*NEW* Enhanced Stencil Suite for D-Tools SI5 - D-Tools Forum

**Kevin Mikelonis** · 04-23-2008, 02:59 PM

Now available!

Many of our clients have asked for it and now its ready!

Introducing the Enhanced Stencil Suite for D-Tools SI5 from Process DSG

We are very excited about this new tool for SI5 users!

Tremendous value has been added to the SI5 shapes with LOADS of great enhancements in this Stencil Suite including:

-Expanded Stencil Library that matches the expanded categories in our STARTER Mastertable and Engineered Databases.

-Additional Plan View Icon Shapes within each Stencil

-Clear definition of Page Type and Icon/Scale behavior for all optional shapes in each stencil

-Users know what each shape will do before mapping them to items in the database

-Additional Elevation Shapes for many Stencils

-Drag and Drop Plan View Legend Annotation within each stencil for easy Cover Page Legend creation

-Consistency, Consistency, Consistency!

Overall we brought the type of organization, logic, and simplicity to the Shapes within each Stencil that our customers expect.

For more information, read the April 2008 D-Tools Newsletter Article http://www.imakenews.com/d-tools/e_article001071398.cfm

Or follow any of the links below

http://www.processdsg.com/products.php

http://www.processdsg.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60

avzone · 05-15-2008, 04:28 PM

Kevin/Heather, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
I LOVE what you've done with the D-Tools shapes! They are definitely MO BETTA! Well worth the price of admission. Ever see the show "Why didn't I think of that?" Well...

They are SO much more user friendly. Talk about easy to recognize! Now when I choose a shape for an item, I know what I'm getting and will never have to worry about choosing the wrong shape. And NO MORE SHADOW unless I want it! YAHOO! Love the added shapes too. Now I don't feel like I'm missing shapes for some items. Same thing for the Stencils you added to match the expanded categories. Very nice!

I've always had 2 pet peeves regarding shapes...

First problem: The name convention needed some serious work. Choosing a shape for a new item went a little like, "hmmm...which wire shape do I want? Uhhh...this one...I think. Click OK...Awe CRAP! Wrong one!"

Second Problem: Why is it that the default shadow setting for shapes with this feature is set to "Show Shadow?" UGH! Thank you for fixing this! Now I'm not spending so much time changing this for every frickin' elevation & line drawing!

Thanks for this much needed solution! This is a prime example of "Time is Money!" I admit I sometimes forget this cardinal rule. In the past, I would have spent the time to do this myself, but how dumb is it to spend several days or even weeks of BILLABLE design time to fix the default D-Tools shapes/stencils when all I have to do is pay someone else a fraction of that? So what else are you working on? I can't wait to see what else you come up with to save me time & money.

"Stuff That Works" How TRUE!

Head Tool · 05-15-2008, 05:35 PM

Sounds like Kevin and Heather did a great job on the shapes. Can't wait to see them.

Sorry about the shadows being the default. I thought they were so cool that everyone would want them. However easy to make a permanent fix by following the steps below

A: back up stencils just in case

1: Open the stencil by right clicking in the stencil tree and Display Docked Stencil
2: Right click on the green stencil icon in the upper left of the stencil and choose Edit
3: Right click on the shape you want to modify and Edit Master>>Master Properties. Make sure that the Generate icon automatically is UNCHECKED. Press OK
4: Right click on shape >>Edit Master Shape
5: Right click on the shape in the new window and uncheck the shadow option.
6: Close, Save, wash, rinse repeat with any other shapes
7: Save Stencil

D-A/V · 05-15-2008, 10:27 PM

I too would like to thank Kevin. The New shapes are exactly what I've been looking for. I've been very frustrated and annoyed with the shapes that came with the program and was very unhappy with the way the D-tool shapes looked on the drawings. I HIGHLY Recommend the shapes and Kevin's services. He has been a real life saver on helping me get up and running.

avzone · 05-16-2008, 01:10 AM

Originally Posted by Head Tool

Sounds like Kevin and Heather did a great job on the shapes. Can't wait to see them.

Sorry about the shadows being the default. I thought they were so cool that everyone would want them. However easy to make a permanent fix by following the steps below

A: back up stencils just in case

1: Open the stencil by right clicking in the stencil tree and Display Docked Stencil
2: Right click on the green stencil icon in the upper left of the stencil and choose Edit
3: Right click on the shape you want to modify and Edit Master>>Master Properties. Make sure that the Generate icon automatically is UNCHECKED. Press OK
4: Right click on shape >>Edit Master Shape
5: Right click on the shape in the new window and uncheck the shadow option.
6: Close, Save, wash, rinse repeat with any other shapes
7: Save Stencil

Great tip Adam! I just wish it wasn't necessary to go through the process with each shape. Talk about time consuming. I just don't have that discipline. I'm glad Kevin & Heather do, though. They saved me a ton of time.

Visio Guy · 05-16-2008, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by Head Tool

Sorry about the shadows being the default. I thought they were so cool that everyone would want them. However easy to make a permanent fix by following the steps below

A: back up stencils just in case

1: Open the stencil by right clicking in the stencil tree and Display Docked
...
6: Close, Save, wash, rinse repeat with any other shapes
7: Save Stencil

So as a show of hands

who here would be interested in a little tool/utility to remove the shadows from "many masters at once"?

Respond here or send me a private message.

dtechy1 · 05-17-2008, 05:41 AM

fryeguy · 10-15-2008, 08:26 PM

Yes, a script would be nice. I'm also working on a little scripting to create "Print Setups" so that changing from one printer to another is not so difficult.
I often print to 24x26, 11x17, and PDF from the same file. Unless I'm missing something I am forced to change the print settings on every page manually.

Several years ago I created a utility for AutoCAD I called QuickPrint. This allowed me to very quickly recall several predefined print setups through a script rather than navigating through the very detailed AutoCAD Print dialog. I would like the same thing for Visio but my VB skills are pretty rusty...

David_Haddad · 12-01-2008, 05:36 PM

Add me to the list of very happy purchasers of this stencil. I highly recommend it. It has saved me countless hours not having to mess around in each drawing with some of the D-tools shapes that don't display well.