Change text size automatically as shape is resized - D-Tools Forum

avzone · 05-02-2007, 01:34 AM

Make a plain box with the box tool.
Using the text tool, enter any text you choose.
Make sure the shape is still selected, and then, on the Window menu, click Show ShapeSheet. The Visio window will tile.
In that same window, scroll down until you see the Character section.
In the Size cell, delete the content of that cell and type "HEIGHT/5."
Press ENTER when you're done.
This formula will always make the text for the shape one fifth the size of the height for the shape.
Close the shapesheet window (not the drawing window) by clicking the Close button .
Now resize the block again. Notice how the text gets bigger and smaller as you resize the shape.

Note: Some pre-made shapes will not have a Character section available in the ShapeSheet window, therefore this workaround will not work for all shapes.

Visio Guy · 08-06-2007, 02:21 PM

Here's another tip for getting text to resize -- IF your text won't be changing -- for example, text for a logo or brand name.

1. Make a shape with the text you want, formatted as desired.
2. Set it to have no-line and no-fill
3. Copy the shape
4. Paste it as a metafile or enhanced metafile via menu: Edit > Paste > Special
5. Group the text with your shape.

As a metafile, the text will resize with your shape. You won't be able to change the text or color it in anyway, but for static text, this can be easier and more robust than mucking about with the ShapeSheet formulas.

avzone · 08-06-2007, 04:48 PM

Cool! Thanks for the tip Chris. I'm all about KISS. Do you have any KISS tips for shapes that may need the text edited?

Visio Guy · 08-09-2007, 03:52 AM

Hmm,

Nothing major comes to mind, other than these tidbits:

Visio won't render text at less than 1pt, even if you enter a smaller value (ie: 0.25pt). This can be a problem if you make really big scales (ie: 1" = 100'), because the ShapeSheet formulas wanted to scale the font waaay down, but Visio wouldn't draw it. That's part of the reason that the metafile text is cool for logos and port labels on the SI shapes.

Of course, you can't really read text that small, unless you're doing it electronically via zoom...

Head Tool · 08-24-2007, 02:49 PM

Here is a great Article by Chris "The Visio Guy" Roth on resizing text. http://www.visguy.com/2007/08/24/res...ith-metafiles/ It should be noted that D-Tools uses live, not metafile text for most of its shapes because the properties always change based on manufacturer and model.

Visio Guy · 08-26-2007, 07:13 AM

Here's another article about "plain-old" ShapeSheet formulas for getting text to resize with your Visio Shapes:

Visio Guy on: Text Resizing With ShapeSheet Formulas

fryeguy · 08-11-2008, 06:19 PM

Thanks to everyone who has posted here. The information provided is invaluable. Finally, after fighting with this for months, I was able to create a completely custom SI5 titleblock using the expert advice given above.

In one of the articles, a very powerful formula is provided for auto scaling text in your titleblock when the drawing scale and/or page size changes:

X pt*ThePage!PageScale/ThePage!DrawingScale*Height/Y in

This formula is entered into the Character> Size field of the individual text object's Shape Sheet. In the formula X equals the original point size and should be entered with the pt suffix and Y equals the original text object height in inches.

The Visio Guy does a stellar job of describing this process in detail. I recommend that you read his tutorial on the subject thoroughly.