Text block lost on modification of group   

Hi,
I've started to create new shapes in Visio for various software
applications my company writes.
Part of the shape should be common between all, representing the suite
of applications (a bit like the microsoft office icons), with another
part of each shape representing the application itself.
All shapes should have a text block placed below the shape.

I was hoping that I would be able to create the common shape, add the
text block to it, then "drop" the application-specific shape to create
a group, whilst retaining the text block. But no!
What I've found is that:
- If I create a shape, add a text block to it (and place and size it
the way I want) and then group a new shape with it all, the group
itself has a new text block.
- If I create a shape, group it, add a text block to it (and place and
size it the way I want), then select the additional application-
specific shape and select "add to group", again, this new group does
not retain the previous text block and instead has a new one.

There basically seems to be no way of modifying a grouped shape to add
a new member shape to it and retain the (specifically placed and
sized) text block that goes with it. In other words, impossible to
modify a group without losing the ability to easily (ie. via double-
click) modify the original group text block...

date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:54:29 -0700   author:   Wabiloo

Re: Text block lost on modification of group   

Try using the command Convert to Group to turn a shape into a group.  You 
can add more shapes to that group using Add to Group.  Your group shape can 
have the text block you want.

You can also go into the Shapesheet to set the LockCalcWH cell to 1.  Do 
this on your group prior to adding more shapes to it.  This prevents Visio 
from resizing the shape boundary for your group.

-- 
Mark Nelson
Office Graphics - Visio
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Wabiloo"  wrote in message 
news:1192121669.642673.148810@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> Hi,
> I've started to create new shapes in Visio for various software
> applications my company writes.
> Part of the shape should be common between all, representing the suite
> of applications (a bit like the microsoft office icons), with another
> part of each shape representing the application itself.
> All shapes should have a text block placed below the shape.
>
> I was hoping that I would be able to create the common shape, add the
> text block to it, then "drop" the application-specific shape to create
> a group, whilst retaining the text block. But no!
> What I've found is that:
> - If I create a shape, add a text block to it (and place and size it
> the way I want) and then group a new shape with it all, the group
> itself has a new text block.
> - If I create a shape, group it, add a text block to it (and place and
> size it the way I want), then select the additional application-
> specific shape and select "add to group", again, this new group does
> not retain the previous text block and instead has a new one.
>
> There basically seems to be no way of modifying a grouped shape to add
> a new member shape to it and retain the (specifically placed and
> sized) text block that goes with it. In other words, impossible to
> modify a group without losing the ability to easily (ie. via double-
> click) modify the original group text block...
>

date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 21:59:47 -0700   author:   Mark Nelson [MS]