increase the length of the arrow

Started by awa123, May 25, 2022, 10:05:43 PM

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awa123

hello,

i would like to know how can make the arrow longer without touching the edges, keeping the same edges (angle and the lenght)

many thanks

wapperdude

You can use the pencil tool and click select on an end point plulus one corner.  Both will drag as a group.
Visio 2019 Pro

awa123

Thanks for you reply

unfortunately it's not clear for me, can you please illustrate the procedure?

the picture i showed is a connector, the pencil tool will create line

wapperdude

#3
Not at my computer...

The pencil tool is used to select the corner and or end points.  The trick is to click and release the mouse button, and then click and drag the point.  The 1st click changes the point to be moveable.  You will see it change to 4 directional arrows.  So, do that to one or more points.  Then, click and drag one of those points and stretching will occur.  Note, if you inadvertently just click and release a 2nd time on a node, the point will return to a normal "anchor" point and will not move.

Connector Caution:  there is a lot of built-in behavioral coding which causes a connector to automatically reroute.  As the drawing changes, o can the connector routing.  If you want a more immutable shape, the line or pencil tools are a better choice.
Visio 2019 Pro

awa123

thanks a lot wapperdude for your advices.

so if i uderstand well, we cannot block completely the angle if we just want to increase the length of the end point ? (cf attached picture). when is it a sraight line we can stretch the line with the shift button pressed in order to block the line and stretch only the lenght.

i expected a similar trick to block the angle of a connector and stretch only the length



wapperdude

We may be not on same page.  Plus, I had incomplete info.  Example is attached.

Missed a step when trying to select more than one node.  That is, for each additional node, it is necessary to hold the shift key down.  But, these directions only apply to a line shape and do not work with dynamic connector.  The connector is much more difficult to manipulate and maintain routing.  But, using pencil tool plus <cntl> key has some benefit.

The following references might help:  http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/LearningandDevelopment/IT%20Learning%20Guides/Microsoft%20Visio%202010/05%20Working%20with%20connectors.pdf
Visio 2019 Pro

Yacine

I wonder whether awa123 is asking out of general interest, or if there is some smartshape stuff involved.
The second case makes me think of these labels with fixed angle lines.
Yacine

awa123

#7
hello everyone,

@wapperdude, thanks a lot for your clear explanation and your illustrative example in your visio file, that's super nice, i've spent lot of time on it to understand it completely.
That's true that usually i use the connectors cause we can see the "bridge" meaning that the lines are not a node (cf attached file), the other advantage is to easily create a new shifted "rectange" on the connector by keeping the shift key pressed + click left on the anchor node, and then we can play on the angle of this new shifted "rectangle" by pressing the ctrl key.(cf attached file illustration).
By the way does it exist a similar trick with the pencil and line to create new shifted "rectagle" ? i know we can do it by adding some additional nodes but it would be much more time consuming... (hope i am clear, otherwise plz let me know and i will prepare more illustrations)
same question also for the "bridge" with line shape in order to we uderstand it is not a node but only 2 different flows overlapped?
However, i realize that one significant advantage with the pencil and line shape is to easily duplicate the shape and mirroring it, that's a great advantage for my flow diagram that i need to create frequently.

@Yacine, that's awesome to be able to block the angle and play only on the lenght of this line, can you please explain me step by step how did you manage to create this ?

many thanks guys !

wapperdude

Concerning overlaps:  back in the day when schematics were hand drawn, and dots were added to indicate a connected junction, there was a common, universal problem...dots would disappear as a result of multiple, Xerox copying.  The solution generally adopted was simiple, four way connections were not allowed.  Period.  It made drawings much more efficient, cleaner, and intuitive.  No worries about "dots" or jumps or other time consuming features.  If two lines crossed = not connected.  If they were connected, they one line would stop at the other, then shift over, and would resume.  Simple.  Purposeful.  Obvious.

Something to consider.

Not sure what your doing with shifted rectangle.
Visio 2019 Pro

awa123

hello wapperdude,

ok that's clear, so by definition a line crossing another line is not connected, and there is no jump ("bridge") like we have with connectors.

Regarding the "shifted rectangle" i meant, i have done a quick video to show how easy we can do it with connectors vs line (with pencil)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D12-BrjEcU

I would love to see how you do it (your tricks) with the lines to do more efficiently

wapperdude

The video helped.  There are some elements that are missing to fully understand.  Just seeing a isolated 1D shape, connecctor or line, has no associated context.  That is, what is it you're trying to achieve.  Typically, 2D shapes are placed 1st.  Then 1D shapes are added to establish desired into flow:  schematic, workflow, Org Chart, whatever. 

Visio intended to use dynamic connectors as a simple method to interconnect the shapes.  Sort of a poor man's semi-auto route.  But, there are major issues with these connectors.  I dislike them immensely... especially for doing circuit design.  But, for other application/drawing types, they can very quickly complete the task.  This is the context that is missing so far.

You demonstrated a good mastery of modifying a 1D shape.  I would say in terms of drawing a line, you don't have to draw a straight one from beginning point to ending point.  You can start at some point, draw line to intermediate point, click, then continue to next point, click, and continue until you reach destination.  The dynamic connector would let you draw the single line from begin to end, and then add the jogs as it feels best.  You can move shapes and it will adjust accordingly.  But, the immediate problem is predicting where it'll put the jogs.  You can set Visio to allow splittin connectors, so that a new shape might be inserted.  You can have Visio move shapes out of the way of a new shape or a moved shape.  Of course, all of these produce various routing changes. 

And if you really want the "jumps", there are various types and even some restrictions, say, add jumps only to horizontal lines.  They're easily added / removed.

HTH
Wapperdude
Visio 2019 Pro

awa123

thanks for your feedback

QuoteAnd if you really want the "jumps", there are various types and even some restrictions, say, add jumps only to horizontal lines.  They're easily added / removed.
how can you do it ?


wapperdude

Page tab > page properties > layout and routing
Visio 2019 Pro

awa123

Thanks wapperdude, i will draw my flow diagram with the pencil and line from now and will see if it is easier for me

@Yacine, can you please let us know how you managed to block the angle of your shape ?

Yacine

Hi Awa,
the trick with fixed angle connector is located in the shapesheet of the shape.
To view the shapesheet you must run visio in expert mode (file/options/...), the right-mouse-click "Shapesheet".
Mind that an option can be a group. To inspect it you may want to use the drawing explorer (under menu Developer tools).
Yacine