Creating MS Visio Shapes

Before shapes can be imported to a stencil using the Import Shape Wizard, they will have to be created using MS Visio tools. It is highly recommended that the user creating shapes has a good knowledge of MS Visio and is familiar with how Visio shapes works before proceeding to create Diagrams shapes. MS Visio offers many possibilities for creation of smart shapes with different kinds of behavior. We recommend that this is used sparingly and with consideration, as complex shape behavior can result in reduced performance and also interact with the Diagrams application code in a way that can give unexpected errors. A few examples of useable behavior are described below.

Note:
To be able to create shapes with special features, the MS Visio Shape Sheet has to be used. For technical reasons, this is not available in the Diagrams application. In case you need to access the Shape Sheet for making special settings in the shapes before import, you will have to copy the shape to the Standard MS Office Visio application, access the Shape Sheet, and then copy the shape back to Diagrams.

When drawing the shape, it is recommended to use the same grid setting that will apply when the shape will be used in the drawing, thereby avoiding alignment and snapping problems. To minimize the risk for mistakes when different zoom settings are used, the grid can be set to Fixed. A suitable grid size is suggested to be 1 mm. The Ruler & Grid dialog is available from the button next to the Show group label on the View Tab.

It is also preferable to use a X any Y size of the shape that is evenly dividable with 2, so that connection points can be conveniently placed at grid intersections.

Example of Valve shape using a 4x8 size

Connection points can be added to shapes by using the Connection Point Tool available on the dropdown for connector tool in the Standard toolbar.

To add connection points, Ctrl+Click using this tool. For inline pipe/HVAC parts, the order in which connection points are added is relevant, as the first added connection point will correspond to ppoint 1 on the catalogue item. When an inline fitting is connected, Arrive and Leave are resolved depending on the connections. that means, if conn 1 is connected to Leave of another fitting during define, conn 1 will be Arrive and vice versa. If it is not connected when defined, Arrive and Leave will default to 1 and 2. The direction of the connection points can be changed by right clicking on a connection point and selecting Inward, Outward or Inward & Outward.

Note:
These directions are NOT related to flow directions of the component. This only relates to Visio mechanisms for connecting shapes to each other. Connection points for 2D shapes (such as Equipment, Valves, Fittings .) should normally be Inward. Only use Outward connection points if you intend the shape to be directly connected to other 2D shapes. The normal approach is to always use Inward when shapes are created, and to change them to Outward after dropping on a drawing only in case the shape should be connected to another 2D shape. For further information, refer to Connecting Fittings without a Tube in between.

Note:
When creating grouped piping/HVAC shapes having connection points, please make sure to first group the shapes and then add the connection points to the group. In case connection points are added to the members of the group, this could result in difficulties to connect pipes/HVACs when the shapes are used. For electrical items, it is OK to have connection points on group members as this is specially handled by the application when cables are connected.

Note:
When grouping shapes, use the Group command rather than Convert to group, as the former works better with the Diagrams application.