How do you make a Visio shape with multiple positions? (Like a swi

[Mike M 91107]

Stencil "EE - Switches and Relays" have a number of shapes that have multiple
positions. You drag and drop a switch, then you can right click on the switch
to select whether you want it OPEN/CLOSED. When you select, the shape changes
to match the selection.

How do you make shapes like this? How do you create the menu options?

I would like to either modify existing shapes or start from scratch.

I cannot find any description of how to do this in the online help.

I am using MS-Visio 2000 Technical and MS-Visio 2003 Pro.

 

[Al Edlund]

these are called 'multishape' and you might start over here

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;254713

al

 

[Mike M 91107]

OK. I have figured out how to use "Custom Properties" to give me the
selection of "ON/OFF" for a switch. Now how do I connect the custom property
value to a different depiction of the shape? i.e., ON o-o vs. OFF o/ o?

 

[Mike M 91107]

Al,

Thanks. Knowing the right thing to call it is 90% of the battle in finding
support. I'd like to know why there isnt a Wizard or anything written in the
MS-Visio help documentation about this.

It is too bad that you have to manually edit the ShapeSheet. I thought it
would be as simple as defining the custom properties for ON/OFF, creating two
drawings, then associating one drawing to ON and one to OFF.

I'm sure once I try a few I'll get the hang of it.

Thanks again and Happy Holidays.

Mike

 

[Mike M 91107]

Well. That was fun. NOT.

There are some differences between the tech note and implementation on Visio
2003. Also, there are a couple of features to be aware of.

First suggestion is to create any part of the shape that does not change
(that are fixed). Use that in place of the large rectangle in the tech note.
Attach any connection points to the unchanging (fixed) parts.

When creating the multishapes, make sure you create separate multishapes for
each format you want displayed. For example, if you want the shape to show
changes to solid lines and dashed lines you need to create one multishape for
the solid lines and one multishape for the dashed lines. These are drawn
independently and then connected together at the end of the process to allow
them to be controlled together by the same User Defined Custom Properties.

So, draw your solid multishape and proceed up to step 5 of the tech note.
Then go back and draw dashed multishape and proceed up to step 5. Repeat for
any additional formats.

DO NOT COMBINE OR GROUP THE MULTISHAPES TOGETHER. This merges them and
selects a single format and blows away all your work.

When you are ready to make the Master Shape, move the combined multishapes
onto the fixed part of the drawing. Overlay the solid/dashed multishapes but
do not group or combine them.

You can now select the fixed part of the drawing and the multishapes and
group them as per tech note step 3. Complete steps 4 through 8 as per tech
note. I found it easier to enter the Custom Properties by selecting the menu
Shape..Custom Formatting. Either way works.

One note for Visio 2003 and step 8. There is no "Prompt" under the Actions
section. Also, the ShapeSheet has white cells for data entry. Don't be
fooled, you can also enter data in the gray cells with red text. You need to
do that for the "Actions 1" cell.

Continue up to tech note step 14.

You need to repeat steps 15-17 for each multishape you have created. So if
you have a solid multishape and a dashed multishape, you need to edit two
ShapeSheets.

For step 16, you will have multiple Geometry sections depending on how
complex your multishape is. For each line segment, arc, rectangle, ellipse,
etc. you will have one Geometry section. You need to manually turn each of
these on and off by entering the "=NOT(...)" text from step 17.

In Visio 2003, the "=NOT(...)" text does not go into B Cell. Instead it
goes into the cell "Geometry#.NoShow". So if you have six line segments to
turn on and off, then you enter the "=NOT(...)" into "Geometry1.NoShow" cell,
then "Geometry2.NoShow" etc. until you reach 6.

Then you need to repeat for the next multishape (dashed lines).

Fun stuff.

Hope my learning curve helps someone else.

Merry Christmas.