Importing Layers for Shapes?

[Barry]

I have a diagram with hundreds of connectors between
shapes. I have successfully linked the Visio diagram with
an Access database where I hold the details of the
information flows represented by the connectors (in fact I
import the text for the connectors directly from the
database -- very cool!). I am creating many layers on
which I will put many connectors, in order to illustrate
which ones are active for given business processes (the
layers will map to business processes). Most connectors
are related to multiple processes and therefore will be
mapped to multiple layers.

I know how to do this manually, but given that all the flow
(connector)-to-business process mappings are contained in
my database, I am wondering if there is some way to import
the layer information for each connector? I can't find
anything that mentions this (other than for CAD
importing), and since Visio must maintain this information
in some sort of database I am hoping that someone out
there knows how to do this.

Barry

 

[Al Edlund]

Barry,
Connections are stored as a list for each page, within in the page object
(just like layers). There is no common database within a document for all
possible connections. What this means is that an 'import' of connections
will have to be done programmatically. The challange is to identify which
shape on which page requires which connections. In my case when I create a
page, I give it a uniqueid that I store with the object in the database so I
can find it later (while also creating the layers necessary to display
data). The reason for saving a uniqueid is that sometimes the user changes a
page name and if I rely on that the application will fail.
Al

 

[Barry]

Al,

Thanks. Each of my SHAPES has a unique numerical id in
the database, and I am the only one who will ever edit the
page. When you say "programatically," do you mean via
VBA, or something else? It sounds like you may have done
something like this before -- do you have a code snippet
or anything that might point me in the right direction?

Barry

P.S. I've included my e-mail address on this post in case
you'd prefer to contact me offline.

 

[Al Edlund]

Barry,
Yup, I mean VB(A) or something like it. Well the challange is that it
probably will take more than a snippet.

assume each object has connection points.

for each page
check the layers to ensure the layers are appropriate
create layers if needed
identify which objects need to be connected on the page
query database for list of valid connections for each object
draw the connections (careful not to draw an inverse, i.e. a=>b is
equivalent to b=>a)
next page

al