Creating Text and line master

[Inobugs]

Last night I created a master in one of MY Shapes files that had an
unbordered text box with a line drawn from the text away from it. As I recall
I used a text callout and created a segment using the line item of the
drawing tools. I then selected both and pulled them onto the shapes file.
Tonight I cannot bring that same text and line "master" shape onto my work
field and select the text field. I have one master I cr4eated that works, but
I want to create other text with lines so that I can select them and change
the text. How do I get the text in a line and text combo-shape to be selected
so I can change it?

 

[Mark Nelson [MS]]

When you drag more than one shape into a stencil, Visio creates a master and
drops all the shapes in. However, when you drag this master back into the
drawing to use it, Visio groups the shapes. There can only be one shape
dropped from the master. You may be having difficulty accessing your shapes
inside the group.

One way to get at the shapes is through the Drawing Explorer which presents
a hierarchy of all the shapes on the page. You can find this in the View
menu. Another way is to select the shape and choose Edit > Open Group (or
Open "whatever you named your shape").

Generally you should build your master so that it is a group shape to begin
with. That way Visio does not need to group it on drop. You can convert
one of your existing shapes to a group and then add the other shape to the
group as a sub-shape. Visio has a Callouts stencil with several examples
you can get ideas from.

--
Mark Nelson
Office Graphics - Visio
Microsoft Corporation

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