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Solution-specific Visio Discussions => Network Diagramming => Topic started by: The Gerbil on October 29, 2011, 08:41:27 PM

Title: Line style scaling
Post by: The Gerbil on October 29, 2011, 08:41:27 PM
Hi Guys,

apologies if this is elsewhere, I have tried various search words and not actually found what I was after in this forum and on the WWW so here I am ;D what I want to do is use different line styles to represent the various types of transmission medium. Some of the lines however when they are either 'shortened' or 'stretched' the spacing between the lines scales either way and I don't want that. Is it possible to have the line style stay the same (ie line type 18) and not scale up or down when creating a line using the connector tool.. I have tried various options in 'behaviour' but that doesn't seem to work. Does the question sort of make sense?? Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated ;D

many thanks in anticipation
Title: Re: Line style scaling
Post by: Yacine on October 29, 2011, 08:49:46 PM
Hi Gerbil,
the lines don't scale with their length (unless it is set so in the shape sheet). What you have oberserved, is probably that the spaces in dashed lines vary, but that is only a matter of zoom factor. On your print out, this will not happen.
Title: Re: Line style scaling
Post by: The Gerbil on October 30, 2011, 01:43:02 PM
Hi Yacine,

Thanks for the feedback but unfortunately if I have two lines of the same style indicating the same transmission medium, but one line is longer than the other they do look different when printed. I have tried looking on the page setup to see if there is anything to either check or uncheck and the same with the 'behaviour' option but I am still in the same situation. Anything else that you might be able to think of? ;D
Title: Re: Line style scaling
Post by: vojo on October 30, 2011, 09:05:13 PM
You need to make the start/stop of the line a fixed offset of the width or height.

What you DONT want is
   moveto = width * 0.25   

What you DO want is
   moveto = width - 1.5mm
Title: Re: Line style scaling
Post by: The Gerbil on November 02, 2011, 05:48:00 PM
Hi Vojo,

Thanks for the help but can I ask you to explain that slightly differently for me please. Do I have to change some setting? Many thanks
Title: Re: Line style scaling
Post by: vojo on November 02, 2011, 06:56:59 PM
basically you want to make the start/stop a fixed offset from the width and/or height of the line

Say, for example, you have a line currently at 20mm and you decide the start should be 1mm and stop at 19mm.
You DONT want the start/stop to be based on the length of the line....you DO want them to be a fixed offset from a reference point on the line

So you might do this in the shapesheet geometry section

   Moveto           width * 0 + 1mm             height*0 + 1mm
   line                 width*1 - 1mm                height*1 - 1mm

So now how ever long the line is....say you stretch it to 30mm....the start / stop stay 1mm from line end.

Below is a somewhat complex example (I use it on a new project)

right click for some behavior work.....double click to set values

Look in shapesheet to understand the behaviors (look at members as well as group)
Title: Re: Line style scaling
Post by: The Gerbil on November 03, 2011, 06:27:56 AM
Hi Vojo,

Thanks for that, I will have a play and hopefully get the problem fixed. Many thanks again for the assistance
:)