Group or 2-D shape with multiple simultaneous outward connections

[lpassmor]

Hi Team
I have Visio 2007.  I am trying to create a 2-D shape that will have two connection points.  I need each connection point to be able to connect to an inward connection (well two different connections not a single connection) but can't seem to manage this. 

A very simple example is a rectangle shape that I wish to position between two parallel lines that will, if I move either line, will follow and size itself accordingly.

This seems to work OK with a 1-D line object, but not with a 2-D object, nor with a group.

It seems as if it works if my object has 1 inward and 1 outward CP and I use the opposite on each of the parallel lines, but I don't really wish to work that way.  I am trying to create shapes that will fit inside rectangular cabinets and the pre-existing cabinet definitions have all inward CP. 

I have had a look at a few examples of shape masters that do have this ability and they seem to have something attached to the basic shape that provides this functionality.  If I ungroup these to try to see what they have done, I can't see what has happened but immediately the shape loses all the glue points and seemingly also the protection properties (like protect aspect ratio). 

Any of you gurus out there have any suggestions?

Many Thanks
LP

[Jumpy]

I have had a look at a few examples of shape masters that do have this ability and they seem to have something attached to the basic shape that provides this functionality.  If I ungroup these to try to see what they have done, I can't see what has happened but immediately the shape loses all the glue points and seemingly also the protection properties (like protect aspect ratio). 

In grouped shapes the group itself is a shape, too. So ungrouping the group destroys the group shape, with the loss of any information and functionally based on that group-shape (for example the connection points). If you want to get more information on a group, you can try to analyse the ShapeSheet of the group and/or drill down to the membershapes of the group and analyse their shapesheets.

What is often done in Server-Rack-Shapes is, that the server shapes, that are placed in the rack are 1D-shapes, although they look like 2D-shapes. So you get 1D behaviour with seemingly 2D-Shapes.

[Paul Herber]

As Jumpy says, ungrouping will badly the shape, if you have dropped the shape on a page and want to look at its contents in detail then use the Drawing Explorer - menu View -> Drawing Explorer

[vojo]

A couple of things

- could add discrete connection points to your shape....I have done shapes with 18 of them on visio 2003....no problems
- could go into the shapesheet and play with connection types (in/out/both)
- could have several shapes in a group.....define connctions in the subshapes....set the snap on child at the group level  in the group shape sheet
- could try making a group of shapes....go to format....set children first.....even though subshapes are in a group, it might work out that you can connect to them without explicit connect points
- can take a group....convert it to 1D shape....HP stencils do this alot....seems pretty cool (like legos building a rack of servers).

Some of these will depend on doing things in the right sequence....so play around with a simple shape/shapes first...then go after the shape you want.