Milestone shape loses reference to timeline when copied

[Larrysum]

I am trying to make a milestone shape to represent tasks on a timeline.  I want  a simple square shape with the date inside that I can copy multiple times around the timeline.  I made a shape and created user-defined cells that link the location of the shape to the date in the timeline and added the date to the shape as a data graphic. 

The shape works fine until I try to copy it or save it to my stencil.  When I copy it, the references to the timeline I created in the shape are broken and replaced by REF().  The standard milestone can be copied without breaking the reference.  Why can't mine?

I attached a file with my shape.

Can someone help me see what I am doing wrong?

[abssorb]

Hi Larrysum.  I've been pursuing a similar course recently.  Have a look here:

http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=2736.0

It was necessary for me to make use of page properties.

[Jumpy]

And to answer just that question:
"The standard milestone can be copied without breaking the reference.  Why can't mine?"

There is an invisible AddOn "behind the lines" in many Visio templates and behind the timeline is one, too, I guess.
If you place a milestone on a timeline, that event is captured by the AddOn and the needed actual reference to the timelineshape is placed in the milestoneshape. Wouldn't know, how to make that AddOn work for your own shapes, therefore follow abssorb's way.

[Larrysum]

Thanks abssorb:

It'll take me a while to digest all the information in your earlier post, but you nailed my question!!.

that should work great

[wapperdude]

As Jumpy said, the background add-on pretty much dominates everything.  It is possible, to some extent, to work around the add-on.  I pretty much blew away the guts of the square milestone, trying to keep just the basic functionality that you requested.  I may have been a little too agressive, as it seems that some of the formatting options have disappeared.

Anyway, here's an attempt to generate your desired shape.  The good news, it only consists of two sub-shapes.

HTH
Wapperdude

[Larrysum]

That is really close to what I need, and I like that the shape can be saved as a master and used on any timeline.  One last thought.  Is there any way to free up the Y-position so that it can be moved vertically when the timeline is expanded?  I show what I mean by expanded in the attached image.  The way you made it, the Y position is fixed at 1/2 the timeline height.

What I am really trying to make is a flow schedule of interconnected tasks.

I know I am pushing it.  I really appreciate your help!

Thanks

[wapperdude]

I don't think so, not in the context of using the Timeline add-on.  When you place the milestone on the time line, the add-on copies a formula to the PinX and PinY cells in the shapesheet.  No way to prevent this.

You would need custom code to circumvent this.