Basic questions I can't seem to figure out. (I'm beginner)

So, I did try searching for these topics, but couldn’t find a definite answer.

I’m doing a Basic Solar Wiring “Block” Diagram.

Here are my questions.

  1. How can I add more connection points to a shape? I would prefer having 4 instead of 3 points. I’m doing large shapes.

  2. Is there a way to make the connection arrows thicker. To represent different wire gauge’s and whatnot as well as more visible to see.

  3. Can I remove the arrow direction? It just feels redundant, and kind of cluttered for what I am doing.

  4. Is there a way I can stamp/fix/join text to a shape. Say I make a square and call it SOLAR BOX, and later on I want to move that shape so that I can make the wiring easier to follow. Is there a way so that text moves automatically with the box??

I think that about sums it up.

Hi eblanc,

So I presume you are referring to Block diagram in Visual Paradigm Online Diagrams. Here are the answers to your questions:

  1. It is possible to have custom connection points of shape, but currently there is no user interface to do it directly, you will have to edit the shape’s style:

a. Select the shape and click “Edit Style” in the format panel:

image

b. You will notice the style in the form of key=value pairs delimited by semi-colon. Add the “points” style as a test like:

points=[[0,0],[0.5,1]]

image

c. Apply the change. You will notice the connection points now changed to reflect the new style. The point is specified in the form of:

[ratio to shape width, ratio to shape height]

so [0,0] means the point is at left and top, while [0.5, 1] means the point is at half the shape width and bottom.

image

d. For your requirement, you need to use:

points=[[0,0],[0.2,0],[0.4,0],[0.6,0],[0.8,0],[1,0],[0,1],[0.2,1],[0.4,1],[0.6,1],[0.8,1],[1,1],[0,0.2],[0,0.4],[0,0.6],[0,0.8],[0,1],[1,0.2],[1,0.4],[1,0.6],[1,0.8],[1,1]]

and here is the result:

image

2 and 3. Connector thickness, arrows and many more can be configured using the format panel also:

image

  1. Two unrelated shapes can be attached together using menu Arrange > Group.

Best Regards,

Antony.

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Hi Anthony,

Very much thanks for all this information, and extra points for the pictures!!! as well as explaining the style and how the point system works. I still don’t understand the coordinates a 100% like, which side it starts on first, but I managed to understand and experiment enough to get what I needed… So I am pretty happy with the results, as well as I can now see Visual Paradigm as a way more stronger tool with this information, probably will be my go to for all basic block and circuit diagrams!

I wanted to share this with you.

I still have a couple minor questions.

  1. I’m noticing color coded wires are overlapping if I want to bring all red wires to front sot hat the green is not over top of them, how do I do this? I tried the send to back and front but did not work?

  2. I noticed sometimes inserting/moving text and shapes, inside other shapes, sometimes it makes the original shape bigger to fit all that information, which sometimes is annoying.

I think that’s about. I’m inserting an image to share the work. That I have done as of right now.

Hi eblanc,

I am glad that my information helped you. To answer you questions:

  1. I replied you in a separate topic, we will check and fix this issue as soon as possible.

  2. This is our designed behavior to make containment of shapes easier. So do you mean sometimes you want two shapes to be overlapped instead of making one shape contains another?

Best Regards,

Antony.

Great! Thanks!

  1. Well it mostly happened with text, I would have the perfect text box to fit exactly inside the rectangle, for example the “Low volt disc. relay text”. And every time I put it in it would enlarge the box, I had to struggle a bit to finally get it working. I think text box has to be smaller, than large shape, which is fine but I do remember struggling with it a little longer than I anticipated. And other shapes where like this as well. Maybe don’t do any changes now as auto grouping is a nice feature as well, but just keep in hindsight, in case more people find the same problem.

Hi eblanc,

We will see whether we can enhance the usability regarding the shape containment behavior. Thank you very much for your suggestion.

Cheers,

Antony.

Of course! modify only if you see fit. just thought I’d mention in case it becomes a recurrent issue. Then it might warrant modification of feature.

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