Using Excel To Define U size of equipment

[ironmtnracing]

Trying to get the Dell stencils to adjust size based on U size value in spreadsheet.

Using the generic Visio templates all works as it should.

When trying to do the same thing with the Dell stencils, no luck.

Now....this wouldn't really be an issue if Dell acutally defined the stencil correctly.  The Model number seems to indicate it's a 3U server, the properties of the stencil indicate it's a 3U device, The device in our rack is 3U,  but it scales as a 2U device when brought into the drawing.

I have read here that it might be possible to manipulate this via the "ShapeSheet" but after playing with it for a bit I can't seem to get it to work.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

BTW...using Visio 2010.

Thanks

[aledlund]

can you share the drawing (please do not post anything with confidential data)?
al

[ironmtnracing]

The drawing is too large to attach (4MB) and doesn't compress enough via zip to meet the 500K forum requirement.

[wapperdude]

A simple version would suffice -- perhaps just the Dell shape in question.

[aledlund]

Some thoughts in the background. Rack diagrams are scaled drawings, and as such shapes should not be resized since they will spoil the scale of the components (and things you try to connect to them). Second, some vendors have been known to drop products from production and substitute others while keeping the same model(s). I've seen this in servers where a component  that previously took (as in your case) three ru's and the new one only takes two. This can end up pretty annoying to find out your using the wrong shape.
To see which scenario your running into a simple drawing with the rack you are working with and the server shape that is giving you problems should be enough to check both of these potential areas.
Also it would help to know where you got your stencils that your getting your shapes from.
al

[ironmtnracing]

Thanks guys for your willingness to help.

Here's a sample of the device placed within a Dell rack.

Again, our Power Vault 220S is a 3U device.

As I said, using Generic visio stencils, I am able to define the size based on data embeded from an linked spreadsheet and see the stencil resize to match the value indicated in the "U Size" column.

Oh...and the Dell stencils were downloaded from VisioCafe.

[wapperdude]

This shape is not easily stretched to 3units.  It's construction consists of a 1D shape for connecting to the rack.  This shape is a group, consisting of several shapes plus 2 graphics.  Merely stretching from 2U to 3U will distort the overall shape, e.g., circles become ovals.  The sub-shapes are editable without too much trouble, but there's no way to edit the two pictures.

Looks like you're stuck.

Wapperdude

[aledlund]

According to this

http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/pvaul/en/powervault-md3200-md3220-spec-sheet-en.pdf

the unit shape you put in is a 2RU device (3.4"), it's a 3220D shape (check the shapesheet and the label on the side of it)

The shape is not a "smart" shape and cannot be resized (this is not unusual when using vendor supplied stencils because they are not in the business of creating generic shapes).

al