… that is the question!
I have known for some time that it is safer to copy and paste code from the web into Notepad or similar, before copying and pasting that into my own code. It is not only new line characters that can be different but also the double-quotes. I recently noticed this when I was writing my series on Visio ShapeSheet Functions A-Z because I make copious use of the EVALTEXT(…) function, so I investigated further and found that there are different double-quotes used when typing text into a Visio shape or typing into a Visio ShapeSheet cell!
I used the Immediate Window in the VB Editor to get the Ascii numbers for the three different double-quote characters:
The ShapeSheet formulas that I used with Insert / Field / Custom Formula on the three callouts associated with the ellipse shape containing “”” are:
="The first character of the target shape evaluates to : "&IFERROR(LEFT(SHAPETEXT(CALLOUTTARGETREF()!TheText),1),"#NA")="The second character of the target shape evaluates to : "&IFERROR(MID(SHAPETEXT(CALLOUTTARGETREF()!TheText),2,1),"#NA")="The last character of the target shape evaluates to : "&IFERROR(RIGHT(SHAPETEXT(CALLOUTTARGETREF()!TheText),1),"#NA")I discussed these findings with fellow Visio MVP, John Goldsmith, who pointed out that Visio is using a Word feature to auto-format as you type, and this can be unticked in Visio Options / Proofing / AutoFormat As You Type / Replace as you type / “Straight quotes” with “smart quotes”.
This does work, or, alternatively, you can hit CTRL-Z immediately after typing a double-quote character because the straight quote is inserted first, and then followed by the AutoFormat replacing it with a smart quote.
Keeping Visio Data Graphic Items Level
My good friend Scott Helmers, Visio author and trainer, of Harvard Computing Group , recently asked for some help in keeping data graphic items level when their target shape is rotated. Fortunately, I was able to assist, so I thought I would explain how this can be done, and also update my Icon Maker macro…
Visio ShapeSheet Functions T – Z
The seventh, and final, 25 of the Visio ShapeSheet functions that start with the letters T – Z are visually described in the Visio document below that is available for download. Please see the general introduction to this series at ShapeSheet Functions A-Z for more information. (more…)
Automatic Line and Segment Lengths in Visio
Many years ago, I wrote some VBA code to calculate the length of a multi-segment line in Visio, see Automating Area and Perimeter Length Shape Data , but Microsoft have since provided a handy ShapeSheet function, PATHLENGTH(…), to do the same without any VBA. The function is described on one of the pages in Visio…
Visio ShapeSheet Functions S
The sixth 19 of the Visio ShapeSheet functions that start with the letter S are visually described in the Visio document below that is available for download. Please see the general introduction to this series at ShapeSheet Functions A-Z for more information. (more…)
Testing Regional Settings in Visio
There are times that I have been caught out by assuming that everyone speaks “proper” English, like what I do (sic), and forgetting that there are other languages with their own formatting conventions. I think most of the world is bemused at the USA date format where they put the month before the day and…
Visio ShapeSheet Functions O-R
The fifth 33 of the Visio ShapeSheet functions that start with the letters O through to R are visually described in the Visio document below that is available for download. Please see the general introduction to this series at ShapeSheet Functions A-Z for more information. (more…)
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