Automated Numbering of Shapes

[assyrian47]

Good day,

I am using Visio 2003 Professional. I am trying to automate the
process of using numbered shapes. My issue relates to formatting the
properties so that I can employ a specific format.

As an example a process shape from the Flow Chart template has to have
a corresponding document number in the format

DEPT-PC-XXX-YY

Where Dept = two letter designator such as OP for operations

PC desingates a process but this is selected from a fixed drop down
list in the properies dialog. WF, PC, PR WI, FORM

XXX designates a specific number like 100

YY designates a sub numbering control number like 01

I can get part of it to work but I need to have it displayed inside
the shape then auto number as I copy it. It should be displayed as:

OP-WF-100-01

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Michel LAPLANE \(MVP\)]

If you use your own shape let say a rectangle for example here his a way to
solve you problem.

Draw the rectangle
Turn it in a group (Shape=>Group=>group)
Add 4 Shape data (one for the DEPT, one for the PC, one for the XXX, one
for the YY)
Note the name of each Shape Data (Row_1, Row_2, Row_3,Row_4 by default)
Select the Group and get the shape ID (Format=>Special) let say it is
Sheet.1
Open the group (Edit=>Open group)
Add 4 text containing a sample reference position and format them as
needed (a text with DEPT, a text with PC a text with XXXX a text with YY)
Select the first text and insert a Field as custom formula
(Insert=>Field=>Custom formula) with "Sheet.1!Prop.Row_1" to refer to the
shape data DEPT of the group
Repeat this for all the text
Close the group
Test your shape.

Enjoy with Visio

 

[Mark Nelson [MS]]

The Process Engineering add-on can number shapes this way.

--
Mark Nelson
Office Graphics - Visio
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[assyrian47]

Thanks for the quick response. must be doing something wrong at
the stage where the text is inserted into the group. After I add the
four text blocks, I then install the formula as you identified. After
closing out that process I end up with four areas of text which
display the formula. When I open the Shape sheet the correct values
are displayed in the "Value" column for Prop.Row_1 through Row_4

Where did I go wrong? I tried the same in a 2007 version and got the
same result. Like old COBOL I am sure it is just a "."

Thanks

 

[Michel LAPLANE \(MVP\)]

Just suppress the quote at the end and at the beginning of the formula to
tell to visio to use calculated formula instead of string.

Enjoy with visio/

 

[assyrian47]

I knew it had to be that simple. Many thanks, your assistance has made
my life much easier for at least this week. Do you know or could you
recommend a good book that deals with this level of programming in
Visio? Or is this something that can be obtained through MSDN?

 

[Michel LAPLANE \(MVP\)]

Here is a useful link
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa245244(office.10).aspx
This book can be obtain through amazon that can provides used copies of the
DVS book.
It is also included in the visio 2002 SDK that you can download from
microsoft site.
For enhanced programmation task , use the Graham WIDEMAN book "Visio 2003
survival pack".
Enjoy with visio.