Visio 2007 Pro: Update master on Document Stencil from new master?

Started by bassman, November 21, 2010, 06:01:14 PM

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bassman

I'm developing a couple of fairly "smart" masters on a custom stencil of mine.  Naturally, I'll want to update the master over time (new features), but need a way to update the master on the Document Stencil in multiple diagrams.

I've found a way to do this that seems to work great, but I wonder if this is reliable long-term, since postings on the 'net say you need a utility to do this.

Is there anything wrong with this approach?

  • Create custom master on custom stencil
  • Utilize new master, say for a couple of weeks
  • Update master on custom stencil with new features (resulting in desire to update all instances in diagram)
  • Copy master from custom stencil (Ctrl-C)
  • Edit master in Document Stencil (edit/master, edit master shape)
  • Delete master in edit window, paste the new one from the custom stencil (Ctrl-V)
  • Save "updated" master (select "yes" when asked "Update 'master' and all of it's instances?"
  • Repeat for other diagrams, using the same custom stencil & master

This seems to work *great*, but I want to make sure I'm not causing problems down-the-road.

bassman

OK, now this isn't working so good...
...the *first* time I delete a master (while editing) and paste-in the update in the Document Stencil, the instances in the diagram update fine.  After that, for some reason (subsequent updates in the Document Stencil via cut/paste), the instances get smaller, and smaller...

Sigh...

Paul Herber

Open the shapesheet (select shape: menu Window -> Open Shapesheet) of one of the instances. Do the Width and Height cells contain a formula?
Electronic and Electrical engineering, business and software stencils for Visio -

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bassman

Quote from: Paul Herber on November 21, 2010, 11:53:22 PM
Open the shapesheet (select shape: menu Window -> Open Shapesheet) of one of the instances. Do the Width and Height cells contain a formula?


The width and height are constants, not formulas (both instance and master).

With a new master (completely different), the opposite seems to be happening; the instances get bigger each time I edit the master in the Document Stencil, delete it in the edit box, and paste-in the master from from my stencil with my "original" copy.  When I "edit master shape", I think something in the size is changing when I copy/delete/paste.

I do see that the width and height in the instance changing size is in blue; *something* about copying a master from my custom stencil, editing the master in my document stencil, and pasting-in the modified master is changing the size on instances.  Interestingly, this is only a problem the 2nd (and subsequent) time when I do this.  The first time I copy/edit/paste to the document stencil, the instance size is unaffected.