Hidden Gem: Changing List Container Direction in Visio

[Yacine]

Sorry for being so lazy as to ask an AI to formulate the post for me. Not less worthy for that.
---
Just stumbled upon something that's been bugging me for ages, and I bet I'm not alone. Ever tried to change a list container from vertical to horizontal in Visio? Yeah, it's not exactly straightforward.

Here's the deal:

1. First off, you need to transform your container into a list. Easy enough - just set the User.msvStructureType to "List" in the ShapeSheet.

2. Now, here's where it gets tricky. There's a hidden field that controls the list direction. It's called User.msvSDListDirection.

3. Here's how to access it:
  - Select your list container
  - Pop open the ShapeSheet (Developer tab > Show ShapeSheet)
  - Look for the User-defined Cells section
  - If you don't see User.msvSDListDirection, you'll need to add it manually

4. Set the value:
  - 0 = Vertical list (default)
  - 1 = Horizontal list

5. Here's the kicker - changing this value alone won't do squat. You need to modify the sort order of the components to trigger a rearrangement.

Honestly, it's a bit of a pain. Microsoft could definitely make this more user-friendly. But hey, at least now we know it's possible!

Anyone else run into this? Any other hidden Visio gems you've uncovered? Let's share the knowledge!

[Surrogate]

Honestly, it's a bit of a pain. Microsoft could definitely make this more user-friendly. But hey, at least now we know it's possible!

I think that users who need it (containers) are vanishingly few! That's why MS didn't make a friendly interface. Probably never will)

[wapperdude]

Containers???  Containers!?!  We don't need no stinking' containers!!! 

Ok.  Ok.  There are some nice features.  But, I agree with Surrogate, they are not widely used.

[wapperdude]

Turns out, there is much more to the List story.  Take a look at this development:  https://johnvisiomvp.ca/2021/02/08/enhanced-visio-shape-placement/

I have just 1 word...Crazy!!!