Many shapes come with predefined data fields. But you also have the option of defining custom data fields for shapes or editing an existing data field. This Define Shape Data window helps you do those things.
Once fields have been defined, data can added to them in the Shape Data dialog box.
Edit the fields of an existing property
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In the Properties table at the bottom of the window, select a property name.
The boxes in the upper half of the window immediately show the values for that property.
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Select the value you want to change.
The fields you can edit are described in the sections below in this article.
Note: If you have the Developer tab visible on the ribbon, additional options are available in this dialog box. To turn on the Developer tab, select File > Options > Customize Ribbon. Then, in the box on the right side, under Main Tabs, select Developer.
Create a new property
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Below the Properties table at the bottom of the window, select New.
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Assign a meaningful Label to the property
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Fill in other fields as needed.
The fields you can edit are described in the sections below in this Help article.
Label
Specifies a name for the data. The label appears next to the field where the user enters data. A label consists of alphanumeric characters, including the underscore (_) character.
Name
(This option is only available when the Developer tab is visible on the ribbon.)
Specifies the name of the data in the ShapeSheet spreadsheet. For example, if you use the name Location, the ShapeSheet shows the row name Prop.Location. This option provides solution developers with control over row naming for writing formulas, code, and so on.
Type
Following are the supported types of shape data:
|
Value |
Description |
|---|---|
|
String |
Alphanumeric data. |
|
Number |
Numeric data. |
|
Fixed List |
A fixed list of options from which the user can select. The list is defined in the Format box. |
|
Variable List |
A list of options from which the user can select or add a new entry. The list is defined in the Format box. |
|
Boolean |
Boolean (TRUE/FALSE) data. |
|
Currency |
Monetary data, using the regional settings of Microsoft Windows for decimal and currency symbols. |
|
Date |
Dates and times. The calendar type is set in the Calendar box and affects the date formatting selections available in the Format list. Users can select a date from a calendar control or manually enter a date. |
|
Duration |
Time value expressed in one of five time units: seconds (es.), minutes (em.), hours (eh.), days (ed.), weeks (ew.). Users enter a value followed by one of the time-unit abbreviations shown here. |
Language
Identifies the language associated with the Date and String data types. Visio uses this setting to correctly display the date and time.
Format
Specifies how the specified data is displayed. How you use this field depends on the Type and Calendar settings.
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For string, number, currency, date, and duration data types, click the Format arrow to select from the list of available formats.
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For the fixed list and variable list data types, type the list items separated by semicolons (;). For example, "red;black;green" sets the list to include the items red, black, and green. If the data type is a fixed list, the user must select one of the three options. If it is a variable list, the user can select one of the three options or type any other data to add it to the list.
Note: Beginning the list with a semicolon causes a blank entry to appear at the top of the list. This is appropriate in situations where you want to allow users to leave the value blank, rather than forcing them to select an entry from the list.
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The Format box isn't available for the Boolean data type. In the case of Boolean, the options are TRUE and FALSE.
Calendar
Sets the type of calendar to use for the selected language: Arabic Hijri (Islamic), Hebrew Lunar (Jewish), Saka Era (Hindu), or Western (Gregorian). The calendar type affects the options available in the Format list. When the user enters a date, it is converted to the date for the selected calendar.
Value
Contains the initial value for the data.
Prompt
Specifies descriptive or instructional text that appears when the property is selected in the Shape Data dialog box or when the mouse is paused over the data label in the Shape Data window.
Sort key
Specifies the placement of the data in the Shape Data dialog box and the Shape Data window. For example, an item with a sort key of "a" appears above one with a sort key of "b". Within the Define Shape Data dialog box, the properties appear in the order in which they were created.
The Sort key option is only available when you're in Developer mode.
Ask on drop
Prompts users to enter data for a shape when they create instances of the shape or when they duplicate or copy a shape.
(This option is only available when the Developer tab is visible on the ribbon.)
Hidden
Hides the property from the user. This option is useful for solution developers who need to store properties for certain operations that don't need to be made visible to users.
(This option is only available when the Developer tab is visible on the ribbon.)
