tailoring
Visio 2002

customizing and programming visio

 

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Table of Contents
Tailoring Visio 2002

About the Authors
Ralph Grabowski
Frank Zander


Sample Pages

Click thumbnail for full-size view.

Chapter 1

 

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 Chapter 2

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Chapter 3

 

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Chapter 4

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Chapter 5

 

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Chapter 6

 

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Chapter 7

 

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Chapter 8

 

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Chapter 9

 

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Chapter 10

 

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Chapter 11

 

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Chapter 12

 

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Chapter 13

 

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Chapter 14

 

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Chapter 15

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Tailoring Visio 2002 is the first of our line of e-books for Visio. Written by Ralph Grabowski and Frank Zander. 

The 378-page e-book provides complete coverage of customizing and programming Visio 2002. Fifteen chapters and two appendices cover customizing the user interface, shapes, shapesheets, databases and VBA programming.

The book is in PDF format for each searching, in 8.5"x11" size for easy printing, with margins design for three-hole punching.

Topics include:

  • Stencils, masters, and templates.
  • Customizing toolbars, icons, and menus.
  • All about shapes.
  • Undrestanding coordinate systems.
  • Controlling and programming shapesheets.
  • Using forumulas in shapesheets.
  • Linking diagrams to databases.
  • Creating diagrams from text files.
  • Writing VBA programs by Frank Zander.
  • XML for Visio.

Special features in this e-book:

  • Complete shapesheet section and cell reference.
  • Complete shapesheet formula reference.
  • Complete shapesheet command reference.
  • Complete record and field reference.
  • Features new to Visio 2000 and 2002.
  • All mouse and keyboard shortcuts.
  • XML file format for Visio. 

download companion files

Free 7MB download of companion files:

  • Exercise files for chapter tutorials.
  • Bonus documentation.

Click here to download.


ordering the book

Two ways to order the 378-page Tailoring Visio 2002 e-book:

  • Web Download Price: Sent to you by email in Acrobat PDF format: US$37.80 (3.6MB download). 
  • By mail on CD in Acrobat PDF format: US$42.80 (incl. shipping).
  • Add US$25 for CD delivery by FedEx.

PayPal
You may make payment in US$, Euro, Yen, British pounds, CDN$ and other currencies.

Check or Money Order

  • US funds drawn on a bank with its address in the USA.
  • Canadian funds drawn on a bank in Canada (incl. GST).
  • British funds drawn on a bank in Great Britain.

By Mail
You may mail payment to:

      "Tailoring Visio 2002"
      upFront.eZine Publishihg, Ltd.
      34486 Donlyn Avenue
      Abbotsford BC
      V2S 4W7     Canada


feedback

I welcome your feedback for correcting and improving the text. Send your email to grabowski @ telus.net  

table of contents

introduction

PART I: CUSTOMIZATION

chapter 1 - introducing shapes  

Why Customize Visio? Visio Customization Toolbox; Selecting Shapes.
Drawer 1 – Drawing Geometry; The Drawing Tools; The Secret Revealed; Visio Objects; Drawer 2 – Apply Styles;  Drawer 3 – Select Commands; Drawer 4 – VSD, VSS, and VST Files; Drawer 5 – Customized Toolbars; Drawer 6 – ShapeSheets; Drawer 7 – Database Links; Custom Properties; Data Export and Import; Linking with ODBC Databases; Drawer 8 – Automation
The (Rather Dry) Subject of Coordinate Systems; Shape Coordinates; Relationship Between Page and Shape Coordinates.

chapter 2 - creating masters and shapes

Grouping Shapes; Controlling the Resize Behavior; Add Shapes to Groups by Dropping Them on a Group; Determine Selection Order; Determine Display Order
Creating Masters From Shapes; Alternative Methods for Creating Masters; Method 1 – Editing an Existing Master; Method 2 – Developing New Masters From Scratch; Method 3 – Creating Shortcuts to Masters; Editing Master Icons
Customizing Shape Formats; Masters vs. Styles; Formats That Can’t be Customized (Very Much); The Master Gotcha; Designing Custom Line Patterns; Specifing Pattern Parameters; Applying Custom Line Patterns; Defining Custom Line Styles; Applying Line Styles; Designing Custom Line Ends; Applying Custom Line Ends;  Designing Custom Line End Styles; Designing Custom Fill Patterns; Specify the Pattern Parameters; Applying Custom Fill Patterns; Defining Custom Fill Styles; Designing Custom Text Styles; Defining Custom Text Styles

chapter 3 - creating stencils and templates

Creating Stencils; Opening Stencil Files for Editing; Visio File Types
Customizing the Page; Creating Templates

chapter 4 - tailoring toolbars and menus

Toggling Toolbars and Buttons; Displaying Toolbars; Stacking Toolbars; Displaying Buttons; Customizing Toolbars; Changing Toolbar and Menu Options
Options Tab; Creating New Toolbars; Adding Items to Menus; Sharing New Toolbars with Others

 

PART II: SHAPESEHEETS

chapter 5 - introducing shapesheets

The ShapeSheet is a Spreadsheet; The Section Title Bar; Section Cells; Title Cells; Data Cells; The Layout of Sections;  ShapeSheet Sections; ShapeSheet Pros and Cons
A Visual Tour of the ShapeSheet; Displaying the ShapeSheet
The ShapeSheet Behind a Page; Keyboard Shortcuts and Dialog Boxes
The ShapeSheet Behind a Shape; Geometric Data; Line and Fill Data: Text Data; Miscellaneous Data; The Interconnectedness of Sections; Why 1.7321?

chapter 6 - controlling shapesheets

Controlling the ShapeSheet; Shortcuts to the ShapeSheet; Developer Toolbar; Right-clicking; Double-click Behavior; Opening and Closing Sections; Closing the ShapeSheet
ShapeSheet Commands; Action; Change Row Type; Delete Row; Delete Section; Formulas; Function; Name; Row; Row After; Section; Show Sections;Values

chapter 7 - customizing and programming shapesheets

Introduction to Custom Properties; Adding Custom Properties; Editing Custom Property Values; Exporting Custom Property Data
Working with Custom Properties; Stage 1 – Create the Custom Properties Section; Stage 2 – Notice the Link between the Section and the Dialog Box; Stage 3 – Understand the Purpose of Each Cell; Label Cell; Prompt Cell; Invisible Cell; Ask Cell; SortKey Cell; Value Cell; Type and Format Cells; Prop.Row_n Cell; tage 4 – Add Text to the Shape
Applying Custom Properties; Adding the Properties Command; Creating Masters; Export the Data
Writing ShapeSheet Formulae; ShapeSheet Cell Names

chapter 8 - the complete shapesheet reference

ShapeSheet Jargon; ShapeSheet Sections; History of Changes to the ShapeSheet
1-D Endpoints; Actions; Alignment; Character; Connection Points; Controls; Format Pictures; Custom Properties; Document Properties; Events; Fill Format; Foreign Image Info; Geometry; Glue Info; Group Properties; Hyperlinks; Image Properties; Layer Membership; Layers; Line Format; Miscellaneous; Page Layout; Page Properties; Paragraph; Protection; Ruler & Grid; Scratch; Shape Layout; Shape Transform; Style Properties; Tabs; Text Block Format; Text Fields; Text Transform; User-Defined Cells

chapter 9 - using formulae in shapesheet cells

Formula Tips; How to Hide Shapes; How to Prevent Shapes From Rotating and Flipping; How to Access Other Cells;  How to Keep Shapes in Place; Cell References; How to Make Shapes Tag Along; How to Resize Shapes with Control Handles; How to Resize Text with the Shape; How to Resize Shapes to Fit Text; How to Resize Shapes Based on Text; How to Rotate Shapes Independently of Text
Summary of ShapeSheet Formulae; Arithmetic Functions; Geometric Functions; Window Management Functions; Color and Pattern Functions; Date and Time Functions; Text Functions; Event Functions; Properties Functions; Data Functions; Miscellaneous Functions; Mathematical Functions; Statistical Functions; Trigonometric Functions; Comparison Functions; Logical Functions; Error Handling Functions; Error Types

 

PART III: DATABASES

chapter 10 - introducing databases

What are Databases? Reasons for Making the Connection; Diagram or Database? Visio and ODBC; Which Database Program?
How Visio Connects with Databases; Visio Data Types; Visio Unit Codes

chapter 11 - exporting diagrams to databases

Visio Database Wizards and Commands; Tutorial – Exporting a Diagram for the First Time; ShapeID; Guid; Tutorial 2 Exporting an Updated Diagram

chapter 12 - linking databases with diagrams

Using the Database Wizard; Tutorial - Exporting Visio to Excel; Database Wizard Limitations; Tutorial – Updating Visio with Excel; Tutorial - Creating Masters from Databases
Examining Database Links; The Actions Section; The User-defined Cells Section; The Custom Properties Section; The Events Section

chapter 13 - creating diagrams from text files

The Format of Text Files; The Text File Format; Record Names; The Format of Records; Tutorial – Creating Diagrams from Text Files
Manual and Automatic Shape Positioning; Manual Coordinates; Automatic Coordinates; Tutorial – Creating Linked Diagrams; Stage 1: Examine the Master Shapes.; Stage 2: Write the Text File; Stage 3: Import into Visio
Record and Field Reference; AvenueSize; BlockSize; Gridding; LineToLineClearance; Link; Master; NodeToLineClearance; PlacementStyle; Property; RoutingStyle; Shape; Template

 

PART IV: VISUAL BASIC FOR APPLICATIONS

chapter 14 - learning to write vba programs

What is VBA? Starting the Visual Basic Editor; A Tour of the Visual Basic Editor; Tutorial – Writing Your First VBA Program; A  Closer Look at the Code; Tutorial – Creating Forms to Collect Information; Tutorial – Initializing the UserForm with Default Data; BeforeDocumentSave Event Revisited; Creating Modules

chapter 15 - advanced vba programming

Tutorial 1 – Saving Layer Information to Files; Looking at the Code; Reference VB/VBA Web Sites; Tutorial 2: Exporting VBA Code; Exporting Forms; Exporting Code Modules; Tutorial 3 – Importing VBA Code; Tutorial 4 – Importing Text into Visio; Looking Closer at the Code; Code for Sub Main; Code for Sub ImportTextFile; Tutorial 5: Formatting Text in Shapes; Looking Closer at the Code; Importing VBA Forms and Code Modules to VB; Tutorial 6 – Creating a VB EXE as a Startup EXE; CheckDocumentInfo; Sub Main; Looking at the Code for Sub Main:; Automatic Loading of EXEs; Making EXE Applications Easy to Access

PART V: APPENDICES

appendix a - mouse & keyboard shortcuts

Shortcuts by Task; General Tasks; Pan & Zoom; Diagram Tools; Menu Commands; Text Formatting; Special Text Characters; Text Fields; Full-screen Navigation; Windows Navigation
Shortcuts by Keystroke; Mouse Buttons; Function Keys; Punctuation and Other Keys

appendix b - xml in visio

About XML; Exporting and Importing XML Files; XML for Visio Schema; Section A

 


about the authors

Ralph Grabowski has authored and co-authored 50+ books on Visio, CAD management, ArchiCAD, AutoCAD, Generic CADD, IntelliCAD, MicroStation, TurboCAD, VDraft, HTML, and VRML. He is the editor of two e-newsletters, upFront.eZine and IMAGINiT.eZine .

He was Editor of the now-defunct Visions.eZine e-newsletter, and the Launch Editor to the Technical Design Solutions magazine for Visio users.

Mr Grabowski received his B.A.Sc ('80) degree in civil engineering from the University of British Columbia. He currently works and lives in the beautiful Central Fraser Valley region of British Columbia, Canada.

You can visit his Web site at www.upfrontezine.com .

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Frank Zander is the owner of Contract CADD Group, a consulting company focused on custom corporate and personal CAD training. Frank also supplies CAD technical expertise and programming in AutoLISP, Visual Basic, and VBA to create custom solutions in large networked environments. Recent programming contracts include CAD/robotics/motion control, and drawing database integration.

Frank is the past president of the Vancouver AutoCAD Users Society. You can contact him by emailing frank.zander @ contractcaddgroup.com  or visiting his Web site at www.contractcaddgroup.com


opyright 2003 by upFront.eZine Publishing, Ltd. All rights reserved worldwide.