Link to data source with pictures

[Durby]

I have included headshots in my org chart for our emergency management team.
My boss wants an additional file created that is interactive. I figure I can
use the manual link feature using the external data window, so he can change
the boxes with a simple drag and drop as the need arises. As the information
changes, though, the picture of the original member remains (I simply used
the Insert>Picture function for each shape). I tried linking the chart to an
Access database that had pictures attached to the records, but Visio won't
import that column. Can I attach a picture to the external data sheet somehow
that Visio will update as the linked data changes in each shape? Is Visio the
right program for this? Where can I learn more?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Aaron Rykhus [MSFT]]

What ever external data row(s) you drop onto shapes will populate to the
Shape Data of that shape. Shape Data in Visio does not support BLOBs or OLE
objects(pictures) to my knowledge, which are the same thing as OLE Objects.
Even if you could get the OLE Object column to show in the External Data
Window it wouldn't do you any good if it was dropped onto the shape,
Visio's Shape Data wouldn't have a 'data type' that would support it.

You would need to insert a picture into Visio manually if you wanted to do
it yourself. I would suggest not to group with the organization chart
shapes as that will cause problems with the automation on the shapes. The
only other option I can think of in Visio is to find out if there is an
add-on out there that someone has created to work with Organization Charts
in Visio. I personally have never heard of one.

To learn more about Visio the online help is your best bet (F1). There is
also the Visio home page which has links to online tutorials on the
training section.


Best Regards,

Aaron Rykhus, MCP, MCDST
Online Support Engineer
Microsoft Corporation