Couting Shapes / Using Shape Reports

Started by AnotherNoOne, August 03, 2018, 12:41:22 PM

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AnotherNoOne

Okay, this is a bit of a complicated problem:

I am creating templates for huge scale network diagrams.
Ill attach a mockup file without real data to clarify what im saying

Since we always have a huge amount of cables (mostly connectors) between our devices (various Shapes) we created small Shapes to easily spot how many cables are between certain devices (Streamcount shapes) where you just have the number of cables as a String inside (this is how it should be, because its very easy to use for the people who are supposed to work with the templates)

Now.

From time to time we need to create a SUM of all of these numbers on a drawing page.

While we had (Some) success with using shape reports (only listing all Shapes with a specific master name - export to excel - easy to calculate further) there is a problem:

You can only add criteria, and not say "either it fits this criterion or that one" (so all different stream count shapes could be listed at once.

Now. How could I accomplish that? I'm open for suggestions not involving Shape reports, but my supervisor is rather fond of them, so if there's a way that involves them, that would be great.
Another_Noone

Just some weirdo on the Interwebs.

wapperdude

#1
I sort of understand, but, it's hard to visualize.  Could you repost your example as vsd...I cannot open newer formats with V2007.

Basically, sounds like there's no problem getting total count of your individual cables on the page.  But, the problem lies in counting the number cables between two specific units.  So, there may be 500 cables on the page, but what you need to know is, there are 100 between A & B, and these may be 250 between C & D, and etc.

Here are a few possibilities.
  1) add a field to your cables that could be used as a "run" identifier.  Bit of a nuisance, if one is labeled wrong.
  2) just use a single connector (or line), determine its length, and calculate the number of cables needed.
  3) start from a shape, follow a path and count the number of cables along the way to a destination.  Note, you may have to start from specific connection point on a shape in the case of multiple cables from source "A", for example.

All of these are doable, the 3rd requires bit most coding, i.e., keeping track of each shape & connection points checked, counting the cables, keeping track of end point shape and connection points ...to avoid duplicate counts.

Here are a couple links that give an idea.  Some code simplification is possible with newer features since V2007

http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=6373.0
http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=7266.0
http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=6314.0

HTH
Wapperdude
Visio 2019 Pro

AnotherNoOne

here's the vsd..

The thing is, I need to know both. How many cables in total on the page, as well as between shapes. And usable by Users, that have no idea of anything that goes farther than drawing, placing shapes from stencils and filling in Shape Data.
Another_Noone

Just some weirdo on the Interwebs.

wapperdude

I looked at the file, some questions and issues:
1) none of the cables (1-D shapes) are glued to anything.  There will be no connectivity information without gluing.

2) The upper most cable, routes thru triangle 3.  If this cable were glued, as shown, it would only show connectivity between the dark and light green squares.  Triangle 3 is not connected to anything.

3) There are no connection points on any of the 2-D shapes.  This makes differentiating the connections a little more difficult.  The cables will only show connected to a shape, but no other information, e.g., input port, output port, etc.

4) Even with all properties set for connector splitting (page, 2-D shape, 1-D shapes), your unique cables won't split.  So, whereas triangle 3 could be dropped onto a normal connector and split it and it's input and output glued, that's not happening with your custom shapes.

So, unless something happened during the saving as VSD file, other than a visual presentation, this diagram is pretty useless for any connection information, and, at best, can merely show a count of 5 cables.

wapperdude
Visio 2019 Pro

Nikolay

I think from a human point of view, the diagram should be more or less clear..
I mean, here you have 3+4+1+5+1 = 15 cables, as of my understanding, right..?

With modern AI technologies, it probably should also be possible to figure that out for a computer system, even without much help from the user...
Look, one does not even need to do any image recognition, all the things are already prepared..
One just needs to build a proper neural network, and feed that with sufficient number of sample data (in this case, shape/line coordinates).
Not sure about the accuracy though.. Heave you heard about a modern AI job interview?

- What is 2 + 3?
- 11?
- Not even close.
- 7?
- Well...
- 6?
- You are hired!

Well.. If you want to stick with Visio, then you'll probably need to put some load on your users, to create some hints to help the system figuring out what is connected to what, and what is the number of cables in the batch.. Basically means: you may need different shapes to those provided in the drawing. Probably with some markers, to indicate the number of cables.. You need connectors that glue, to collect some information, so that a computer program does not need to "figure it out". But maybe in reality your connectors are actually glue.. in this case could you post more realistic example?

AnotherNoOne

#5
Thanks guys for your Help.

You kind of missed what I actually needed, but I found an easy way around. If I assign a specific Layer per type of Shape I can get the information I need from a Shape Report that is specific to that Layer.
Another_Noone

Just some weirdo on the Interwebs.