Org Chart custom properties

[Darin]

I have created a new Master (call it ORG1) with several custom properties and saved it to a new stencil for use in organization chart drawings. When I open a new org chart and place a Position box, the shapesheet shows the default custom properties. I then place ORG1 onto the drawing. After that, all Position boxes that are placed show the custom property fields from ORG1. Is there some sort of "switch" that tells Visio to propagate these custom property fields to all shapes? I want to create different Masters with different custom properties and I can't seem to get around this issue. Thanks in advance for the help

Darin

 

[Al Edlund]

It sounds as if the shapes in ORG and ORG1 have the same name/guid. When you
drop a shape on the page it is copied to the document stencil first and from
there it goes onto the page. If the shapes have the same identifiers then
the new one (org1) will overwrite the existing one, and change the
parameters of any that already exist in the drawing.
Al

I have created a new Master (call it ORG1) with several custom properties

and saved it to a new stencil for use in organization chart drawings. When
I open a new org chart and place a Position box, the shapesheet shows the
default custom properties. I then place ORG1 onto the drawing. After that,
all Position boxes that are placed show the custom property fields from
ORG1. Is there some sort of "switch" that tells Visio to propagate these
custom property fields to all shapes? I want to create different Masters
with different custom properties and I can't seem to get around this issue.
Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Darin]

Al

Thanks for the quick reply. In my specific example, I placed the "Position" box from the Org Chart Shape stencil and then placed a shape from my ORG1 master based from my OrgChart1 stencil. So, I don't think they have the same name/guid

Maybe I should ask a basic question. Can you have two different Master shapes on a stencil - call them ORG1 and ORG2 - that possess different custom properties such that when you drop them on the same drawing you end up with instances that have different custom properties? It seems like Visio wants to only have one set of custom properties that applies to all shapes on the drawing. Maybe you can point me to an online resource that might explain this issue. Thanks again

Darin

 

[Al Edlund]

No, Visio doesn't care which custom properties are assigned to which shapes.
I routinely put different property groups against different objects (i.e.
workstations have different needs from network hardware).
On line a good reference is the DVS book
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/devref/HTML/DVS_Copyright_1270.asp?frame=true
Al

Al,

Thanks for the quick reply. In my specific example, I placed the

"Position" box from the Org Chart Shape stencil and then placed a shape from
my ORG1 master based from my OrgChart1 stencil. So, I don't think they have
the same name/guid.

Maybe I should ask a basic question. Can you have two different Master

shapes on a stencil - call them ORG1 and ORG2 - that possess different
custom properties such that when you drop them on the same drawing you end
up with instances that have different custom properties? It seems like
Visio wants to only have one set of custom properties that applies to all
shapes on the drawing. Maybe you can point me to an online resource that
might explain this issue. Thanks again.