Selecting only from certain layers

[Paul]

I've got a mess of shapes and interconnects and would like to use my
mouse to select only interconnects. Is there a way to turn off
selectability of shapes (or vice-versa, turn off selectability of
interconnects)?

I know that I can select by type, but I really want to use the mouse
to select a subset of a certain type.

 

[WapperDude]

I think your only option is to use layers and create a special interconnect
layer. Edit the connector shape on the Document Stencil and assign it to the
new layer. Save and let it update all of your interconnects. Then you use
the select by layer option.

Wapperdude

 

[Paul]

Wouldn't that select all the items of a layers? I'm trying to select
only certain interconnects, but things are so crowded that turning off
selectability of shapes having more than 1D would make it tractable.

 

[WapperDude]

Are you saying you only want some of the interconnects and not all of them?
That's a different issue. The approach I outlined would apply to all
interconnects, but only interconnects -- a new layer was created just for
them.

 

[Paul]

Yes, I only want to select some of the interconnects. In other cases,
I would like to select some 2D shapes without the risk of selecting
any interconnects (the flipside).

 

[WapperDude]

Well, what you could do is to create one or more new layers. For fun, call
the layer HidenShapes, and make its properties non-visible. Whenever you
want to hide a part, select it, assign it to this layer only, and that will
hide the part. If you want to get fancier, you can make more layers to allow
you to toggle groups of parts, i.e., those assigned to a specific layer -- I
forgot what the maximum number is. Then, turn the visibility on / off.

There are more elaborate schemes, such as using the shapesheet, action
settings to create a hide / show menu entry which would toggle shapesheet
properties. But, at a minimum, you'll have to edit the Document Stencil
masters, and this will be limited to the current document only. You could
create a custom stencil which has these modified parts for use on future
projects.

Or, you could create a new sheet, and just delete the stuff you want to
hide, and then toggle between sheets.

Sorry, I'm rambling...

Wapperdude

 

[Paul]

Perhaps I am not understanding your idea. When such layers are
defined, one still has to select the items of interest to them to the
layer of interest. The selection process is the part that I’m trying
to streamline. Does it actually get around the problem?

 

[WapperDude]

Somehow, you have to setup criteria to use for the basis of your selection.
Visio isn't configured to do that.

You have to do some preliminary work. I don't know of an easy way to
implement the selection process. Somehow, the selection criteria must be
defined, e.g., shape type, shape name, shape ID, layer membership, whatever.
Then, this criteria must become assessible, and finally, given the option to
be visible or not. The last part is the easiest. Setting up the criteria
and making it assessible is the hard part.

So, the short answer, no easy button.

Wapperdude

 

[Paul]

Pity. When the fabled day comes that I ramp up on VB for Visio, I
shall have to look more deeply at it. From having used tools in other
application domains, I know that it can be made easier. Thanks.