper text editing the shape's Data1, Data2 and Data3 fields. This will allow multiple text lines to be used. If you can hold on a bit ...

[Yacine]

Hi guys,
Great topic. Guess many of us are confronted with this problem.
As I had a free day and nothing better to do ,I  began to play around (before i read Paul's and Chris' answers - Sorry).
So, as the work is done, I thought I post it anyway. Pse Check the enclosed "essay".
It will never compete with the commercial solutions, but could be a cheap alternative.
It requires some user.data in the page's sheet, so better create a template.
The nice thing is that you can adress different purposes/audiences with one drawing by just switching the visibility of the data fields on page level (right click on empty space).
The data sub-shapes are not protected on purpose, so you can format them as you like.
The report shows that the data are accessible from add-ins - thus also from macros.
The disadvantage is the way you edit the data. It is not really obvious that you need to click slowly twice on the sub-shape and type F2. (I personally prefer it that way and edit the data on the shape itself, rather than switching to the shape's data window).
To modify the shape itself, open the group (menu edit, open group (last point)), delete the star and insert/draw whatever you want.
Would like to hear your comments.
Cheers
Yacine

[Yacine]

I noticed the general interest for my post  . so here's an update.
You can probably do the same with the labeling add-in, but still, it was fun to write.  

You'll notice that the shape is quit multipurpose, because all the geometry stuff is placed in the group. So you won't alter it's behaviour, when you need to change it's aspect.

Most interesting discovery, is that the shape takes the page properties to a new virgin one, when copied to it. What happens here?

Would also be fine to implement some graphical input with the sub-shapes instead of just typing text in them.

One thing I could not realise, was to implement a kind of setatref between the shape's data and the subshape texts. Would apreciate some hint.

[Yacine]

So, about the graphical input, here are 2 simple slider input shapes, integrated in the main shape.

[PetteriM]

Interesting approach for solving this issue. I'm still in need for other input method as I never want to see textual description on drawing canvas, but want to be able to export them to excel.

For example,

• use case / user story description
  difficulty
  start, end dates
  function points, number of interfaces, dialogs etc.

[Yacine]

Hi Petteri,
you can use my "recommendation" as input interface. You enable the request field, fill in the necessary data, disable it again, run a report and you get the data in excel.
More typical would probably be to open a VB form with a bigger input field and write there the values, needed. It is up to you.
I, personally prefer my solution, because you have closer visual feedback and control.