Easier way to do smart shapes?

[vojo]

I really dont think you want the bound function in the 1D shape (endx, or width)

Endx....connection will attach but spring back to bound increment.....so red square X mm away from where attached
width....wont let the shape scale when 1D scales  (handle will attach but the shape will not fill the length)

I really think you want to push this to the child shapes to take an arbitrary width and make discussions

Of course, you realize that bound will make this behave step wise....so really need to have everything fixed in those step increments.....otherwise gaps

see attached
  change dimensions....double click
  change scale....zoom and grab a handle
  to see how down....
      rt click ==> behavior==>group first
      rt click ==> shapesheet
      to pick a face....select within group==>rt click==>shapesheet

[RhesusMinus]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

See attached file.

I'm able to change the part by dragging it manually now, and.. I can connect it to the frame, and change the frame width.. and the part updates. I've even thrown in a shape data on the shape, that updates no matter how i size it

Now for the second part of my question. Is there a "smart way" to stretch only parts of a shape? See attached file, "Next Problem.vsd". When I stretch this one, nothing should "deform". The ends of the shape (all endpoints within the rectangles) shall look the same no matter how wide the shape is. I can always go into the shape sheet, and set a formula for all x/y coordinates for the geometry. but that is just too much work. This example is a relatively easy shape. Others shapes I have are so much more complicated, so I don't even dare to think about doing that job manually. Is there a brilliant way to make "subgroups" that doesn't deform?

Another problem I have with this shape is in the gradient fills. For the top most gradient fill I don't want the bottom line visible. the three others lines can be there, but those lines are also visible in the shape that's underneath it. However.. when I turn off lines for this gradient filled shape.. it covers the lines on the shape under it. Is there a smart way to do what I want here?

And again.. thank you so much for your time so far!

THL

[wapperdude]

The problem with stretching is that Visio uses the width and height as basis for shape sizes.  So, you will have to make formulas that get around that.

Regarding the shading problem, you can show the line of the underneath shape by offsetting the upper shape by the width of the line.  For example, if the two shapes are aligned top edge to top edge, and let's say the y location is 100mm.  Let's say the line width is 1 pt.  Modifiy the y-position by 100mm - 1pt.  You can turn off the upper shapes lines to get rid of the annoying double line at the top, or, you could redraw the upper shape, but only draw both ends and the lower edge, one continuous line.  Open the new shape's shapesheet, and in the geometry section change the Geometry1.nofill cell from true to false.  Now your 3-sided rectangle will take a fill.

Wapperdude