PLC-shapes 3D

[hidden layer]

Hi,
just a few PLC-shapes I made recently to show this or that.
There is no functionality and the detailing struggled with the 25-Shapes-Within-a-Group-Thing Visioguy explained in his blog (which costs me some time to detect).
Have fun!
hl

[Thomas Winkel]

Nice, looks like a lot of work.
Can you link the 25-Shapes-Within-a-Group Article?

[hidden layer]

here it is:
http://www.visguy.com/2007/06/14/when-2d-glue-breaks/

this is a long-time-ago story... I know...


hl

[Thomas Winkel]

Ah, I see.
In Visio 2019 the limit is 40 shapes.
Doesn't matter if complex groups or simple shapes, see screenshot.
This problem does not bother us too much, so we never searched for a solution.

Much worse is the "F4" problem with glued shapes:
Make a copy of a shape by drag & drop while pressing [Ctrl].
Then press [F4] as often as required and Visio will create equidistance copies. Very cool!
But, if the first copy is glued to another shape the F4-copies are placed on top of each other to wrong position.

[hidden layer]

Hi Thomas,
I also didn't look for a solution, just stumbled over the phenomenon that the CPU was not gluing but the cards did.  - I didn't even know what's the problem all about. This was strange. But I traveled by train from Warszaw to Berlin - so I had a lot of time to dive into

I have still 2016... maybe later...

I made my terminals with the ability to have any information about its content - your terminals look more "real" but don't you need some content? Just wondering.

Yeah: Reihenklemmen....I had so many stencils already called "terminals1, 2..." - so I labeled this one in my native language.

hl

[Surrogate]

I also didn't look for a solution, just stumbled over the phenomenon that the CPU was not gluing but the cards did.

May be containers didn't have this limitation?

For example, how beautifully devices are put into a container. Exclusively by standard means. True, the container is of type List.
You just need to remember to put the Din-rail in excluded categories so that it doesn't get stuck in the container.

[Thomas Winkel]

I made my terminals with the ability to have any information about its content - your terminals look more "real" but don't you need some content? Just wondering.

Basically we display information on the shape that is required be the technician for setup.
On the fuse holder in the screenshot for example: number, fuse value and bridges (if configured).
User configurable data are in properties (e.g. fuse value).
Application data are in user fields (e.g. article data).
Finally we can export any information as required (e.g. parts list, calculation).

For example, how beautifully devices are put into a container.

Very cool, Surrogate!
I will definitively evaluate that.

[Thomas Winkel]

I will definitively evaluate that.

Ok, here my findings:

Documentation:
https://bvisual.net/2022/07/06/a-visio-list-shape-is-also-a-container/
https://johnvisiomvp.ca/2022/07/08/list-container/

Facts:
* Make any shape to list by adding User.msvStructureType="List"
* List shape shrinks to outline of collected shapes
* Add margin by adding User.msvSDContainerMargin=1mm
* Left to right: User.msvSDListDirection=0
* Align middle: User.msvSDListAlignment=1
* Include shapes by User.msvSDListRequiredCategories="stackable" and (in terminal shapes) User.msvShapeCategories="stackable"

Pros:
* Very good usability in reordering parts
* Position in the list available in ShapeSheet via LISTORDER()

Cons:
* No copy & paste using [Ctrl] possible
* Copy of the complete list does not work properly
* Not possible to create fix sized list containers
    Workaround: http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=4804.msg19182#msg19182
* No free spacing possible, only constant gaps via User.msvSDListSpacing

First I tried to convert my DIN rail shape into a list container.
But that failed because fixed sized list containers are not possible.
The annoying copy & paste behavior finally took away my desire to investigate further.
I could only imagine to provide such list containers for power users who like to take advantage from the nice reorder behavior (see screenshot).