REPOST: Embedding Visio into a Website

[ChrisBat]

(I apologise for reposting this, but I'm starting to get
heat from my boss about getting this done, and I'm still
stuck - anyone have suggestions??? Thanks a
million...Chris)


Hi,

Okay, I'll try and keep this simple.
I'm using Front Page 2000, Office 2000, and Visio 2002 on
two seperate machines - one running Windows 2000 and the
other running Windows NT 4.0.
I need to build a website that will allow users on the
Intranet to fill in information on a spreadsheet (easy)
that will then generate a unique serial number that is
carried into/referencing the bottom half of the webpage,
which has an instance of Visio 2002 embedded into it.
Users will then draw a diagram of work required using pre-
determined shapes, and submit the diagram to something on
the server (I'm not sure how this would work - the Excel
data will be carried into an Access database, but I'm not
sure where the Visio diagram would flow to).
Any ideas if this is possible?
I can post my email if further clarification is required.
Thanks,
Chris
..

 

[Al Edlund]

Chris,
Visio in a web environment is typically a display function, not a draw
function. If you want to have the draw, you (once again) typically either
use a thin-client or custom application (with embedded OCX) to do it.
al

 

[Chris Roth [ Visio MVP ]]

Embedding Visio 2002 into a web page has some problems, but it can be done.
Something about lots of security warnings, and it not being officially
sanctioned by MS - I can't remember the details 100%, plus it's 11:30 pm : )

Visio 2003 has an actual control that can be integrated into user forms and
web pages, not sure if the upgrade is an option for you.

An idea that popped into my head is that you could use the Excel data +
Automation to generate some sort of Visio "pre-drawing" or initialized
template on a server that user would complete by clicking on a link. The
Visio drawing could open in-place in the browser (with stencils!) to avoid
too much application switching.

I imagine there is a certain amount of data that comes from the spreadsheet
that should be automatically written/interpreted in the Visio drawing. You
can get even trickier by taking advantage of Visio's xml format (vsx) to
create pre-setup Visio drawings by simple writing xml that comes from the
spreadsheet info.

Dunno if I answered all of your questions, but hopefully you've got some
more ideas.

--

Hope this helps,

Chris Roth
Visio MVP

 

[ChrisBat]

Thank you very, very much. I'm going to be trying both of
these ideas (including upgrading to 2003).
Take care,
Chris

 

[Jeff Bennett]

Chris,

A big problem you are going to have with using Visio on
a web site is that every one of your web site visitors
will need to have a licensed copy of Visio installed.

If you would be interested in considering an alternative
drawing tool for the web page drop me a note and I'll
tell you about our MetaDraw control as an alternative.

Jeff Bennett
(e-mail address removed)

* Bennet-Tec Information Systems, Inc
* 50 Jericho Tpk, Jericho, NY 11753
* Phone 516 997 5596, Fax - 5597
* RELIABLE Components Make You Look Sharp!
* TList/Pro * ALLText HT/Pro * MetaDraw *
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* WWW.Bennet-Tec.Com

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