Multi-tempate Visio File

[Armstrong Wong]

Each Visio file can contain many pages. Can each page be set to a different
drawing type? For example, page one is a flowchart and page two is a network
diagram. Is it possible? Thanks in advance.

Armstrong
Hong Kong

 

[Al Edlund]

visio documents are generally amorphic (i.e. content unaware) the smarts
come from custom applications. So yes, you can have different drawing types
on different pages.
Al

 

[Armstrong Wong]

Hi Al,

Thanks a lot for your quick reply. But how can I do it? When opening a new
file, I chose Network category. In the same file, in the second page I would
like to create a flowchart. However, the template remains to be of Network
type. Would you be very kind enough to teach me how to switch different
drawing categories for different pages? Thanks a lot.

Armstrong
Hong Kong

 

[Mark Nelson [MS]]

Technically, a file can only be derived from one template, but many drawing
types can be combined together using cut and paste. The main issue is that
you can paste shapes but not pages or page settings. Therefore, you may
have to look at the page settings in a separate flowchart document and then
set up one of the pages in your network document to be the same.

 

[Armstrong Wong]

Hi Mark,

I'm somewhat astonished by the limitation of one template per file. Such
limitation isn't practical. On the one hand, it's handy to allow multiple
pages per file. On the other hand, the line style is always pre-determined
by the drawing category chosen when creating a new drawing. For example,
when creating a new file with Network type, all connecting lines in
flowchart in subsequent pages are arrow-less. Of course, different drawing
types in different pages are possible in Visio 2003 but very tedious.

Thanks a lot for your clarification.

Armstrong
Hong Kong

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

Hi Mark,

I'm somewhat astonished by the limitation of one template per file. Such
limitation isn't practical. On the one hand, it's handy to allow multiple

If you take a look at Word, you can only have one template per document
rather than using a different template for each page.

I'm sure Mark has added your suggestion to the wishlist for the next (or
next next) version. Along with a method of easily copying Visio pages.

John... Visio MVP

 

[Lori Pearce \(MSFT\)]

The limitation stems from having only one set of add-ons running at one time
(or you would get mass confusion of code). If your drawings are just drag
and drop shapes, then you can have as many different drawings in one file as
you have RAM for. But as soon as you open something like org chart (which
has a smart add-on running to help with the diagram), then you can't also do
something like UML (which also has a smart add-on running in the
background). Which add-on would win? Which add-on would take the events
generated?

You can always open as many stencils as you'd like and drag and drop to any
page you'd like.

 

[Armstrong Wong]

Hi Lori,

Now I realize the intrinsic design limitation imposed by smart add-ons. So
far I've been dealing with flowchart, timeline, and network drawings. Like
what you mentioned, I drag and drop shapes from stencils of different
categories. In fact, alternatively, I could use hypertext to link up Visio
files created from different templates.

I appreciate your explanation. Thanks a lot.

Armstrong
Hong Kong