Fixing Visio's illogical routing - possible?

[desertsp]

Frequently, when I let Visio determine which node to use for connectors (by "dropping" the connector in the middle of the shape instead of picking a specific node), it will put both "outgoing" and "incoming" connectors on the same node. This makes no logical sense, however I can't find any way to avoid the behavior other than manually specify nodes. Using Visio Pro for Office 265 (Version 1705).

Am I missing something?

To illustrate the problem, I've attached two versions of the same diagram. The first shows how Visio automatically connected the shapes. Hopefully everyone agrees that the direction of each connection is unclear For instance, does "Process A" point to "process B"? In the second diagram, I manually placed the connectors at specific nodes. The downside is that this becomes tedious for large evolving diagrams. I thought computers are supposed to make our lives easier!

Question: How to force Visio to abide by logic, and not use the same node for both outgoing and incoming connections?

Thanks!

[wapperdude]

I don't have the Office365 version, but don't believe behavior has changed. 

Depending upon the source from which the connector is obtained, there may or may not be an arrowhead indicated.  The connectors don't really care about the connection point properties.  There is no inherent directionality that limits where a connector end may attach.  So, yes, a connection point can have what appears to be incoming and outgoing connections. 

There is no logic involved.  That's the way it is.  Either end of a connector may or may not have an arrowhead..user settable. 

Easy approach...develop methodology to make visually correct connections.  Using the entire shape red square approach let's Visio route to arbitrary spot on the shape...called walking glue.  If you need to decide, either place manually, or revise the Visio placement afterwards.

More difficult approach...write some code to correct the arrowheads.  But if your letting Visio decide, you have to make special cases so a connector cannot be routed between 2 out going nodes.  Basically, the let Visio decide opens up a whole lot of issues wrt directionality flow.

Not what it was designed to do.  It is not an auto-router!  Big bucks for that feature.  Not going to happen.

Wapperdude

[desertsp]

Thanks for the reply. I was afraid this was the case - that there is no logic to the algorithm.

At least I know to avoid using that "auto" feature, and that I wasn't missing some setting to improve the functionality!

[wapperdude]

Yep.  Seems like there ought to be some enhancements that MS could incorporate...The "hooks" are there.

Yep.  They could do that.

Wapperdude