Last edit: 05-03-17 Graham Wideman

Visio

Content

• This Page:
  • Introduction and Features
  • Obtaining and Installing
• Other Pages
  • Instructions... 
    • Getting Started
    • Key to icons
    • Text Detail
    • Release Notes
  • Download it here: GWVisExp.zip  (Version 1.0 about 400K) Includes these instruction pages.

Introduction

Whether you are just learning to program Visio via OLE Automation (AKA "COM Automation") using VBA, Delphi or C++, or you are experienced and need a quick way to inspect the behavior or set the values of Visio object properties , you can learn a lot and save countless hours of testing using a tool that lets you browse the Visio object model.

Features include:

• It's Free! But wait! That's not all!
• For Visio 5.0x, 4.5x, Win 95 and NT4 (and presumably Win 98, though not tested). Not tested with Visio 4.1.
• Treeview of objects, starting from the main IVApplication, and opening up to the entire model.
• Any node that represents an object can be opened up in a new window of its own.   There's also a shortcut for opening a window for the shape currently selected in Visio.
• Properties have icons and are sorted in an order that aids understanding the type of object or property.
• At least semi-intelligent breakdown of Shapesheet structure into Sections, Rows and Columns.
• Shortcut for editing Cells allows GWVisExp to function as a partial out-of-window replacement for the ShapeSheet.
• String and number properties can be edited.
• Strings can be "dumped" to a window that shows hex values, useful for inspecting properties that have embedded field codes.
• Where properties are integers that have constants associated with them, both the integer and the corresponding constant value are shown.
• For nodes with associated constants (for index or value), you can pop open a window that shows all valid constant values.
• Tree windows can be individually set to Stay On Top of your Visio window -- very useful when Visio is open too..

Obtaining and Installing

If you didn't already, then download the zip file from this page (above). Then...

1. Create a directory on your HD where you'd like the application to reside.
2. Stick the zip file in your new directory.
3. Unzip.
4. There is no special installation.  You can launch the VisExp.exe application by double clicking on it in Windows Explorer, or you can create an item on the Start menu by the usual method of dragging a shortcut to the Start Menu\Programs folder in Explorer.

Other Alternatives

If you liked this tool, and want even more features, such as:

• a nice replacement for Visio's somewhat clumsy-to-use ShapeSheet
• ability to execute object methods immediately

... check out Visimation's "Xpose for Visio".

Copyright

Copyright Graham Wideman, 1998, 99.

Please feel free to distribute for any individual personal, professional or non-profit purposes, provided these instruction pages (or reasonable facsimile) and credit remain attached.  Distribution as part of a for-profit offering is still free, provided you let me know about it beforehand. Needless to say, at these prices there's no official support, but I will gladly receive bug reports.

graham@wideman-one.com

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