Can not select a text box to resize borders

[Dennis]

Unsing Visio 2002

Even though I have cleared ALL check marks in the
Format>Protection dialog box, I still cannot select and
then resize the box.

What happens is the resize handles are green with
small "X" in side each.

There must be another more hidden "layer" of protection
that I have no clue how to get to and change.

TIA

Dennis

 

[Al Edlund]

is it really a box, or is it a group?
Al

 

[Dennis]

Interesting question.

I have now looked at "layers" and "groupings."

I guess I was referring to Shape protection (as to the
Format>Protection Diaglog box.)

After noticing that a group of objects moved together
with the cursor or arrow keys, I thought about groups.

In addition, I played with grouping and ungrouping the
respective shapes and I kept getting this message when I
attempted to resize an ungrouped shape (or Text Box):

"Shape Protection and/or layer properties prevent
execution of this command"

Looking a layer properties, there are three layers but
none is locked.

Looking at Shape Format>Protection, none of the shapes
involved have any check marks in the dialog box.

Therefore, there is some protection aspect about which I
need help. Can you help?

Dennis

 

[Al Edlund]

some shapes are built incrementally by creating ever more complex shapes
using groups. i.e. group two shapes into one, add two additonal shapes to
create a new one etc. etc. This allows us at different stages to apply
unique attributes to the shape (such as custom properties or user fields),
however. It means that if we're not careful some components of these complex
shapes might get in the way of doing things like you mention.
If I run into a shape that I am not sure of, I first make a copy of the
shape and work on the copy, I will sometimes just start selecting and
ungrouping it to see how it was built up. The reason for making a copy first
is when you ungroup, you lose the custom data assigned to the group and
cannot rebuild it by just re-grouping it. I can then examine the components
to find out what is getting in the way. In V2003 there is a menu option to
do some of this.
Al