Understanding and Using Layout and Routing in Microsoft® Visio® 2000 Cindy Leach Visio Product Lead Product Support Services Microsoft Corporation

2 Agenda  Introduction to connectors  Routing styles  Routing options  Rules of rerouting  Manually adjusting connectors  Placeable shapes  Automatic layout

3 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 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

4 Introduction to Connectors (continued)  Static vs. Dynamic glue

5 Introduction to Connectors (continued)  Types of connectors Dynamic connector Dynamic connector Other 1-D shapes Other 1-D shapes Connectors.vss in Visio Extras Connectors.vss in Visio Extras  Placeable shapes

6 Routing Styles  Include the following: Whether the connector bends Whether the connector bends Whether and how the connectors route around placeable shapes Whether and how the connectors route around placeable shapes Where connectors glue to shapes Where connectors glue to shapes Direction of the drawing Direction of the drawing Whether and how connectors overlap Whether and how connectors overlap

7 Setting the Routing Style  At the using the File | Page Setup | Layout and Routing tab  At the drawing level, using the File | Page Setup | Layout and Routing tab

8 Setting the Routing Style (continued)  Drawing settings can be overwritten by: A dynamic connector that has a different routing style A dynamic connector that has a different routing style Changing the settings of a dynamic connector on a page Changing the settings of a dynamic connector on a page

9 Setting the Routing Style (continued)  At the shape level, using the Format | Behavior | Connector tab

10 Routing Options  Reroute Freely —most active setting. Connectors will respond to many types of changes in the drawing by taking the optimum path.

11 Routing Options (continued)  Reroute on Crossover —will reroute when first or last leg closes in on a shape.

12 Routing Options (continued)  Reroute as Needed —same as Reroute on Crossover, but also reroutes when a placeable shape is dropped or moved from a significant distance away onto its current path.

13 Routing Options (continued)  Never reroute —the least active reroute setting

14 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

15 Manually Adjusting Dynamically Glued Connectors

16 Manually Adjusting Dynamically Glued Connectors (continued)

17 Manually Adjusting Dynamically Glued Connectors (continued)

18 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 Let Visio decide Layout and route around Layout and route around Do not layout and route around Do not layout and route around

19 Lay Out Shapes Dialog  Purpose of Lay Out Shapes  Solutions that work best  Begin and end point direction  Undo

20 Lay Out Shapes Dialog (continued)

21 Lay Out Shapes Dialog (continued)  Spacing options A.Set using the Connector To Shape option in the Layout and Routing Spacing dialog box. B.Set using the Connector To Connector option in the Layout and Routing Spacing dialog box. C.Set using the Space Between Shapes option in the Layout and Routing Spacing dialog box.

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