Stencil creation

Started by shayneneal, October 08, 2019, 10:39:58 PM

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shayneneal

So I have finally decided to create some stencils for networking gear that I simply can't find... one of my problems I encountered with my first stencil however, is that the 19" rack mount stencils appear to have an anchor point that I can't reproduce.  It acts like a connector but seems to have some attribute that I can't duplicate.  Right now I am looking at a Thinkserver RD350 object as an example and when I go to move the object it has large white circles in the bottom corners where the connectors are and they snap into the rack stencil... the connectors that I have created simply do not see the rack that they are connecting to.

What am I missing in my stencil?

Surrogate

#1
I prefer use ascetic style rack diagrams, like this.

Can you share Thinkserver RD350 stencil there, i unclear that you mean as white circles?

wapperdude

#2
For sake of clarity, what you're calling a stencil is really a shape.  Shapes are objects placed on a drawing page.  Stencils, on the other hand, are a collection of shapes.  Shapes can be dragged and dropped from stencil to the drawing page.

Can you share the shape here?

Visio 2019 Pro

wapperdude

#3
The shape is a grouped shape.  Some hints...
The top shape is 1D, a line, and it is also a group.  Note, the group shape has the LockCalcWH cell set to True.  This prevents the alignment box from growing as shapes are added to the group.  The remaining shapes are added to the group and appropriately aligned. 

When you select the shape, the "circles" are the end points of the 1D shape.
Visio 2019 Pro

shayneneal

This is the handle I am talking about.  It is definitely on the shape, not the stencil.  I must have been drunk when I asked the question... or maybe I am just overworked...

I cannot figure out how to make these snapping handles to attach to the rack shapes.  They are much more than just connectors.

vojo

you need to add connection points to the rack.

BTW, there ae several rack shapes that have all this set up ( so you don't have build and tackle the math).
Go to "visio café" and start playing around (racks there, lots of 1D shapes that can do a rack stackups, etc)

Surrogate

#6
If your master-shape contain a lot of shapes into, glue & snap can don't work.

read same thread via google translate

wapperdude

#7
See my reply #3.  It is a standard technique....
1) draw a line the necessary length to connect to the rack.  Only a 1-D shape will glue both ends.  Add a connection point at each end, make it a type 2.  (A 2-D shape only glues to one place at a time...regardless of the number of connection points added.)
2) convert the line to a shape to a group. 
           a) Set its behaviour to be behind subshapes.
           b) open shapesheet, set LockCalcWL = 1.  (This prevents changes to alignment box when shapes added to group.)
3) draw your desired 2-D shape.  Note, it can be a complex group if desired.  Set the LocPinY to 0 (height*0)
4) select the line shape 1st, then the 2-D shape, apply add to group.  You may have to tweak the placement of the 2-D shape within the group.

That is basically the process.  Because the line is the group shape, your rack equipment will now glue to the rack at both ends.  And, when selected, the "handles" will be visible.
Visio 2019 Pro

vojo

well...this is done all the time on racks posted on visio café.  I personally have done it many times.
I have not used the steps you defined.  If I remember, I did
1) make your group
2) convert group to 1D
3) adjust the locpins (y=0)
4) I think the end points work...but if not, can put connections points under them    (maybe type 2)
5) I believe I something like this for scaling
     height = guard(original height * width/original width)

     for example, original group was 10mm X 20mm
     width = 10mm
     height = guard(user.h*width/user.w)
     user.w = 10mm
     user.h = 20mm

    so now the width is stretched to 30mm
    width = 30mm
    height = guard (20mm *30mm/10mm)   // = 60mm height.

    you can to do similar for font size      font = guard(base font *width/user.w)    for above 18pt ==> 54pt
    for font, you might want to throw in a scaling factor....54 pt is huge

check out visio.cafe for lots and lots of examples of ways to do this

good luck.




wapperdude

@Vojo:  basically the same idea.  I add the extra step of using an actual line as opposed to changing the group to have 1-D behavior.  It's a holdover technique that I had used when I 1st joined forum, and was suggested to me back then.  Where it works and the conversion to 1D approach doesn't is when a picture is used.  Unless I'm mistaken, pictures don't convert to 1-D behavior.  I could be wrong.  Plus, most of the time an actual pic wouldn't be used, so it's probably a moot point.  The critical point is the I-D behavior, regardless of how it's obtained.
Visio 2019 Pro

shayneneal

Quote from: vojo on October 23, 2019, 03:33:28 AM
you need to add connection points to the rack.

BTW, there ae several rack shapes that have all this set up ( so you don't have build and tackle the math).
Go to "visio café" and start playing around (racks there, lots of 1D shapes that can do a rack stackups, etc)

I have the rack that I want (the one in the image) but when I put my shape on it with the connector points I created, the circles down't show up the same.  There has to be something about how they build those points for 19" rack mounted shapes that creates that point and I can't figure it out.

I am attaching a pic of what my shape looks like compared to what the lenovo shape looks like

wapperdude

I don't think you followed all of the steps that I indicated, not what Vojo describes.  At a minimum, open the shapesheet, set the LockCalcWH =1, close shapesheet, and then find the shape behavior options...under Developer Tab, and set behavior to 1-D.  That will show the conn pts.

Visio 2019 Pro

vojo

I really don't think that lockcalcWH has nothing to do with his problem.   
Nor whether a single shape or a group

Its about the type of connection points used.  If a group, the connection point has to be at group level.
(2003 allowed you to expose child connection points but 2013 does not).

wapperdude

Yes, a group shape ought to have connection points.  But, still won't have same behavior.  Besides, this misses the point, it's a rack shape, and needs to glue both sides.  A 2-D shape cannot do that.  A 1-D shape does that all the time.  Plus, the version of using a 1-D line, making it a group, locking the WH calcs, and then adding the 2-D shape design meets all of the observed characteristics.

See attached file.  Shape B uses the method I suggested.  Shape D merely converts to 1-D behavior, and LocPinY = 0.  Not quite the same behavior.  Both B & D will glue to the shapes A, C, & C2.  Just move any of them.  Select Shape B, and there are the connection points...even though none were added.  Just make sure glue to geometry is enabled.  But, connection points may be added to the 1-D shape.  Then there's a grouped shape.  It exhibits none of the observed behaviors.
Visio 2019 Pro

shayneneal

Quote from: wapperdude on October 30, 2019, 05:24:46 AM
Yes, a group shape ought to have connection points.  But, still won't have same behavior.  Besides, this misses the point, it's a rack shape, and needs to glue both sides.  A 2-D shape cannot do that.  A 1-D shape does that all the time.  Plus, the version of using a 1-D line, making it a group, locking the WH calcs, and then adding the 2-D shape design meets all of the observed characteristics.

See attached file.  Shape B uses the method I suggested.  Shape D merely converts to 1-D behavior, and LocPinY = 0.  Not quite the same behavior.  Both B & D will glue to the shapes A, C, & C2.  Just move any of them.  Select Shape B, and there are the connection points...even though none were added.  Just make sure glue to geometry is enabled.  But, connection points may be added to the 1-D shape.  Then there's a grouped shape.  It exhibits none of the observed behaviors.
I am looking forward to trying this... I didn't understand what you meant by my shape being 1-d... of course it was 2-d... but the vendor shapes all act like 1-d shapes... like lines.  That is what the green connector is.  I have very high hopes for this!