Creating a Gear Shape in Visio

Started by jamtart, April 24, 2009, 12:26:46 AM

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jamtart

I have created a gear type shape in an effort to recreate in Visio the image attached. I tried to upload the visio file but apparently it is too large  :( I something that I a fairly happy with but invite others to share how they might do it or even direct me to an appropriate template.

jamtart

#1
Maybe it wan nto too large after all. Take a look and feel free to offer advice.. Newbie here however...

JuneTheSecond

#2
Hi,

How would you like to use custom line patterns?
Best Regards,

Junichi Yoda
http://june.minibird.jp/

jamtart

#3
Not sure what you mean, however as long a I get it to look like the rotor in the end I am happy. I found my version a lot of work and pieces, so I am wondering if there are other ways to create this. Interesting items you have given me.

JuneTheSecond

#4
Hi,

A gear added to the drawing.
Best Regards,

Junichi Yoda
http://june.minibird.jp/

Visio Guy

#5
Hi Guys,

I wrote a gear-drawer many, many years ago to play with the (then brand new) ability to automate Visio. It is stuck in an old binary-VB format, but I will try to dig it out sometime in the next week or two.
For articles, tips and free content, see the Visio Guy Website at http://www.visguy.com
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jamtart

#6
hi JuneTheSecond, awesome work! I got the template from the website and am finding how to recreate the gear from that. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. I am sure to make plenty of use of that.
And of course Visio Guy I would be interested in seeing your gear-drawer.
I thought that something like what I am looking to create would have been an existing shape in visio.

JuneTheSecond

#7
Hi,

Here the attractive points of custom line patterns are well explained.
http://www.visguy.com/2008/03/03/release-the-power-of-visio-custom-line-patterns/
Best Regards,

Junichi Yoda
http://june.minibird.jp/

jamtart

#8
So here is another question. I would like to be able to change the color of the 'cogs'. I can change the color of the main body. Looking in the shape sheet and played around there but I can not do it.

JuneTheSecond

#9
Hi,

Bacause it is defined in the custom line pattern.
You need to edit the custom line pattern.

Menu view/drawing explorer.
Expand kinds of line/right click rect.
Select edit pattern shape.

And then you would see the pattern definition window.
Best Regards,

Junichi Yoda
http://june.minibird.jp/

jamtart

#10
Wow, that is amazing, I never would have found that. I never even heard of Custom Line Patterns till I started this thread. Thank you so much for all this incredible info.  ;D

wapperdude

#11
Here's an alternative method, it uses the ArcArray macro  :o-- see Circle up the wagons, the arc is here! It's located in the User-submitted Stuff.  ;D

The attached Visio file provides the step by step procedure to do this.  The advantage over custom lines is you can design the specific number of gear teeth.

In the example, I wanted 12 teeth, with 12 spaces.  That places the teeth on 30 deg centers.  So, each tooth must cover an arc length of 15 degrees.  The rest is explained in the file, which should include the macro.

HTH
Wapperdude
Visio 2019 Pro

jamtart

#12
That is cool wapperdude, it may be somewhat beyond my skill set but I will certainly give it a try none the less. Thankyou.

wapperdude

#13
I re-visited the gear making methodology and created a way that may be simpler to understand and use.  Basically, you start with a single line, run the ArcArray macro in the circular mode.  If you want 21 teeth, you need 2X the number of lines, or 42.  There is a tedius portion to the process, namely, deleting alternate sections.  Beyond that, it's rather straight forward.

Wapperdude
Visio 2019 Pro

Visio Guy

#14
Cool work, wapperdude!

You guys might also check out: Radial Elements Tool. At around 6:30, the video shows how to make a gear using the tool/shape, and the article discusses it near the bottom of the post.
For articles, tips and free content, see the Visio Guy Website at http://www.visguy.com
Get my Visio Book! Using Microsoft Visio 2010