Glue behavior unpredictable

[rickscr]

I'm just learning Visio 2007, and I'm having some problems gluing shapes.

In the attached image, I modified the tank shape from an existing shape and created the tee fitting from scratch.  The problem I have is when I attempt to glue the tee to the tank.  From what I understand about connection points, the outward connection point on the top of the tee should glue to the inward point on the tank.  However, it doesn't work this way.  The only point that will glue is the point of the left of the tee.

What's going on here?  What am I missing?

[wapperdude]

When you go to move the Tee, grab it near the connection point that you want glued.  If you just grab near the center of the Tee, Visio sometimes gets confused and can't decide what to do.  Guess, you can say it helps Visio to keep its focus!   

Wapperdude

[rickscr]

That did it!  Thanks--this was driving me nuts!

[rickscr]

Okay, I'm still having problems.

On my existing document, the only connection point that will connect is the one on the left--no matter where I grab it.  Even if I grab the shape near the top or right, the only connection point that will work is the left one.  It can connect to any of the connection points on the target shape, but only from the left point on the active shape. 

If I open a new empty document, everything seems to work how it should.  This makes me think that there is an option enabled somewhere that is different between the two documents, but I can't find what it is. 

[wapperdude]

Go to menu bar > tools > Snap & Glue.

Make sure Connection points is selected under the Glue to category.  It's also a good idea to have at least Grid selected under Snap to category.

You can go to the Advanced tab, and then change Snap strength to establish a snapping priority.

As far as the shapes go, you could set all of the connection points to Inner & Outer.  Still should follow the "rule" by dragging a shape close to the connection point desired.

HTH
Wapperdude

[rickscr]

Glue to connection points was already selected. 

Except for the center point, all the connection points are Inner & Outer.

See the linked screen recording that demonstrates the problem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToP0oTwTfXg

[wapperdude]

Can you upload the file?  I don't see that behavior with the shapes I made.

Wapperdude

[rickscr]

Sure.

[wapperdude]

Interesting problem.  Haven't determined what it is, but I can say, it's not the shapes themselves.

That is, you can flip the right most shape horizontally, and it will still connect to the right side of the left shape.  But, move the right shape to the left side, and neither side will connect to the left side of the stationary shape.  You can also swap the two shapes and see the same behavior.  Ability to connect to the right side of the stationary shape, but not to the left side.

Seems like a file problem, indeed!  Don't know what yet.  Perhaps this file is just corrupt.  Did you try saving the file under a new name, close the original, open the new, and then see if all is well?  If so, then, I'd just chalk it up to a bad file.

Wapperdude

[rickscr]

I think you're right, it must be a file problem.  However, saving it with a new name doesn't solve the problem.  Opening a new empty document fixes it, but I'd like to figure out why this is happening and how to prevent it in the future. 

[rickscr]

I think I've figured it out!  It seems like a bug.

This is what I did:

Opened a blank document and loaded any stencil.  Added shapes with inner & outer connection points.  Gluing shapes worked correctly.
Changed the ruler zero.  (Tools>Ruler and Grid for Visio 2007).  Shapes then exhibited incorrect gluing behavior, even new shapes added to the page.
When I changed the ruler back to (0,0), everything worked fine. 

If I change the ruler before adding shapes, everything works fine. 

Weird...

Is this just a bug in 2007, or is it also in 2010?

[xk2600]

So it's definately a bug, and it still exists at least until someone can prove me wrong.

Try this

New Document in Visio

Create one square and copy and paste it twice.  Line them up with a decent gap between them from left to right. (align top) Now you have three squares in order: 1 on the left 2 in the middle and three on the right.

Add an inbound connector to square 1 in the very center on the right hand side.

Add an outbound connector to square 2 in the very center on the left hand side.
Add an outbound connector to square 2 in the very center on the right hand side.

Add an inbound connector to square 3 in the very center on the left hand side.

You'll notice you can glue square 2 to square 1, but not to square 3. No matter where you grab square 2.

Delete the outbound connector on square 2 on the left hand side.

You can now glue square 2 to square 3.

Add the outbound connector on Square 2 to the left hand side.

Now You can once again glue square 2 to square 1, but not to square 3.



It's almost as if there is precedence. Visio always chooses the outbound connector on the left hand side. I also tested selecting all three squares and flipping them across the veritcal axis. Same problem. This is more than frustrating. 1D to 2D connections work all day long, but 2D to 2D will only attach a shape from the right-hand side of the capturing shape (square 1), unless you only have one connection point on the right hand side of the attaching shape (square 2).

I am trying to do something very simple. I have a tall box with connectors on the left and connectors on the right. I want to be able to attach short subboxes to the inside of the big box. I know this worked at one time in 2003. Just not sure what gives now.

[wapperdude]

You'll notice you can glue square 2 to square 1, but not to square 3. No matter where you grab square 2.

So, I built the 3 squares.  Added the connection points.  Squares 1 and 3 have 1 connection point, inward, square 2 has 2 outward connection points.  All squares line up, all connection points line up.  Grab square 2 move toward sq1, connection points glue.  (Grabbing sq1 drags sq2 along for the ride.)  Now, grab sq2, move to right to sq3.  Connection points glue!  (Dragging sq3 causes sq2 to tag along.) 

Seems to work as desired!  I did no other steps wrt to removing / adding connection points.

Then, I changed the gluing procedure.  Left sq2 unmoved, and tried to glue either sq1 or sq2 to it.  Neither glues.  So, I then changed sq1 & sq3 to be an outer, and sq2 to have inner connection points.  Now, sq1 and sq3 will both glue to sq2.

Finally, making all connection points inner/outer and any of the shapes can glue to any other shape.

Attached file for verification.

HTH

Wapperdude
 
 

[rickscr]

Now change the ruler zero.  The glue behavior changes. 
Square 2 and 2io will only glue at the left connection point. 

[wapperdude]

Yep!  Seems like a bug!