Understanding and Using Layout and Routing in Microsoft Visio 2000 Cindy Leach Visio Product Lead Pr

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Understanding and Using Layout and Routing in
Microsoft Visio 2000Cindy LeachVisio Product
LeadProduct Support ServicesMicrosoft
Corporation
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Agenda

• Introduction to connectors
• Routing styles
• Routing options
• Rules of rerouting
• Manually adjusting connectors
• Placeable shapes
• Automatic layout

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Introduction to Connectors

• Connected drawings
• What is a connector
• Connectors are 1-D shapes with endpoints. You
  glue these endpoints to 2-D shapes to create
  connections that remain intact when you
  reposition the 2-D shapes
• 1-D vs. 2-D

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Introduction to Connectors (continued)

• Static vs. Dynamic glue

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Introduction to Connectors (continued)

• Types of connectors
• Dynamic connector
• Other 1-D shapes
• Connectors.vss in Visio Extras
• Placeable shapes

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Routing Styles

• Include the following
• Whether the connector bends
• Whether and how the connectors route around
  placeable shapes
• Where connectors glue to shapes
• Direction of the drawing
• Whether and how connectors overlap

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Setting the Routing Style

• At the drawing level, using the File Page Setup
  Layout and Routing tab

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Setting the Routing Style (continued)

• Drawing settings can be overwritten by
• A dynamic connector that has a different routing
  style
• Changing the settings of a dynamic connector on a
  page

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Setting the Routing Style (continued)

• At the shape level, using the Format Behavior
  Connector tab

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Routing Options

• Reroute Freelymost active setting. Connectors
  will respond to many types of changes in the
  drawing by taking the optimum path.

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Routing Options (continued)

• Reroute on Crossoverwill reroute when first or
  last leg closes in on a shape.

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Routing Options (continued)

• Reroute as Neededsame as Reroute on Crossover,
  but also reroutes when a placeable shape is
  dropped or moved from a significant distance away
  onto its current path.

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Routing Options (continued)

• Never reroutethe least active reroute setting

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Rules of Rerouting

• When a connector is attached to two placeable
  shapes, the default setting is Reroute Freely
• Once a connector is manually routed, the style is
  automatically set to Reroute on Crossover
• When a connector set to Reroute on Crossover
  actually does reroute because the shapes are
  sufficiently moved, the style is set back to
  Reroute Freely

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Manually Adjusting Dynamically Glued Connectors
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Manually Adjusting Dynamically Glued Connectors
(continued)
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Manually Adjusting Dynamically Glued Connectors
(continued)
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Setting Placeable Shapes

• Definition a 2-D shape designed to work with
  routable connectors and automatic layout (Lay Out
  Shapes). A routable connector can detect and
  avoid crossing through placeable shapes.
• Options found under Format Behavior Placement
• Placement behavior options
• Let Visio decide
• Layout and route around
• Do not layout and route around

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Lay Out Shapes Dialog

• Purpose of Lay Out Shapes
• Solutions that work best
• Begin and end point direction
• Undo

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Lay Out Shapes Dialog (continued)
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Lay Out Shapes Dialog (continued)

• Spacing options
• Set using the Connector To Shape option in the
  Layout and Routing Spacing dialog box.
• Set using the Connector To Connector option in
  the Layout and Routing Spacing dialog box.
• Set using the Space Between Shapes option in the
  Layout and Routing Spacing dialog box.

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