Add arrow to middle of connector?

[clintdavis]

I have a complex diagram and in order to help follow the paths I would like to have an arrow in the middle of the connector as well as the end to indicate direction. If I can have multiple arrows along the path that would be great as well.

I'm using Visio 2010 now but if there is a solution for any version I am open to it.

Thanks,

Clint

[Jumpy]

What kind of connectors are you using? Only straight arrows or the automatic connector that goes right angled around other shapes?
Because in the last case a second arrowhead in the middle of the path won't look nice, because the middle of the path does not mean the middle of the segment that is in the middle of the path. I had problems with that, too and solved it with a shape, that is only an arrowhead. When I drag it from a stencil and unto a connector line, it will place itself in the middle of the path segment, with VBA.

Worked fine for me, but I can use it  only, when the drawing is in its final stages, because when a connector is adjusted, the new arrowhead won't follow it, because it is still a different shape.

When you think, that could help you I can post the VBA code on tuesday

[Yacine]

You may want to use line patterns.
Cheers
Yacine

[Visio Guy]

More examples of what can be done with custom line patterns in Visio, and links to further resources:

Release the Power of Visio Custom Line Patterns

[Yacine]

Chris,
what settings would you recommend to put exactly one arrow head at the middle of a line/connector with line patterns.
Creating a group could be a possibility, but would be hard to implement for connectors.

[JuneTheSecond]

I thought someone mentioned about group.
Here is a kind of his idea.
A connector is a group that has arrows.
Unfortunately, you need to run macro,"testArrows", if number of segments changed.
The connectors need to be rectangle conectors.

[JuneTheSecond]

Enhancement.

Added right click menu "Update Arrows" to each connector shape.
Now you can update arrows on a connector, when you changed the number of segments.
Number of maximum segment is increased from 6 to 9.

[Visio Guy]

I think putting just one arrowhead directly in the middle of the connector is only possible in Visio 2010 (without code, that is)

Visio 2010 has some new ways to access geometry sections arbitrarily, and locate stuff certain percentages along a path.

[JuneTheSecond]

Made an example by the best suggestion of Visio Guy, though for only Visio 2010.

[clintdavis]

Thanks for all the help guys! Line patterns are exactly what I was looking for. I knew I couldn't be the only one who had this problem. Thanks to Yacine for giving me the pattern. I modified it to make the arrows more spaced out but it works perfectly!

[Visio Guy]

Nice job, June, very cool!

[Yacine]

thougth about that group idea... here's a first sketch.
The laborious part remains to calculate how the grouped connectors bend first, so to orient the arrow accordingly.

[JuneTheSecond]

My sample has a problem, when the corners of connector are rounded with menu Rounding.
This is because the PATHSEGMENT function counts a corner as 1 segment,
but on the other hand the number of rows of Geometry section does not increase by rounding.
Here is a modified example that re-calculates geometry's rows from the the result of PATHSEGMENT function.
Now you can round the corner of connectors.
And more, shape sheet formulas are simplified using INDEX function.

[JuneTheSecond]

Above drawing file was replaced after a modification.

[JuneTheSecond]

Here is the most interesting example that uses POINTALONGPATH function at Visio Insights.
"The Point Along Path ShapeSheet Functions in Visio 2010" at
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visio/archive/2010/01/15/the-point-along-path-shapesheet-functions-in-visio-2010.aspx
Please, visit there and check the example drawing.