Creating a Floating Line Whose Length is Fixed

[Paul Herber]

I think it's amazing what gets achieved on this forum, so much enthusiasm for Visio. The official Microsoft forums are a total waste of space in comparison.

[Visio Guy]

So JuneTheSecond was on track for the ultimate solution, but the shape jumps around a bit because of ShapeSheet limitations. Visio would need some sort of constraint solver to do this right.

Then Wapperdude got the right idea of decoupling the 1D endpoint handles from the actual geometry.

I've taken Wapperdude's tack to some extent, but with my shape, you use the regular 1D handles to control the angle, and a control handle or shape data to set the line length. So, both the angle and the length can be set either visually or numerically.

To summarize, you can control the attached shape like this:

Angle: Size & Position Dialog, or 1D endpoint handles
Length: Size & Position Dialog, Shape data field or 1D endpoint handles

There one connection point at the end of the line segment, so the beginning of other lines can be glued to it.

You can right-click or use the shape data field to show/hide the length and angle text.

[vojo]

what....no love for my appends on this....I guess I dont get roses anymore  ;-)

Seriously...no problem guys....glad it all worked out

[wapperdude]

Vojo:  Carnations OK?  Actually, your initial response was what encouraged me to work harder on this.

VisioGuy:  Nice finish.  Solution is very clean.

[JuneTheSecond]

For All.

I am very sorry to insist too much about my opinion,
though you have posted many good solutions.

But I am still thinking is there any other alternatives.

Here is an example that can make chain of lines of constant lenght, 
or trace free curve with constant length lines.

It uses Dependson function and SetF function in the shapesheet.
    Prop.Length = 10 mm
    Use.Row_1 = DEPENDSON(Angle,Width)
                            +SETF(GetRef(EndX),BeginX+Prop.Length*COS(Angle))
                            +SETF(GetRef(EndY),BeginY+Prop.Length*SIN(Angle))
Of course, it has some defects as listed on attached drawing.