Multiple Database Fields In 1 Shape

[visio2025]

Hey guys,

      I'm wondering if I could get a little help and perhaps a different perspective.  So from a 30,000 Ft view I'm creating a wiring diagram for a computer chip that I want to have each wire labeled based on a Database link. I have 3 components: 1)Board Name 2)Port Name 3)Door Tag.  See attached.

I'd like to be able to drag my overall board shape onto the drawing space and ONLY have to select board then all of the door tags are filled in respectively.  I'm thinking of using a custom formula that would match and lookup the board you select when you drop the shape, then take the tag field and match under the door name column with the board name and port name. 

Could you guys give me any insight into the best way to automate this so that once I have my database setup and formatted I can drag and drop all my boards(50-100+) each time?

Thank!

[Yacine]

Just to get a clearer picture:
- the number of doors and ports vary from board to board?
- do you need to position manually the door tags, or is there a rule for the positioning?
- the board drawings are imported from another software? In which format?

[visio2025]

Yacine,

 - the number of doors and ports vary from board to board? YES
- do you need to position manually the door tags, or is there a rule for the positioning? The entire board and door tags are one shape so it's grouped together so no.
- the board drawings are import from another software? In which format? No, it is all drawn in VISIO and it's grouped as a shape with the wire tags.

[Yacine]

I would suggest the following approach.
1) Use the tool I uploaded to the forum: http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=6318.msg25957#msg25957   

A  demonstration on Youtube can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9nH38RrMhE&t=657s 
It was intended as answer to: http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=7194.0

2) As your data are flat (distributed over several rows, you will need a query to produce a cross table and an additional field that I arbitrarily named door_number.

This way, the doors become separate fields of one data board entry.
Now you can use the a.m. tool and insert the door labels where they need to be. Using Visio's built-in Data Connection tool, you can assign different data sets to your shape.

The query in Access could look similar to the following SQL code:

Code

TRANSFORM First(Tabelle1.door) AS ErsterWertvondoor
SELECT Tabelle1.[board] & "-" & [port] AS board_port FROM Tabelle1GROUP BY Tabelle1.[board] & "-" & [port]
PIVOT Tabelle1.[door_number];

Next aspect:
modify the board based on list - You can set up a shape that gets (graphically) configured depending on it shape data. I explained the technique in this post:
http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=6195.0

[visio2025]

Yacine,

     I believe we almost have it.  How can I drop the entire shape(includes: board, door tags, etc) and select a single board value that will populate the same value in all the door tags. When I group the tags and create a new shape then drag it back to the drawing there is no pop-up to select the board(see below for what I'm looking for).  If it's not a big trouble could you create or send me that sample?

Thanks!

[Yacine]

What you're looking for is shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0uouTAw74Q
You won't however need to automatically link the data. You can stop the video at 1:50.