Template ICONS

[wavlet]

In the choose drawing type window, templates are displayed with a graphic picture ICON. I've created my own template, but I don't see how to create the graphic for the icon. Currently a VISIO default graphic is displayed.

 

[Chris Roth [ Visio MVP ]]

Right-click the icon and dig around for Edit Icon Image or Edit Master Icon
in the menu. The item is buried in a cascading menu in Visio 2003.

Or, just hold Ctrl and double-click on the icon.

You'll also want to change a property of the master - right-click and choose
Master Properties. (Shift+Double-click works too!)

UNCHECK Generate icon automatically from shape date. If you don't do this,
you will lose your custom icon if you make changes to the shape.

The icon editor is fairly poor but it works. (It was originally coded by the
CEO of Visio, back when they were working in a garage somewhere in Fremont,
a neighborhood of Seattle) But I believe in the later versions, you can copy
and paste from "real" icon editors...

--

Hope this helps,

Chris Roth
Visio MVP

In the choose drawing type window, templates are displayed with a graphic

picture ICON. I've created my own template, but I don't see how to create
the graphic for the icon. Currently a VISIO default graphic is displayed.

 

[Bob]

Thanks Chris - I gave you a bad piece of information. I'm using Visio 2002 and I suspect thats why your recommendations don't work. Just to make sure there is no confusion, I'm not asking how to make an icon for an object within a template, but I'm asking how to make an icon for the entire template, i.e. the template preview.

Thanks Again

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

Right-click the icon and dig around for Edit Icon Image or Edit Master Icon
in the menu. The item is buried in a cascading menu in Visio 2003.

The icon editor is fairly poor but it works. (It was originally coded by the
CEO of Visio, back when they were working in a garage somewhere in Fremont,
a neighborhood of Seattle) ...

Ah, trivia for the history page. John...

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

Your question is the sixth question on
http://www.microsoft.com/office/previous/xp/columns/column12.asp

John... Visio MVP

Need stencils or ideas? http://www.mvps.org/visio/3rdparty.htm
Need VBA examples? http://www.mvps.org/visio/VBA.htm
Common Visio Questions http://www.mvps.org/visio/common_questions.htm

Thanks Chris - I gave you a bad piece of information. I'm using Visio

2002 and I suspect thats why your recommendations don't work. Just to make
sure there is no confusion, I'm not asking how to make an icon for an object
within a template, but I'm asking how to make an icon for the entire
template, i.e. the template preview.

 

[Bob]

Thanks John,
Followed directions, now I see the preview, but how do I get it to open up as a blank page when I start a new drawing? Currently my template icon now becomes the default diagram.

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

Reread the article, the method is subtle. The key to getting it to work is
to lock the preview and then delete the content of the page. Once the
preview is locked, deleting the content will not affect the preview.

John... Visio MVP

Need stencils or ideas? http://www.mvps.org/visio/3rdparty.htm
Need VBA examples? http://www.mvps.org/visio/VBA.htm
Common Visio Questions http://www.mvps.org/visio/common_questions.htm

Thanks John,
Followed directions, now I see the preview, but how do I get it to open up

as a blank page when I start a new drawing? Currently my template icon now
becomes the default diagram.

 

[Bob]

John,

The delete content step was not included in the original instructions, which is shown below. I followed your advice and now it works! Thanks for all the help.

Regards,
Bob

Q. How can I save a template so that I can preview it like the ones in the Choose Drawing Type window?

A.
1) On your template, create a first page that you would like to use as a preview.
Save this template.
2) Save your template into the program folders where the other Visio templates are saved.
3) When you save your template, a Properties dialog box will appear. Click the Summary tab. In the Preview field, click First page.
4) Open the template as original.
5) Open the Drawing Explorer window. On the View menu, click Drawing Explorer Window.
6) At the top of this window you will see the name of your drawing. Right-click on the name of the drawing and click Show ShapeSheet.
7) In the Document Properties box, there is a cell marked LockPreview. The default for that cell is False or 0. Change it to True.
8) Resave the template.

 

[Bob]

Thanks John!

Reread the article, the method is subtle. The key to getting it to work is
to lock the preview and then delete the content of the page. Once the
preview is locked, deleting the content will not affect the preview.

John... Visio MVP

Need stencils or ideas? http://www.mvps.org/visio/3rdparty.htm
Need VBA examples? http://www.mvps.org/visio/VBA.htm
Common Visio Questions http://www.mvps.org/visio/common_questions.htm

as a blank page when I start a new drawing? Currently my template icon now
becomes the default diagram.

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

Looks like someone decided to shorten the instructions. I'll have to get
them to restore the original. As I said the instructions are subtle and they
probably did not realise the significance of the last step.

John... Visio MVP

Need stencils or ideas? http://www.mvps.org/visio/3rdparty.htm
Need VBA examples? http://www.mvps.org/visio/VBA.htm
Common Visio Questions http://www.mvps.org/visio/common_questions.htm

John,

The delete content step was not included in the original instructions,

which is shown below. I followed your advice and now it works! Thanks for
all the help.

Regards,
Bob

Q. How can I save a template so that I can preview it like the ones in

the Choose Drawing Type window?

A.
1) On your template, create a first page that you would like to use as a preview.
Save this template.
2) Save your template into the program folders where the other Visio templates are saved.
3) When you save your template, a Properties dialog box will appear. Click

the Summary tab. In the Preview field, click First page.

4) Open the template as original.
5) Open the Drawing Explorer window. On the View menu, click Drawing Explorer Window.
6) At the top of this window you will see the name of your drawing.

Right-click on the name of the drawing and click Show ShapeSheet.

7) In the Document Properties box, there is a cell marked LockPreview. The

default for that cell is False or 0. Change it to True.