How to combine clipart without destroying it?

[Jennifer]

Is there any way to combine multiple objects into a single object so that they look exactly like they do as separate objects?

The attached jpg contains the results of the Combine, Union, & Join shape operations on collections of Visio objects and clipart. It appears that none of these operations preserve the component objects exactly. With the clipart (pngs), the image is completely destroyed.

[Paul Herber]

Group?

[wapperdude]

Wrt to "art" files, e.g.,  clipart, jpg, png, etc.  You only have option to group or do collection.  If you wan to create a single object, in your example, the 4 clipart objects, you need to use a external drawing/paint program.

Wapperdude

[Jennifer]

Group?

I have them grouped on my example. Groups are fine for some things, but they can be ungrouped and the individual objects still exist and cen be selected within the group, causing problems.

[Jennifer]

Wrt to "art" files, e.g.,  clipart, jpg, png, etc.  You only have option to group or do collection.  If you wan to create a single object, in your example, the 4 clipart objects, you need to use a external drawing/paint program.

Wapperdude

Do you know if Paint (MSFT) can do that? Do you know of a shareware program?

[wapperdude]

Regarding grouping protection.  The link below goes thru variety of steps that may be taken.  If it's accidental changes, generally, setting behavior to select group only should suffice.  Next, put guard function around Pin X, Pin Y values of each clipart...after grouping.

See:  http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=8125.msg35172#msg35172

There have been some references to open source programs on the forum, but I've not tried any.  Don't use MS Paint. Sorry.

Wapperdude

[Jennifer]

Regarding grouping protection.  The link below goes thru variety of steps that may be taken.  If it's accidental changes, generally, setting behavior to select group only should suffice.  Next, put guard function around Pin X, Pin Y values of each clipart...after grouping.

See:  http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=8125.msg35172#msg35172

There have been some references to open source programs on the forum, but I've not tried any.  Don't use MS Paint. Sorry.

Wapperdude

Thanks for that.

[Jennifer]

I just discovered one way that works if the resulting composite object is rectangular or if a null background is not important. Just select all of the objects and copy them to the clipboard. Then paste that into MS Paint or IrfanView. The result will be a single composite image, but the null background of the composite is replaced with white.

I consider the lack of the ability to do this simple task a serious flaw in Visio.

[wapperdude]

Can you save the new image as png?  That would allow you to set background as transparent.

Ah!  If you put your clipart on a blank Visio page, then expand it so it nearly fills the page...In order to minimize bitmap raggedy edges upon expansion.  Then save as png.  That will give you a composite image and you can make background as transparent.  Just beware.  It's a bitmap based shape so scaling will have artifacts.

Wapperdude