Resize Stencils in Line Diagram - D-Tools Forum

08-05-2008, 02:24 PM

Hey guys, I have read the help file and it says I should be able to resize images in the line diagram pages. Well, Visio is using my product images on the line diagram and I can resize them. I would prefer to use a stencil instead of the product image however when I replace the original shape with the stencil, I cannot resize them. I was under the impression that only the elevation view locked the stencil size to the actual device size. Any ideas?

Thanks guys

**Kevin Mikelonis** · 08-05-2008, 03:04 PM

Nice App...

The shapes you are using are elevation stencils (although you cannot easily discern that from how they are named in the stencil) and therefore they respect scale regardless of the page you use them on.

It is the shape that has the scale behavior, not the page type, all page types have a scale.

When we created our enhanced stencil suite for SI5, we developed clear names for each shape with regard to page type use and scale or icon behavior.

We also unlocked scaling on most all of the really nice plan view shapes that users wanted to be able to resize as icons.

So we know it is possible to unlock the scaling of the elevation stencils within the shapesheet and then use them for the line diagram page. If you choose to do ths, we recommend a copy be made of each shape you want to use in each stencil and rename it so you know it is for the Line Diagram Page and that it is an Icon.

For more on that, see http://d-tools.us/showthread.php?t=2155

I have not studied the complexity of the elevation shapes, but with their layer of text for MFG, MODEL, COMP ID, I suspect there will be some sizing issues with elements of the shape itself.

We will have a look at a few to see if its feasible and perhaps we can add these to our enhanced stencil suite.

Visio Guy will surely have some insight into the issues with this modification.

Stay Tuned!

**Kevin Mikelonis** · 08-05-2008, 03:16 PM

This appears to be really easy.

1. Open your Audio Source Stencil for Editiing by right-clicking and selecting 'edit stencil'

2. Right-click on the shape named 'Elevation' and make a copy of it

3. Right-click on the copy and remane it Line-Icon

4. Open the shape for editing by double clicking it

5. Go to Window in your menu bar and select 'show shape sheet'

6. At the top of the shape sheet you will see width and height with their field set to GUARD

7. Within those field, enter a typical dimension for width and a typical dimension for height for this item, I used 17 for Width (use the tab button to move to the next field, not enter!) and 5.25 for Height

8. Close out the shape-sheet, the shape, save the stencil, close it, use the new shape!

NICE!

08-05-2008, 05:33 PM

NIICE. So you are saying that anytime I want to use a shape in a line drawing that I want to be able to resize, make a copy of it and follow those directions you posted, then use that Copy shape as the line drawing shape?

Noah

**Kevin Mikelonis** · 08-05-2008, 06:09 PM

Yes exactly!

I bet in about 2 hours, you could sort through all the elevation shapes, make copies, eliminate the GUARDED Scale, and then you have a whole collection of shpaes in each stencil for use on LINE pages.

I like this A LOT!

08-05-2008, 06:54 PM

Great I understand. Hey while I have you watching this thread, can you please help me with my title page background. I have followed the instructions the best I can but I am having an issue. I am inserting my company logo, and it looks great in the landscape frame. The problem is, when I actually drag it onto my title page background page, the logo is bigger than it was in the landscape frame and stencil editing page. Is there a way I can get that image to lock its size relative to the rest of the background page?

Thanks

Noah