How to flip a drawing

Saha · May 13, 2010, 08:42:51 AM

Hello all,

I am rather new to visio and I have been trying to flip (create a mirror image of the shapes and connectors but the text) a drawing of flowcharts in Visio 2003 and Visio 2010 beta but all the connectors get tangled.
Someone in another forum suggested grouping the shapes before flipping but this doesnt work because visio refuses to flip the grouped shapes.
I don't need to manipulate the drawing any further after it has been flipped so if there is a solution to undo the 'smart' behalviour of the connectors it would be welcome also!

Thanks in advance,

Martin

Paul Herber · May 13, 2010, 10:02:39 AM

Selecting all the shapes (Control-A) then menu Shape -> Rotate or Flip -> Flip Horizontal
should work but maybe the connectors will get tangled in very complicated diagrams. I've just tried this with a simple diagram of 10 shapes and all seems well.

Saha · May 13, 2010, 10:22:01 AM

Quote from: Paul Herber on May 13, 2010, 10:02:39 AM
Selecting all the shapes (Control-A) then menu Shape -> Rotate or Flip -> Flip Horizontal
should work but maybe the connectors will get tangled in very complicated diagrams. I've just tried this with a simple diagram of 10 shapes and all seems well.

That's what I tried before.
I am not sure if the flowcharts can be considered 'very complicated' but the connectors do get tangled very much!
Since the drawings are needed for a scientific study it is necessary for them to be the exact mirror immage!

Here is the download link to one of the visio files:

http://rapidshare.com/files/386787305/Modell1_Produkt-Kundenservic_AD.vsd.html

Paul Herber · May 13, 2010, 11:13:13 AM

I see the problem, I'll have a play with it ...

Paul Herber · May 13, 2010, 11:29:40 AM

One problem I have found is that many of the connectors are not glued correctly.
Example, take the 4 connectors between shape "Nutzenpotentiale analysieren" and the 3 boxes below. As they currently stand doing a Flip Horizontal causes these lines to do some odd routing. If you correctly route and glue these connectors then do the Flip Horizontal then all is well.
I know, that's possibly not the answer you want to hear ...

Maybe someone else has a solution.

Saha · May 13, 2010, 11:51:38 AM

Quote from: Paul Herber on May 13, 2010, 11:29:40 AM
One problem I have found is that many of the connectors are not glued correctly.
Example, take the 4 connectors between shape "Nutzenpotentiale analysieren" and the 3 boxes below. As they currently stand doing a Flip Horizontal causes these lines to do some odd routing. If you correctly route and glue these connectors then do the Flip Horizontal then all is well.
I know, that's possibly not the answer you want to hear ...

Maybe it is!

As I said I am new to visio and I have not drawn the models myself.
How do you check if the connectors are 'glued and routed" correctly and how do you fix it?
(I am not too lazy trying to find this out myself...just thought it might be much easier if you give me a quick answer as long as you are online and into this)

Thank you very much for your help!

Martin

Paul Herber · May 13, 2010, 12:26:06 PM

Select each connector in turn. Look at the colour of the handles at the end of the connector. If it is red then it is glued, if it is green then it is not. There may be extra green handles if the connector is not routed directly between its two connection points, this can also be a problem if the connector doubles back on itself.
To fix any routing/connection/gluing problems drag the end of the connector onto an appropriate connection point (the area will turn red to show it is going to glue).

Saha · May 14, 2010, 07:05:03 PM

Quote from: Paul Herber on May 13, 2010, 12:26:06 PM
Select each connector in turn. Look at the colour of the handles at the end of the connector. If it is red then it is glued, if it is green then it is not. There may be extra green handles if the connector is not routed directly between its two connection points, this can also be a problem if the connector doubles back on itself.
To fix any routing/connection/gluing problems drag the end of the connector onto an appropriate connection point (the area will turn red to show it is going to glue).

Well there seem to be many different ways a connector is glued to a shape (glued to shape/connection point or geometry).
On my smaller testing models flipping only works if the connector is glued to a shape and not if it is glued to a connection point. On the large models there are also 1-d shapes where glueing to a shape seems to be not available.

I have not yet solved the problem but wanted to thank you for your help.