Resize an org chart

[Paul]

I created an org chart and would like to do resize the whole thing.
Unfortunately, I can't group org chart shapes. If I just resize the
box encompassing all the org chart shapes and connections, the boxes
that make up the org chart don't resize, and the interconnect changes
paths and the boxes stay the same size (though they are space further
apart).

1. Is there a way to resize an org chart?

2. If I have to resize without grouping, is there a simple way to
apply a resize to the shapes after? (I will still have tug around all
the interconnect).

Thanks.

 

[WapperDude]

Shouldn't have to group the shapes. Just do cntl-A to select everything,
then drag the control handles, preferrably a corner handle to preserve shape
aspect ratios, and all the shapes will expand with the mouse movement. But,
this will not affect any newly placed shapes, they will come in at the
original sizes.

There are two alternatives: 1.) if it's a viewing thing, and you don't
want to zoom in, then go to page setup and create a non-standard page size.
This won't create issues for newly placed shapes. 2.) if it's a hard copy
thing, again, go to page setup, change the printer sheet size, and select Fit
to ..., and 3.) a combination of (1) and (2).

HTH
Wapperdude

 

[Paul]

The boxes don't resize automatically...I'm customized their sizes and
aspect ratios. However, I'd still like to resize the org chart if
possible. I'm combining other shapes from another diagram, and the
size of the org chart is too small in relation to these other
adornments.

 

[WapperDude]

Hmmm. Guess I'm confused. Let's see if I have this right...You have an
existing Org Chart, you've customized and protected the shape sizes, you want
to add some embellishments, which are too large, and want to make the org
chart size match up with these additions? In your 1st post, it sounds like
everything is working as it ought. You select everything, stretch the group
selection, and everything moves apart while all shapes maintain their desired
size. Is the issue that some of the connectors re-route?

Depending how you've added the connectors, and what routing options are
selected, this might be an understandable behavior. I think the org chart
functionality always tries to do some optimal routing. Anytime there's a
transition between vertical/horizontal path runs, Visio has to decide where
to put the corner. As the size of the Org Chart changes, the location of the
path corners are going to change. Plus, if you plunk down a shape into the
middle of your org chart, won't that require re-routing? I suppose if you
try to shrink the additions they become all weird and that's not an
acceptable approach. Well, don't know if I've interpreted your problem
correctly, so let me know.

Wapperdude

 

[Paul]

I didn’t really protect the shapes, at least not knowingly. For my
org chart (say, org chart “A”), I simply dragged “Position” boxes from
the stencil panel to create an org chart, then resized each box as
appropriate for the amount text content within. I also turned off the
display of certain the name field (OrganizationChart->Options-

Fields).

I then copied shapes and text from another visio 2003 org chart file
and plunked them onto some empty space in org chart A. This material
is not part of the org chart, it just adds elaborative information (in
pictorial form). This may or may not have anything to do with the
problem, I’m not sure what affects what under the hood.

When I select the org chart portion of org chart A and try to resize
it, the boxes don’t resize commensurately (they actually don’t resize
at all). This is the main problem. The fact that the interconnect
routing doesn’t simply scale up is a secondary problem. The routing
does change a bit.

I tried to test whether the problem was due to the presence of the
transplanted elaborative info which is not part of the org chart. I
copied the org chart portion into a fresh org chart file. But when I
paste it, all the boxes lose their size info and take on default size
(and the name field also gets displayed). The routing is all
different of course.

Just right now, I tried another way to see if the transplanted
elaborative info is causing the problem by removing it all. Resizing
the org chart then causes the boxes to resize too, which is the
desired effect, though I will have to polish the slightly changed
routing. Let us refer to this good but imperfect solution as the org
chart resizing “well” rather than 100% properly.

Despite the above, I cannot conclude that the transplanted elaborative
info is the source of the problem because I also discovered that the
org chart resizes well (today) even without removing the transplanted
info. I am using a different machine than the one I used on the day
of the original post. In both cases, I’m using Visio 2003 on Windows
2000, so I’m not sure what other differences could possibly explain
the better behaviour today.

 

[John... Visio MVP]

I doubt the extraneous material is a factor.
The Org Chart menu should have options for resizing the box and also
changing the spacing. If you have customized the shapes, then the spacing
may be an option.

John... Visio MVP

 

[Paul]

I doubt the extraneous material is a factor.
The Org Chart menu should have options for resizing the box and also
changing the spacing. If you have customized the shapes, then the spacing
may be an option.

Hmmm, possibly. However, today, I confirmed that the boxes resize
commensurately with the org charg on both machines. That is odd. As
I said, the routing needs fixing. OrganizationChart->ChangeSpacing
has interesting widgets under Custom->Values. Haven't been able to
find detailed description of "Justification offset" field on usenet,
google, or the online help. Is there any?

I also find it interesting that no only is the interconnect pathways
different, in some cases, the connection handle on the shape to which
it attaches also changes.