Changing Shapes' Default setting

[H. Turner]

I am trying to create a Business Flow Chart using Visio 2003. Each shape I
drag onto the stencil has a blue fill and shadow. Using this forum, I found
out how to shut off the shadow. First question is how do get rid of the blue
fill and have a blank shape each time? Second question, how do I change the
font size in the shape from the 8 to a 12, permanently?

 

[Tim Davenport [MSFT]]

The formatting on the flowchart shapes is controlled by a style that is
applied to them. You can modify the settings in the style to get the effects
you want. With your drawing open, go to Format>Define Styles. Pick the "Flow
Normal" style from the Name list. Click the Text button under "Change" and
modify the point size of the text. Click the Fill button to change the fill
color and pattern and to remove the shadow. As you drop out new shapes, they
will have the modified Flow Normal style applied to them with the look you
want.

 

[H. Turner]

Tim
Thank you. Do I have to repeat this for every drawing I create? Or is
there a way to save these as a permanent change?
H

 

[Tim Davenport [MSFT]]

The styles are stored in the drawing, so you would need to change them in
each drawing. However, if you make the change in your Basic Flowchart
template and then save it as a template (.vst), it will at least be
available whenever you start new drawings from that template.
--
Tim Davenport
Microsoft Corporation

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

 

[RFrost]

This has been helpful. When you say "change your Basic Flowchart template and
then save it as a template (.vst)" - I'm not sure what you mean here. Do I
simply open a new Basic Flowchart, make my style changes, then save a file?
(what file name should be used, where should it be saved) - or is there a
template that needs to be changed somewhere (similar to the NORMAL.dot in MS
Word?)

Thanks

 

[Michel LAPLANE]

Save it as ".vst file" in the 1033 (for an english version) subdirectory of
visio root directory. So it is added to the visio available templates.