aligning connectors

[tshad]

I am having a hard time adding connectors to my shapes so that when I
connect them to another shape the connector is exactly straight across. Is
there a way to say "align the connectors"?.

Also, when I connect the connectors, many times I can't get the arrows to
point at the object. They will point either up or down. I end up trying to
move the connectors farther away from the object or continually create and
delete the connector points until I can get the arrows to work. Is there a
way to fix this?

I spend more time trying to get the connectors to line up or deal with the
arrows than do the design.

Thanks,

Tom.

 

[Al Edlund]

Mai-Lan talks to this in her blog
http://blogs.msdn.com/mailant
Al

 

[tshad]

Mai-Lan talks to this in her blog
http://blogs.msdn.com/mailant

There is some pretty good stuff there, and some tips that I like.

But her idea of aligning does work unless you have the connecting points is
exactly the correct place across from each other. Not sure how to do that.

I also tried to move one of the objects when zooming in real large. That
doesn't work either, at least not in my case.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[API Docs]

Dunno if this will help, but I'll throw it out there... Database
relationship lines (very much like connectors) get going at a funny angle now
and then, even when they are supposed to be "right angle" lines. When they
do, you can right-click the line, and choose "Reset connector" from the
pop-up menu. Any chance something like that is possible in your case? Good
luck!

 

[Mark Nelson [MS]]

You can also use dynamic glue to connect two shapes together. This results
in the connector moving to the place where the two shapes are the minimum
distance apart. To make a glued connection dynamic, drag the endpoint of a
connector to the center of a shape rather than to a connection point. You
should see the entire shape bounded by a red rectangle when this happens.
Release the endpoint to form the connection. Then move the other endpoint
of the connector to make both ends dynamic.

 

[tshad]

You can also use dynamic glue to connect two shapes together. This
results in the connector moving to the place where the two shapes are the
minimum distance apart. To make a glued connection dynamic, drag the
endpoint of a connector to the center of a shape rather than to a
connection point. You should see the entire shape bounded by a red
rectangle when this happens. Release the endpoint to form the connection.
Then move the other endpoint of the connector to make both ends dynamic.

This sometimes works.

Unfortunately, I have some objects, such as a switch that doesn't show the
red box around the switch. When this happens I just put a connection point
on the box and drag to another object where the box does appear and that
seems to work some of the time. This doesn't work if I want to connect 2
switches, however.

It also doesn't help if I want to put 5 or 6 arrows on the same object.
They all seem to go to the same place on the object. I need connection
points in these cases.

Thanks,

Tom.