Resizing shapes and connection points

[gadabout]

I've been using Visio for several years now and am generally comfortable with it, but there is one problem that has plagued me from the beginning.

In my work, I often create block diagrams consisting of rectangular shapes linked by connectors.  Typically, I will have a number of connection points on the left and right sides of each rectangular block to which I would be attaching the connectors.   My problem is that I often have to resize the blocks by stretching them vertically.  When this happens, the connection points on the vertical edges of the block move such that they are proportionally in the same places that they were in prior to stretching this shape.  In my situation this is very undesirable, as it causes a lot of rework.  I want the connection points to remain in their original locations when I stretch shape in this way.  Is there any way to accomplish this?

[wapperdude]

Yes, this can be done.  Assuming that the bottom edge is the unmoved reference, you need to note the actual vertical distance of each connection point relative to that edge.  Open the shapesheet and go to the connection point section.  For each connecton point, alter the y-cell value to have the desired fixed distance.  For example, existing entry would be something like Height*0.25.  Change it to something like Height*0+d1, where d1 is the actual value of the desired offset, perhaps 0.125 (English) or maybe 4 (metric). 

That should do it.  You then have each connection point with the desired offset from the bottom edge.

Wapperdude

[gadabout]

Thanks wapperdude.  I can see that that would work, although I'd hoped that there would be a more user-friendly mechanism for doing this by now.

[Yacine]

Save the new shape as master and use it from now on.