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  #1  
Old 01-03-2018, 12:05 AM
cosmicyes cosmicyes is offline not-rectangular container or doted line Windows 7 64bit not-rectangular container or doted line Office 2013
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Default not-rectangular container or doted line

I am quite new to Visio and I am using Visio 2013 professional.
I´ve got a quite complex diagram with a lot of shapes.
Now I´d like to group some of the shapes optically with a doted line or so arround them.
My first Idea was to use a container but now there is my problem:
I only can draw a rectangular container arround the shapes which also covers other shapes in the neighborhood which are not part of the group.



Question:
How can I use a not-rectangular container - for example in L-form.
The other Idea would be just to "draw" a freehand doted line arround the shape but I don´t find how to do this either.

Any help is very welcome.
Thank you in advance!
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  #2  
Old 01-03-2018, 01:56 PM
JimP JimP is offline not-rectangular container or doted line Windows 10 not-rectangular container or doted line Office 2013
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I do not have the 2013 Professional version of Visio; however, for what you are asking can be done in any version...So, here is my input:
(1) Group all of the shapes that you are wanting to be within your outside dotted line;
(2) Use any shape you want to completely cover the grouped shapes and send that shape to the "back" (or, behind) the grouped shapes;
(3) Remove the background color of your shape (or, recolor to what suits your needs);
(4) Change the outside line of shape to dotted, dashed, or desired line type;
(5) Group the entire objects/shapes together as one.

It has been awhile since I last used Visio in a professional environment, so hope this works for you.
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  #3  
Old 01-04-2018, 12:39 AM
cosmicyes cosmicyes is offline not-rectangular container or doted line Windows 7 64bit not-rectangular container or doted line Office 2013
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Dear Jim,

thanks a lot.
I really tried but it did not work for me.
(2) is my main problem- how to draw a custom shape or freehand line round the grouped shapes.

I try to post a screenshot to illustrate my needs - hope it works.
There are 4 shapes - 1, 2, 3, 4
I want to have a dotted line arround 1, 2 and 3. Not arround 4.
The best thing for me would be if there was just a possibility to draw a line freehand.

Edit:
Screenshot does not work.
Very easy: 4 rectangles
First line: 1, 2
second line: 3, 4

Last edited by cosmicyes; 01-04-2018 at 12:40 AM. Reason: Screenshot does not work
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  #4  
Old 01-04-2018, 01:19 AM
JimP JimP is offline not-rectangular container or doted line Windows 10 not-rectangular container or doted line Office 2013
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I have attached a file illustrating the grouping scenario I referred to in my earlier post. The only thing I did that you did not refer to is that rather than using free-form drawing around the grouped objects is that I simply used another shape and enlarged it. (FWIW, I never used free-form drawing in Visio...so many other/better/professional options available.)

HTHs...

Original file did not upload (invalid file), converted to .pdf for uploading.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Shape Grouping.pdf (40.0 KB, 9 views)

Last edited by JimP; 01-04-2018 at 01:23 AM. Reason: Attachement did not attach
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  #5  
Old 01-04-2018, 03:42 AM
cosmicyes cosmicyes is offline not-rectangular container or doted line Windows 7 64bit not-rectangular container or doted line Office 2013
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oh, I did not see that it is possible to attach files here

Thank you once again, Jim.

But what if my shapes are for example arranged like in the attached file.
I want the dotted line like the red line excluding shape No. 4.
For many reasons I do not want to re-arrange the shapes.
Do I need to build an own shape that fits exactly in the red line or is there a simpler way?

See attachement
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Unbenannt.JPG (18.6 KB, 14 views)
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  #6  
Old 01-04-2018, 06:13 AM
JimP JimP is offline not-rectangular container or doted line Windows 10 not-rectangular container or doted line Office 2013
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You can use the "Connector Tool" from the Standard Toolbar to create the shape you want indicated in your red line. You do this by using a series of straight lines (however many is needed) ... connecting each line with each other, then grouping the lines together. See my attachment.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Shape Grouping.pdf (8.7 KB, 9 views)
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  #7  
Old 01-04-2018, 06:43 AM
cosmicyes cosmicyes is offline not-rectangular container or doted line Windows 7 64bit not-rectangular container or doted line Office 2013
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Thank you so much, Jim!

I solved it know using your help and freehand-tool (it is Freihandtool in my german version).
As my file has really a lot of shapes this might be the best solution.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Unbenannt2.JPG (30.6 KB, 14 views)
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