Using backgrounds in another Visio file

[dex3703]

Is there a way to use one Visio as a base to hold backgrounds to use in other visios? This would be very helpful to us as we use Visio to design UI wireframes.

Thanks,
Derek

[wapperdude]

Background pages must be in the same file as the foreground pages.  Also, you cannot directly copy a Visio page from one file to another, as for example, in Excel.  I would suggest the following approach--create a custom stencil that contains all of your backgrounds.  That is, go to background page 1, select everything, you might want to group it, and copy to a new stencil and give it a meaningful name.  Do the same for each background page.  Save the stencil with some appropriate name.  Typically, Visio defaults the new stencils to "My Shapes" under "My Documents".  But, you can save the stencil to any desired directory.  Then, go to the menu bar > Tools > Options > Advanced > File Paths ...  You can enter the literal path, or click the button and search.  If there is an existing path, use ";" as a separator.  Now, each new Visio file can access all of these backgrounds.  Just create a new page, drag and drop the desired background, and that's it.

HTH.
Wapperdude