Visio connector

Started by friesstefan@gmx.de, September 15, 2021, 11:13:07 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

friesstefan@gmx.de

Hello together,
i hope there is anybody who can help me.

I have in my Visio over 100 Shapes. These shapes i want to connect with connectors.
Each shape need an entrance and exit. (from Shape and to the next shape).
I want to do this with an external Data from Excel sheet.

The connector thickness should based on a value (shape date 0-100%). (external Data).

Shapes in Visio named for example A; B; C etc.

External Data like this (i can chance it if is neccessary - is not settled)
Connector: A to B Value: 80%
Connector: A to C value: 40%
Connector: B to C value: 50%

Is it possible to connect each connector automatic based on the external data list?
If yes? How can i do this? :-\ :-\ :-\

best regards
Stefan

Surrogate

#1
Hi there, Stefan !
Quote from: friesstefan@gmx.de on September 15, 2021, 11:13:07 AM
i hope there is anybody who can help me.
Hyperlink for your initial cross-post
Quote from: friesstefan@gmx.de on September 15, 2021, 11:13:07 AM
External Data like this (i can chance it if is neccessary - is not settled)
You already have connectors which are assigned with External data ?

friesstefan@gmx.de

Hi,
thanks for help.

No i don`t have connectors.
Is it possible to add the connectors to the shape automatic? VBA?


(Yes in the other forum the recommend me to go to the most popular forum...)
Yes I`m new and my english is not perfect.

I´m not good in VBA, too.

I still have to create the Visio file, so any kind of implementation is still possible.

Unfortunately, I can't do it manually because I get this task every second day and I would need some kind of automatism.
That means I would create the shapes which should be connected manually. I hoped to get the connector and the thickness of the connector solved via VBA and the external data ... 

Best regards
Stefan

friesstefan@gmx.de

Shape manually
Connectors automatic

Surrogate

Quote from: friesstefan@gmx.de on September 15, 2021, 04:23:33 PM
my english is not perfect
I also have this problem!
You can automatcally connect shapes with connectors using GlueTo method
Quote from: wapperdude on September 03, 2021, 06:06:08 PM
Check out glueto method:  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/api/visio.cell.glueto

There are many topics in forum wrt glueto.
but i am afraid that is so hard for newbie

wapperdude

QuoteI want to do this with an external Data from Excel sheet.
@Stefan:  What do you mean?  Since the shapes are already placed, are you wanting to only automate adding connectors with desired width?  Or, do you want to automate full process:  drop 2 shapes and connect them with properly sized connector?

Setting up Excel pretty easy:  1st row has column header info, then each row would have 1st shape, 2nd shape, and connector weight.  Visio names shapes as Sheet.1, sheet.2, etc. ... for all shapes.  Getting correspondence between Excel and Visio is tricky part.  You must create an identifier for each shape that would also be entered into Excel.

Setting up correspondence for existing shapes will be tedious and much work.  If starting from scratch, as shapes are added, the correspondence can be created automatically.  The tricky part is telling Visio where to place the shapes such that drawing isn't cluttered.

If you're merely adding connectors, then somehow Visio still needs to know which which shapes are paired, what Excel row corresponds to these shapes, and then add connectors.  Even if shapes are already connected correspondence needs to be established.

Here are some related links:
https://templates.office.com/en-us/basic-flowchart-from-data-tm12176896
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-a-data-visualizer-diagram-17211b46-d144-4ca2-9ea7-b0f48f0ae0a6
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/automatically-link-imported-data-to-shapes-be56f5ff-9b13-4311-9a6c-b27dd243dbea
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DQ6_vop2kHCg&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiczu6lwoHzAhUxKX0KHTIqBTkQtwJ6BAgCEAE&usg=AOvVaw1bP9DD2us7KGEA7Cx8mvJp



Visio 2019 Pro


wapperdude

Thanks Surrogate, didn't catch that.

Visio 2019 Pro

friesstefan@gmx.de

Oh my God,
I suspect that the topic is overwhelming for me.
I was hoping it would be easier to solve ...

:'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

wapperdude

Most likely, but perhaps it can be workable.  Need more info to understand.
The 100's of shapes:
1) is this a single file?
2) are there the shapes scattered over multiple pages or just one large page?
3) are these just stock Visio shapes?
4) have any properties been added?
5) How many inputs and outputs per shape?
6) are there "stylistic" differences...shape, functional, etc?
7) are there grouped shapes?
8) what type of diagram...electrical, organization, process


Visio 2019 Pro

friesstefan@gmx.de

Hello
it's a file. The shapes are on one large side. Each shape should once show a workstation by showing the utilization of this space from 0-100%.
The connector should display the orders (thick or color) that run from one to the other workstation per year.
The orders run through our production in the most varied of value streams. Based on the graphics I would like to try to change the workplaces so that the value stream is better.
We have around 100 workstations. I wanted to pull the data from SAP and export it to Excel in order to visualize it in Visio. The connectors must be properly connected to the workstations so that when the workstations are moved, the connector is still connected to the workstations.
The number of inputs and outputs varies from 1 to 30.
I want to show the process flow with Visio.
The file doesn't exist yet, so I can't answer the other questions. I would then do this as the program allows ...

Surrogate

#11
Quote from: friesstefan@gmx.de on September 16, 2021, 06:08:49 AM
The number of inputs and outputs varies from 1 to 30.
I want to show the process flow with Visio.
IMHO you must connect these outputs in your diagram manually.
Quote from: friesstefan@gmx.de on September 15, 2021, 04:27:25 PM
Connectors automatic
Because it is very complex task via code!

Surrogate

Quote from: friesstefan@gmx.de on September 16, 2021, 06:08:49 AMI wanted to pull the data from SAP and export it to Excel in order to visualize it in Visio.
can you share screenshoot which contain this data ?

friesstefan@gmx.de

it's internal company data, so I can't do screen shorts.

Workplace: utilization in%
Number of orders from workstation x to workstation Y
There is nothing more in the data.

Number of different products from workstation to workstation (connector)


wapperdude

#14
Hmmm.  Let me see if I understand...
1) You've not created the file yet.  So, this is more planning / strategy phase.
2) 
QuoteThe shapes are on one large side.
By side, do you mean page?
3) Each shape (workstation) would display % utilization
4) Each shape can have multiple inputs
5) Each shape can have multiple outputs
6) Any shape can listen to / talk to any other shape
7) Connectors, using color and / or line width display amount of traffic between any two shapes.

Does that cover it?  Yikes!!!  All of that on a single page strikes me as a bowl of spaghetti.  Visually, there would be such a tangle of connectors there would be no value gained from such a drawing.  This strikes me as being like a printed circuit board layout connecting multi-pin FPGAs.  No one does that by hand.  There are (expensive) auto-routers to do that.  Way beyond Visio's capability.  It's not just about connectivity, but also about shape placement.  While Visio's connectors will keep connectivity and re-route themselves as shapes are moved, the result is not intelligent, logically controlled, and usually very messy visually.

Perhaps some order can be established thru some refined drawing concepts...
1) is there hierarchical element?  That is, are some shapes senders, some just receivers, and others that do both?  This would lend to a flow pattern, e.g., left to right, top to bottom
2) can some shapes be grouped, this would allow use of multiple pages
      > say shape A mainly talks to shapes 1 - 30, and never to some of the others?
      > shapes located in different physical areas
3)  If all shapes must be placed on single page, perhaps the connectors can be placed on layers.
     > each layer would represent a certain traffic load.  Layers can be on or off. This would minimize clutter
     > each layer represents a process/product type.

I'm sure there are other means of organizing the presentation to convey the desired info in a more readily understandable way.
Visio 2019 Pro