Storing Information with Network Shapes

Network equipment shapes have default shape data fields, which you can use to store shape data with the shapes. These fields include manufacturer, product number, part number, product description, and serial number. You can also define new shape data fields for a specific shape or for all the instances of a shape in a diagram.

To view shape data for a shape, on the View menu, click Shape Data Window, and then select the shape. The shape's data appears in the Shape Data window. Alternatively, you can right-click a shape, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu, or point to Data, and then click Shape Data. You can define a new shape data field for all the instances of a shape in a diagram by using the Document Stencil, which includes all the shapes you've added to your diagram. If you edit a shape on the Document Stencil, the changes ripple throughout all the instances of the shape in the diagram.

Tip

You can also create shape data sets for shapes in a diagram. A shape data set is a set of related data. To create a shape data set for a shape, right-click the Shape Data window, and then click Shape Data Sets on the shortcut menu. In the Shape Data Sets window, define the set. For more information about defining and working with shape data sets, type shape data set in the Type a question for help box.

In this exercise, you view the shape data assigned to several of the network equipment shapes in your network diagram. You also create a new shape data field for all the Laptop computer shapes in the diagram to identify which employee uses each computer.

OPEN the NetworkStore file in DocumentsMicrosoft PressVisio 2007 SBS8_Networks.

1.	On the View menu, click Shape Data Window. No shape data appears in the Shape Data window because a shape isn't selected.
2.	Select the Ken Myer shape. The Shape Data window displays a list of the blank data fields for the shape, including Asset Number, Serial Number, Location, Building, Room, Manufacturer, and Product Number.   Tip To see more data fields, scroll the Shape Data window. Or, drag the top border of the window up to increase the height of the window.
3.	On the Standard toolbar, click the Shapes button, and then click Show Document Stencil.   Shapes The Document Stencil appears in the Shapes window and displays each shape in your diagram.
4.	In the Document Stencil, right-click the Laptop computer shape, point to Edit Master, and then click Edit Master Shape. The Laptop computer shape appears in a drawing window that covers your entire diagram. No shape data fields appear in the Shape Data window because the shape isn't selected.
5.	Select the Laptop computer shape. The shape data fields for the shape appear in the Shape Data window.
6.	Right-click the Shape Data window, and then click Define Shape Data on the shortcut menu. The Define Shape Data dialog box appears.
7.	In the Define Shape Data dialog box, click New. A data field labeled Property25 is added and highlighted in the Properties box at the bottom of the dialog box.
8.	In the Label box, type User Name, and then click in the Prompt box.
9.	In the Prompt box, type Enter the name of the person who uses this device. to create a ScreenTip for the new data field.
10.	Click OK. The Define Shape Data dialog box closes.
11.	Scroll to the end of the list in the Shape Data window to see the new User Name data field at the end of the list.
12.	Click the Close Window button to the right of the Type a question for help box in the upper-right corner of the drawing window.   Close Window
13.	When a message appears asking if you want to update the Laptop computer shape and all of its instances on the drawing page, click Yes. The Laptop computer shape drawing window closes and Visio adds the new shape data field to all the Laptop computer shapes in the diagram and on the Document Stencil.
14.	Right-click the Document Stencil title bar, and then click Close. The Document Stencil closes.
15.	Click the Darren Parker shape, and then scroll to the bottom of the list in the Shape Data window to see the new User Name data field. The User Name box has been added to the Darren Parker shape. Now you could document the individuals who use each laptop computer in the diagram.   Tip You can quickly create a data field for a single instance of a shape. Rather than editing the shape in the Document Stencil, select the shape on the drawing page. Right-click the Shape Data window, and then click Define Shape Data on the shortcut menu. In the Define Shape Data dialog box, click New, and then enter the information for the new data field.
16.	Position the pointer over the User Name box to see the ScreenTip that appears for the data field.
17.	In the Shape Data window, click the User Name box, and then type Darren Parker. Visio stores the new shape data with the Darren Parker shape.
18.	On the File menu, click Close, and then click No when Visio asks you if you want to save the changes to the drawing. Visio and the drawing close.