when update master shape, instances on page not updated

[Jen]

I'm making a diagram with many shapes on it, all with the same fill, text
style, line, and connector locations. I need the flexibility to be able to
update them all at once if, for example, I change the fill color or add a
couple of connection points. I'm using Visio Pro 2003 SP2.

I thought the solution was to make a new master shape, but I can't make the
shapes already on the page update to match the master when I change the
master. Here's what I did so far:

I carefully followed the help directions to create a new master shape and to
save the stencil I had it on. I then dragged it on to the page to make
several instances of that shape in a drawing. Then I edited the master shape
and re-saved the stencil. The help claims that doing so will automatically
update any instances of that shape on the page. It did not.

So I read a little further and found that you can also supposedly
right-click on the instance of the shape on the page and use Format > Style
and set the Text, Line, and Fill styles back to "use master's format." So I
did that. That didn't work, either.

Any suggestions?

Jen

 

[Paul Herber]

I'm making a diagram with many shapes on it, all with the same fill, text
style, line, and connector locations. I need the flexibility to be able to
update them all at once if, for example, I change the fill color or add a
couple of connection points. I'm using Visio Pro 2003 SP2.

Changing the master won't affect the shapes already added to your
diagrams.
You need to edit the shape(s) in the document stencil.
menu File --> Shapes

However, not all changes made to the shapes in the document stencil
will be duplicated in the shapes in the diagram.

 

[Jen]

Aha! That was the missing piece of information. The Visio Help file seems to
say that you can edit the master shape on the stencil you are using when you
create the diagram. I didn't realize I had to do it on the DOCUMENT's
stencil. (And in fact the Help file clearly does not provide that vital piece
of information.)

Thank you! That did the trick.