17 - Automating Formulas

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In addition to the properties that are exposed in the Microsoft Visio object model, you can control Shape, Style, Page, Master, and Document objects by working with the formulas that are contained in Cell objects. Just as you can view, enter, and edit formulas in cells in a ShapeSheet window, you can get and set formulas contained in the Cell objects that belong to a shape. For this reason, it is essential for an Automation developer to understand the functionality that the Visio engine provides with its SmartShapes technology. Anything you can do with a formula in a ShapeSheet window you can also do in your program.

You can alter a shape even more dramatically by working with whole sections and rows of its formulas. For example, you can add Geometry sections, delete vertices, or change the row type of segments, converting them from lines to arcs or arcs to lines.

Important

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For a complete list of sections, cell reference names, and section, row, and cell index constants, see Appendix B, ShapeSheet Section, Row, and Cell Indices. You can also find index constants and their values by searching the Visio type library for VisSectionIndices, VisRowIndices, and VisCellIndices.

This chapter introduces you to automating formulas of Cell objects that belong to Shape, Style, Page, Master, and Document objects. It also discusses working with sections and rows from your program. For more information about working with Visio formulas, see Chapter 4, Visio Formulas.