Linking Excel data - cascaded shapes to evenly distributed

[btriele]

This looks like an easy to answer question although it is difficult to find the appropriate answer on.
After linking excel data to a shape template and linking the other rows, Visio automatically cascades additional required shapes. Auto aligning and evenly distrubuting these shapes (>100) is an painful manual task. Is there a way to evenly distribute these shapes along its page size? Or should I write a macro for this?

[Jumpy]

There should be  AddOns for aligning and distributing shapes.

[aledlund]

"Visio automatically cascades additional required shapes" That's not datalinking (which assumes the drawing is already created and formatted correctly).
al

[btriele]

Sorry for not explaining it correctly. I couldn't find any option to autmatic distribute distribute shapes after dragging all rows of the external data window onto the page while having a template shape selected. Visio then creates the required number of shapes automatically with the build in external data columns. In the attached example there are four cascaded shapes. Is there a way to automatically distribute them in a row like manner? Thanks

[Jumpy]

As mentioned above. There are built in functions for that. You only need to select all shapes and push the right button in the menu. Look here for more:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio-help/auto-align-auto-space-and-re-layout-shapes-in-a-diagram-HA010357447.aspx#BM1

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio-help/align-shapes-HP001231364.aspx

If you want to do this automatic you can activate the Macro-Recorder, while using the "Auto Align & Space"-Button and see what code it genereates.

Or you write your own VBA code that gives all shapes the same PosX value but different PosY values.