Backgrounds

[Smeetin]

I don't think we are winning here - maybe I am using Visio the wrong way - but to me the question is as simple as this - "If I create a 2 page flowchart - then add the background - the background page should automatically also become two pages - but it doesn't" it has "one page" with a white background and makes the other page "transparent" which is unworkable.

I have reattached the Word doc which shows the issue - hopefully it makes sense and someone can help

[Surrogate]

I dont know ways how make all these conditions together !   

[wapperdude]

I agree, I don't think we're on same "same" page and not using Visio correctly.

To establish a common understanding, please bear with me.  A Visio doc can have drawing pages and background pages.  These are indicated by tabs at the bottom of the screen.  You can draw on either.  The distinction is that a background page may be used to provide common / "non-editable" info for the drawing pages.  Plus, a background page could have an additional background of its own.  Typically, you first decide the physical characteristics of your drawing page, and then create a matching background page.  But, aside from screwy looking / printing issues, the drawing and its background do not have to match.  If you change the size of one vs the other, Visio does not automatically change the other... it's either a manual process or could be coded. 

Consider the scenario that you have 3 drawing pages, all physically identical, and they share a common background page.  Then, as you're drawing page 1, you run out of room and make the page larger.  If Visio automatically makes the background larger, it will become the wrong size for the 2nd and 3rd drawing pages.  Same is true if you manually change the drawing page. 

This brings us back to the drawing page properties, specifically the option to let Visio decide to expand the page.  This feature is not compatible with the use of backgrounds for the reasons just explained.  If backgrounds are desired, turn that feature off! 

So, how do you handle a drawing page that needs to be larger (or smaller) and have a background?  There are 3 possible solutions...
1) continue your drawing onto a 2nd drawing page.  This has border issues, but keeps background.
2) manually, make your drawing page larger and create a new, matching background page.  Just costs you some effort
3) change the drawing scale for your drawing page.  It maintains the physical page size, so background is still valid.  There may have to be some adjustments when printing in order to get a larger hard copy for that page.

I favor the 2nd option.
Hope this helps you understand what's going on with Visio and what you need to do to accommodate your drawing efforts.

[Smeetin]

Thanks Wapperdude, that makes total sense.

Here is the strange thing which throws me - Visio has actually let me create a "White 2 page Background" which mirrors the Page-1 drawing page.

i.e. When I extended my flowchart "down the page" - Visio automatically drops the page further down the screen on Page-1 to allow the diagram to be larger - ad the background did the same thing.

Check out the attachments below - I have attached two examples:

1. Process Template (Landscape) (2 Pages) (White Background) (15 03 2021) (THIS EXAMPLE IS DOING WHAT I WANT IT TO - IT HAS EXTENDED THE BACKGROUND PAGE DOWN TO MATCH THE PAGE-1)

2. Process Template (Landscape) (1 Page) (White Background) (11 03 2021) (THIS EXAMPLE WONT DO THE SAME AS EXAMPLE 1.)

Is this a difference in settings maybe?

[Surrogate]

Process Template (Landscape) (2 Pages) (White Background) (15 03 2021) (THIS EXAMPLE IS DOING WHAT I WANT IT TO - IT HAS EXTENDED THE BACKGROUND PAGE DOWN TO MATCH THE PAGE-1)

You can make that background page change page size, but in this case you cant do it

I use backgrounds like a "fixed footer or header" in Word.