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Custom Shapes and text blocks - grouping

Started by Semtex, June 16, 2014, 10:24:02 AM

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Semtex

I'm creating three custom reusable shapes for use in process mapping.

I have two editable text blocks in each shape which must be "locked" to the main shape.

Whatever protection I apply, I cannot seem to get the position of these text blocks fixed. I can always find a way to move the shape and leave the text block behind. I have to be able to hand these shapes over to other users to create their own maps and all I want them to be able to do is edit the text and position the shapes.

Any help appreciated.

thanks

Visio Guy

Hi Semtex,

Every shape has its own text block. It sounds like you made a separate text block on top of other shapes...?

Anyway, you should be able to select (or subselect if the shapes are in a group), then go to Developer Tab > Protection, and lock down the X and Y position, Width, Height  and Angle of the shapes. Lock Delete too, while you are at it.

Other than that, it's hard to say more without seeing what you are doing.
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Semtex

Thanks,

Hope you can open the attachment. I added text blocks as it seemed easier to format more than one.



Visio Guy

You should group shapes before you make them a master. Visio will do this anyway - you can't drop separate subshapes.
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Visio Guy

Ok, I massaged the blue box in your attachment and made two versions.

The "Blue Box" just cleans things up, puts text on the group, and just on the black box. Subshapes are locked from being moved or text-edited, as appropriate.

The "Blue Box Resizable" behaves better when you resize it. But this involved a bunch of ShapeSheet formulas for keeping things in the right place, but allowing the margins to not stretch, etc.

Double-click edits the main text, subselect to edit the black-box text.

Hope this helps!
For articles, tips and free content, see the Visio Guy Website at http://www.visguy.com
Get my Visio Book! Using Microsoft Visio 2010

Semtex

Wow, thanks!

The simple blue box is great, (don't actually need to resize) Can you list what you did so I can apply to the other shapes?

Visio Guy

It would take me an hour of typing, unfortunately.
For articles, tips and free content, see the Visio Guy Website at http://www.visguy.com
Get my Visio Book! Using Microsoft Visio 2010

Semtex

OK - I'm struggling to get my other shapes to behave like your blue box!

Any chance at all you could work your magic on these?


Semtex

Can anyone help with this?

thanks in advance

Yacine

Yacine

wapperdude

Encourage you to tackle this yourself...

Open the drawing explorer window (DEW), it's under View on the menu bar.
In the DEW navigate the Foreground Pages by clicking the "+" to expand the tree.

(I'm assuming that your page has all of the shapes...modified blue plus the star and circle.)

Find the Blue shape...as you click on a shape in the DEW, it's selection will be shown in the normal drawing window.  Expand that shape in the DEW.  Then starting at the highest level, right click and open the shapesheet.  Next, in the DEW find one of the other shapes and expand it.  Then, starting at the top, level, right click and open that shapesheet.  You should now have two shapesheet windows open.  Scroll thru and see where the differences are.  The goal is to make the entries similar.

Beware, the subshapes in the blue shape will refer to shapes within that group.  Likewise, subshapes in the star shape will refer to shapes within that group.  So, shape ID's will be different for the two groups.  The DEW will help you visualize and keep track of things. 

Anyway, the goal would be to harmonize the each group so that the entries in the shapesheet mimic the blue shape.

HTH.

Otherwise, someone will undoubtedly step up to help.

But, it's the July 4th for me, and I'm celebrating by goofing off!

Wapperdude
Visio 2019 Pro

Semtex

OK - thanks for the pointers. I'll give it a bash...


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