Preserve Shape Data

[Germex]

I have a server shape with custom properties (shape data) defined. Now, I
would like to take the server shape and make various versions of it, i.e. add
an envelope to make it e-mail server shape w/o losing the shape data of the
server. Any time I group the envelope and the server shape, the new shape
looses the custom properties I would like to preserve. If I add the new
shape w/o grouping to a stencil, grouping will automatically occur resulting
again in losing the data. Would anybody know how to get around this?

 

[Paul Herber]

I have a server shape with custom properties (shape data) defined. Now, I
would like to take the server shape and make various versions of it, i.e. add
an envelope to make it e-mail server shape w/o losing the shape data of the
server. Any time I group the envelope and the server shape, the new shape
looses the custom properties I would like to preserve. If I add the new
shape w/o grouping to a stencil, grouping will automatically occur resulting
again in losing the data. Would anybody know how to get around this?

If you would care to download and try out our utilities:
http://www.visio-utilities.sandrila.co.uk/
adds a new menu which can do a copy and paste on custom properties.
Select the original shape, use the menu
SuperUtilities -> Copy -> Custom Properties
do your grouping, select the group, then menu
SuperUtilities -> Paste -> Custom Properties

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

When you group shapes you create a new shape along with the collection of
component shapes. For example, if you group two simple shapes you end up
with a shape comprising three shapes.In your case, you added the custom
properties to one of the component shapes so what you are seeing after
grouping is the non existent shape collection of the new group shape. If the
server shape was one of the existing shapes, there is a good chance that it
is already a group shape and what you need to do is "Add to Group" the
envelope rather than "grouping".

Adding a collection of shapes to a stencil does force the collection to be
grouped, so you need to make sure you ar eonly adding shapes (rather than
collections of shapes) to a stencil.

Would the shapes at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...06-50c7-47ed-a65c-862661742764&displayLang=en
help? It is an entire package, but you can get the Visio stencil from it by
looking in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Active Directory Topology Diagrammer

John... Visio MVP

Need stencils or ideas? http://visio.mvps.org/3rdparty.htm
Need VBA examples? http://visio.mvps.org/VBA.htm
Visio Wishlist http://visio.mvps.org/wish_list.htm

 

[Mark Nelson [MS]]

Select the server shape and then the envelope shape and choose Shape >
Grouping > Add to Group.

--
Mark Nelson
Office Graphics - Visio
Microsoft Corporation

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

 

[Michel LAPLANE \(MVP\)]

Many thank for your advice Mark. I have learn a new feature that can be of
huge interest and faster than opening the group and add shape.

Enjoy with Visio.

 

[Germex]

Thank you Mark. This solved my issue.

Select the server shape and then the envelope shape and choose Shape >
Grouping > Add to Group.

--
Mark Nelson
Office Graphics - Visio
Microsoft Corporation

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