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soundcon's avatar
soundcon
Brass Contributor
Nov 09, 2020

Snap and Glue Bad Function

I use annotations a lot in my detailed electronics drawings. At some point in the past Visio changed to where the annotations will automatically snap onto my border or some other object whenever I dr...
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soundcon's avatar
soundcon
Brass Contributor
Sep 01, 2021
Scott, I am using callouts from stencils. The options on the insert menu are very limited plus I have some that are go to that I have saved. I can try one from the insert menu and see if the behavior is better. Anxious for a followup comment from you.
Scott Helmers's avatar
Scott Helmers
MVP
Sep 01, 2021
The behavior of new-style callouts is markedly better in many ways than the old callouts, however, I don't know how they will interact with the borders and shapes you're using. Plus, as you pointed out, there are fewer formats and capabilities in the new callout set.

Do you have a sample diagram you can provide? DO NOT post anything confidential or proprietary but if there's a general example I can look at, that would help. As an alternative, if you'd prefer not to post publicly, you can send it to me via PM.

  • soundcon's avatar
    soundcon
    Brass Contributor
    Sep 03, 2021

    Scott Helmers First I have not used the new insert annotations only the ones I have saved as stencils. Since my original I have been in contact with Visio support and discovered the new features I do not like are now default with no reasonable way to disable them.

    Scenario: Annotation with arrow is placed on the drawing. I want to relocate the annotation. If I just highlight and left click and hold then drag the annotation to the new location, when I release the mouse the annotation body will automatically relocate itself to a location of it's choice and put the point of the arrow at a location of its choice. Both locations tend to be the border of my drawing.

    Resolution: (Unacceptable) Locate the "snap & Glue" button on the menu bar and click. uncheck the "snap" and "glue" boxes then click to close the menu po-pout. Move and reconfigure the annotation, Locate the "snap & Glue" button on the menu bar and click. check the "snap" and "glue" boxes then click to close the menu popout to be able to return to the operation of connecting lines to objects. I count 8 keystrokes everytime I want to relocate an annotation on a drawing. there can be a dozen or more of them in one of my basic drawings. 

    The auto reconfigure happens if I chose to move a block of objects making an repositioning of a group of items a nightmare. I tried to attach a file but the software will not accept a Visio file.

    • Scott Helmers's avatar
      Scott Helmers
      MVP
      Sep 08, 2021

      soundcon I definitely understand your frustration at what has become much less useful for you. 

       

      I can offer one way to streamline the unfortunate sequence you described below: Alt+F9 opens the Snap & Glue dialog. At least that eliminates rummaging on the ribbon to find the button to open the dialog. 

       

      One potentially better suggestion: holding down the Alt key while dragging suspends snapping to the grid. I don't know, but perhaps it will eliminate the problem you're encountering with post-drag repositioning.

       

      Because you can't post the diagram here (I will take that up with the appropriate people!), feel free to send it to me at Scott at VisioStepByStep dot com.

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