WF-like behaviour in Visio

[Paul M]

I have seen the workflow designer in Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) and
really like the way I can drop shapes onto a drawing and have the connections
adjusted for me. Can I do something similar with Visio automation?? For
example, suppose my drawing has Shape A connected to Shape B and I drop Shape
C "onto" the connection between them. Can I have the drawing automatically
connect A to C and C to B (while deleting the connection from A to B)?

 

[Paul Herber]

I have seen the workflow designer in Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) and
really like the way I can drop shapes onto a drawing and have the connections
adjusted for me. Can I do something similar with Visio automation?? For
example, suppose my drawing has Shape A connected to Shape B and I drop Shape
C "onto" the connection between them. Can I have the drawing automatically
connect A to C and C to B (while deleting the connection from A to B)?

Depends upon the diagram type, but, in general, yes.
Certainly works for flowchart diagrams and workflow diagrams.

 

[Al Edlund]

remembering of course that AutoConnect was added in v2007.
al
ps paul, have a great new year, are you coming to the MVP show in April?

 

[Paul Herber]

Maybe Al, but I think what the OP wants is in from Visio 2003.
Is the AutoConnect something else?
David told me about the show the other day. First I'd heard about it.
Do I qualify anyway? I don't think so.

 

[Al Edlund]

The autoconnect (afaik) was added in v2007. Since PaulM didn't mention what
version he had, but was working at the WCF level, I made the jump (wrong?)
that he is current on office as well.
I mis-spoke about the MVP thing. Sorry.
al

 

[Paul M]

I appreciate the responses,but the feature in WF I am talking about goes far
beyond Visio's Autoconnect feature which I am using in Visio 2007.

I wrote:

suppose my drawing has Shape A connected to Shape B and I drop Shape
C "onto" the connection between them. Can I have the drawing automatically
connect A to C and C to B (while deleting the connection from A to B)?

Unless I am missing something, AutoConnect does not do that. I wonder if the
first replyer has an idea how to do this? He seemed to think so. I guess the
critical issue is detecting when a new shape has been dropped onto a
connection (without iteratively using my own hit test code)

-Paul M



Thanks,

--
Paul MacMillan

The autoconnect (afaik) was added in v2007. Since PaulM didn't mention what
version he had, but was working at the WCF level, I made the jump (wrong?)
that he is current on office as well.
I mis-spoke about the MVP thing. Sorry.
al

 

[Paul Herber]

I appreciate the responses,but the feature in WF I am talking about goes far
beyond Visio's Autoconnect feature which I am using in Visio 2007.

I wrote:

suppose my drawing has Shape A connected to Shape B and I drop Shape
C "onto" the connection between them. Can I have the drawing automatically
connect A to C and C to B (while deleting the connection from A to B)?

Unless I am missing something, AutoConnect does not do that. I wonder if the
first replyer has an idea how to do this? He seemed to think so. I guess the
critical issue is detecting when a new shape has been dropped onto a
connection (without iteratively using my own hit test code)

In Visio 2003 I can start a Flowchart diagram, drop two Process
shapes, join them with a Dynamic Connector, then drop another shape
over the connector, each of the connection points on the new shape
will now appear as scissor shapes, dropping the new shape splits the
connector breaking the connection between the Process shapes and
joining both to the new shape.
I think that's the behaviour you want.

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

As Paul H. mentioned, the drop and insert was what you are talking about.
AutoConnect was added in Visio 2007 and allows you to quickly create
diagrams by using the blue arrow to position and connect new shapes.

John... Visio MVP

Need stencils or ideas? http://visio.mvps.org/3rdparty.htm
Need VBA examples? http://visio.mvps.org/VBA.htm
Visio Wishlist http://visio.mvps.org/wish_list.htm

I appreciate the responses,but the feature in WF I am talking about goes
far
beyond Visio's Autoconnect feature which I am using in Visio 2007.

I wrote:

suppose my drawing has Shape A connected to Shape B and I drop Shape
C "onto" the connection between them. Can I have the drawing automatically
connect A to C and C to B (while deleting the connection from A to B)?

Unless I am missing something, AutoConnect does not do that. I wonder if
the
first replyer has an idea how to do this? He seemed to think so. I guess
the
critical issue is detecting when a new shape has been dropped onto a
connection (without iteratively using my own hit test code)

-Paul M



Thanks,

 

[Chris Roth [MVP]]

Hi Guys,

I think the feature we're looking for is called "Connector Splitting". I
believe it was added in Visio 2003. It is on by default in the flowchart
templates, but not always.

If your drawing doesn't support it, then check these settings.

1. Select connector
2. Format > Behavior
3. Check: Connector Splitting > Connect can be split by shapes

For shapes, do the same thing, but check the other check box for: Connector
Splitting > Shape can split connectors


--
Hope this helps,

Chris Roth
Visio MVP

Free Visio shapes:
http://www.visguy.com/category/shapes
Visio programming info:
http://www.visguy.com/category/programming/
Other Visio resources:
http://www.visguy.com/visio-links/

 

[Paul M]

Thanks! This is exactly what I needed.
-Paul M