How can I modify a shape on a Stencil???

[DCCoolBreeze]

OK. This seems like it is a straight forward question. I hope it is but this is my problem. I have copied the milestone (diamond) master shape to a new master in Timeline Shapes (US Units). I want to maintain everything about the original shape except I want to move the text box and the connector line to the right side instead of the top of the diamond. I unprotected the shape. Then when I select the diamond, both the connector line and the diamond become selected so I try to ungroup the two parts. When I do this I get the following error. "Shape protection and/or layer properties prevent complete execution of this command". Ain't no layer that I can see and I have unprotected evrything I can...

what is a Visio user to do???

 

[meintsi]

Open up the shape's shapesheet and set the lock group value in the protection heading to zero.

*Remember.......
If you don't use your head,
your going to have to use your feet.

 

[DCCoolBreeze]

OK. I tried that and after removing protection, I was able to rotate the object but then I lost all of the functionality of the "Diamond Milestone". The new shape would not prompt for the date, etc.

I guess what I want to do is create a diamond milestone that contains a straight (not curved line) line extending out horizontally from the diamond attaching to the text box. Then when I drag the shape onto a timeline, it should act just like a milestone where is asks for the date and pins itself to the correct location on the timeline.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[VisioMVP]

Though tempting, you should avoid ungrouping like the plague. When shapes are grouped, a new shape is created to link the shapes together. This new shape may contain extra information about the group (custom properties, text block etc). Ungrouping destroys this extra shape and Grouping will not restore the original group.
The last item under the View menu is Open Group or (Open 'the name of the shape') which will allow you to modify a group shape without ungrouping.

John... Visio MVP

 

[VisioMVP]

In the Visio 2000 version, the diamond milestone shape has a yellow control handle. You can drag this control handle around to move the location of the text. The second yellow control handle sets the length of the vertical line from the diamond. The second yellow control handle can be dragged below the diamond.

John... Visio MVP

 

[DCCoolBreeze]

Thanks. I have Visio 2002. When I move the control handle it disfigures the shape's line. I will try the open group and see what happens

 

[DCCoolBreeze]

How do I get to the open group? I duplicated the diamond master...edit master...selected the diamond...and no "open group" option...oh where oh where has the open group gone...oh where oh where could it be?? %-)

 

[VisioMVP]

Open Group should be the last item on the Edit menu. It may be listed as "Open 'shapeName'".

One general rule for modifying master shapes is to work on a copy. The diamond shape in the Timeline stencil in Visio 2000 and Visio 2002 should have two yellow control handles. The first yellow control handle should be in the middle of the line from the diamond and establishes the vertical point (above or below the diamond) of the end of the vertical line from the diamond. The second yellow control handle establishes a point radially from the first where the text will appear.

John... Visio MVP

 

[DCCoolBreeze]

OK. I am working on a copy. I was able to locate the open group. I then rotated the shape so that the connector is on the right. The problem I have now is (1) the yellow control handles did not move with the shape and (2) I want the line to be straight with only one control handle