link a stencil to a visio file?

[Leslie Archer]

hi all,

I'm new to Visio, hope not to get laughed at! So here I go:

I'm creating a Word doc where I have to link to a Visio drawing. Since the
doc is a template for future filling, I don't want to "show" the empty visio
drawing on the doc, but just "show" an icon which links to it. OK, so far
everything's fine, I double click on it and it opens (clap! clap!) .

The thing is I have created a new custom stencil, a very simple one so those
who are going to fill the template don't have to mess too much with visio,
just drag and drop some of these 10 shapes and get done, chop chop... This
works OK on my laptop 'cause I guess all paths are correct and everything but
when others download the template and the stencil, the paths and visio
installation are obviously different... so they double click on the icon, the
stencil doesn't show up. Result: they will have to open the stencil and do
the same as I did (almost).

So, the question is, is there any (easy??) way to link a stencil to a visio
drawing? (hope I did make myself clear...)

Thanks a lot in advance!!!

Leslie Archer

 

[Chris [Visio MVP]]

When you build the template, is the stencil that you use in the same
directory as that template, and when you distribute the template & stencil,
are users putting them in the same location?

Another tip: you don't need to send a separate stencil. You can copy all the
shapes to the "local stencil" of the template. It's officially called the
"Document Stencil" and can be viewed under File > Shapes > Show Document
Stencil. Pop this up, clear out any unused masters, then copy all the
masters from your stencil into the document. Now you only have to distribute
the template file.

Fyi: every Visio file has a document stencil. When you drag shapes from
other stencils, they get copied to this local stencil. Shapes on the page
refer to the local copies of the masters, not to the masters in the separate
files, if that makes any sense.

 

[Leslie Archer]

you're god man, this is going to save me lots of trouble!

Thanks so much!!!

Leslie Archer