Setting x and y

[Stanley]

Hi,

This is a simple thing to show, but let's see if I can explain it.

This pertains to Visio 2003 Professional, but perhaps other versions as
well.

When you position an object, let's say just a simple rectangle,
sometimes you need to do it by the left side, sometimes by the right
side, sometimes by the top, and sometimes by the bottom.

Now I know how to change the pin position, but then the object itself
moves. All I want to do is put in the x and the y location in the
Size/Position Window, but as I say counting x either from the left or
the right or counting y either from the top or the bottom.

In Illustrator (no misunderstanding, a piece of software that I dislike
intensely -- don't get me started), but in Illustrator, there is a
9-point proxy box, so it is easy to show the point of reference. There
must be something similar in the wonderful Visio program, but I can't
find it.

Could somebody please help.

Thank you.

Stanley

 

[Paul Herber]

Hi,

This is a simple thing to show, but let's see if I can explain it.

This pertains to Visio 2003 Professional, but perhaps other versions as
well.

When you position an object, let's say just a simple rectangle,
sometimes you need to do it by the left side, sometimes by the right
side, sometimes by the top, and sometimes by the bottom.

Now I know how to change the pin position, but then the object itself
moves. All I want to do is put in the x and the y location in the
Size/Position Window, but as I say counting x either from the left or
the right or counting y either from the top or the bottom.

In Illustrator (no misunderstanding, a piece of software that I dislike
intensely -- don't get me started), but in Illustrator, there is a
9-point proxy box, so it is easy to show the point of reference. There
must be something similar in the wonderful Visio program, but I can't
find it.

Hi Stanley,
Perhaps if you look at the shape's shapesheet, the PinX and PinY can
take formulae that themselves take into account the shape's LocPinX
and LocPinY. Other than that I'm not sure what you are trying to
achieve.
The PinX and PinY determine the shape's X and Y coordinates and the
LocPinX and LocPinY determine where the shape sits relative to the X
and X coordinates.

 

[Stanley]

Hi Paul,

Thank you for your reply.

I don't think that I expressed my question well.

In a nutshell, I want to be able to determine quickly and easily the
coordinates of the top, bottom, left, and right sides of a shape.

Let's say that I want to see the top and the bottom coordinates of a
rectangle. So I set the pin to the top-left, the top-center, or the
top-right, I place my rectangle, and I look at the Size/Position box.
Then I find that the top of the rectangle (the y-coordinate) is at 210
mm (just to make up a number). But how do I quickly find what the
bottom y-coordinate is?

One way is to look at the height of the box. Assume that the height
were 30 mm, for example. Then I would have to subtract 30 from 210 to
come up with 180 mm. Not too bad with nice, round integers, but quite a
hassle if the numbers are not integers.

Another way would be to slide a horizontal guide line to the bottom of
the rectangle and examine its y-value. But this is an extra step.

Now in Illustrator, there is the 9-point proxy box. Thus, it is easy to
click on any one of the nine points and find the x,y coordinate at one
of those nine points. But Visio doesn't seem to have this option.

So, please, what is the solution?

Thank you.

Stanley

 

[Paul Herber]

Hi Paul,

Thank you for your reply.

I don't think that I expressed my question well.

In a nutshell, I want to be able to determine quickly and easily the
coordinates of the top, bottom, left, and right sides of a shape.

Let's say that I want to see the top and the bottom coordinates of a
rectangle. So I set the pin to the top-left, the top-center, or the
top-right, I place my rectangle, and I look at the Size/Position box.
Then I find that the top of the rectangle (the y-coordinate) is at 210
mm (just to make up a number). But how do I quickly find what the
bottom y-coordinate is?

One way is to look at the height of the box. Assume that the height
were 30 mm, for example. Then I would have to subtract 30 from 210 to
come up with 180 mm. Not too bad with nice, round integers, but quite a
hassle if the numbers are not integers.

Another way would be to slide a horizontal guide line to the bottom of
the rectangle and examine its y-value. But this is an extra step.

Now in Illustrator, there is the 9-point proxy box. Thus, it is easy to
click on any one of the nine points and find the x,y coordinate at one
of those nine points. But Visio doesn't seem to have this option.

So, please, what is the solution?

the top edge = PinY + Height - LocPinY
the bottom edge = PinY - LocPinY
in every case I think

You can create user-defined cells (in the shapesheet) and enter these
formulae, then in the shape's text you can add a field and include
these cells and always display the coords as you move the shape.

If you have Live Dynamics enabled then the numbers will update as you
resize the shape with the mouse.

 

[Stanley]

Hi Paul,

Thank you very much for your answer.

The technique that you explained was interesting, and it made me do
things in the shapesheet and using fields with which I certainly need
the practice.

Unfortunately, however, this doesn't accomplish what I want -- and
apparently Visio doesn't provide that particular functionality.

I really don't want to have to manipulate every shape that I drag onto
my drawing with all these formulas and fields. (I appreciate learning
about them, though.) I want a method to quickly see the coordinates of
all four sides of a shape.

I love Visio -- by far the best and most intuitive drawing program of
which I am aware. In my opinion, however, the developers should
incorporate the equivalent of a 9-point proxy box in the next version of
Visio, or even introduce an add-in for current versions. I respectfully
make that suggestion so as to render the excellent Visio program even
better than it already is.

Thank you again for your help.

Stanley

 

[Philippe C.]

In the "Size and Position" window there is a listbox "Pin Post". If you
change it to "Bottom-Left", doesn't that help a bit ?

 

[Stanley]

Hi Philippe,

Thank you so much for your reply.

Ah, there's the issue. When I change it to "Bottom-Left," it moves the
shape! So yes, I see the new coordinate, but now the entire shape has
moved.

I need to click on the "Bottom-Left" -- or any of the other positions --
and see the coordinates, but without the shape's moving.

Stanley

 

[David Parker]

You probably understand that Visio shapes have a local Pin X/Y system
(LocPinX / LocPinY) that is very flexible, so the Pin Pos can be literally
anywhere, and is certainly not constrained by the Top Left to Bottom Right
combo box tha is displayed in the Size & Position Window?
But you may not be aware that you can enter formulae into the Size &
Position window. Thus you could append " - 35 in / 2) at the end of the
current X position value, if your shape is 35 in wide and you wanted to move
it half its width to the left.

In the ShapeSheet, you can enter even more complex formulae, and in code,
you can get the Left, Bottom, Rigt and Top of the shape Bounding Box with
the BoundingBox method. However, for more complex shapes, the shape
designer can have shape elements, such as geometry, outsode the bounding
box.

It is the complexity of Viso that makes it so flexible, yet can be so
bewildering to users!

 

[Stanley]

Hi David,

Thank you for your response.

I do realize that the pin position can easily be at any one of nine
positions (that is good), but I don't want the shape to move when I
change the pin position (the fact that the shape moves is what I am
trying to avoid).

Also, I don't want to start having to enter formulas just to find out
coordinates. Granted, I wish that I had the expertise that you and
several other contributors have to this great newsgroup, so it is easier
for you people to enter formulas. But still, I just want to click on
any one of the nine positions, and immediately see the coordinates (and
as I say, without the shape's moving).

As I am beginning to realize -- unfortunately, I believe that I am
correct in this -- Visio does not have this particular capability. I
wish that it did. Then I would like Visio even more than I already do.

Stanley

 

[David Parker]

Just wondering if you have played with guide lines, guide points and Shape /
Align Shapes.. ?

 

[Stanley]

Hi David,

Thank you, thank you!

The guide points. I had not realized that they were there, or if I had
seen them, I had not paid attention. In response to your message I have
now learned that guides points can be retrieved at any time from the
intersection of two rulers.

That solves my problem.

Incidentally, until now, the guide lines had been my lifesaver. I used
them all the time in place of my desired 9-point proxy box. I would
snap a guide line to one of the sides of the shape, and then I read the
x- or y-coordinate of the guide line. It was a bit cumbersome, but it
was much better than nothing.

So actually, with the guide points, I have everything that I need.

I am sure that there will still be times when I will use the guide
lines, and I continue to have them.

I must say, this Visio program is better and better the more I learn
about it.

Once again, David, thank you so much.

Stanley

 

[Stanley]

Also, thanks to Paul and Philippe for their contributions to my issue.

Stanley

 

[Paul Herber]

Also, thanks to Paul and Philippe for their contributions to my issue.