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Visio - Keeping guide lines on top 2007>2016

I'm using Visio 2007 mostly for house/garden plans - using basic shapes. Not flow charts or organisations charts.

One thing that I would be prepared to upgrade to Visio 2016 for is the ability to keep the guides on top and visible at all times.

I have found no way to do this in 2007 - Is this possible in newer versions?

Thanks,
Roy

Scott Helmers

The default position for a guide is behind other objects; I think the assumption is that shapes on the page are "more important" -- they are the real reason you're creating the diagram -- consequently, the guides should not sit on top of them. However, like you, I've had diagrams in which I wanted to guides to be up front.

To answer youf specific question, the behavior of guides hasn't changed in newer versions of Visio so that's not a good reason to upgrade. There are other good reasons, but that's not one of them.

One reasonably easy way to bring all guides to the front: create a layer and put all the guides on the layer. Then whenever you want all guides in front, you can use the Select by Type feature (I can't remember where it is in Visio 2007 but let me know if you have trouble finding it).

In the Select by Type dialog box, click Layer and then select whatever name you assigned to the layer containing your guides.

Finally, with all guides selected, click Bring to Front.

Does this help?

RzzB

ASKER

Many thanks for your response.

Thanks for the info the newer versions. At the moments I can't actually see a good reason to upgrade given the way I use it.

The way I bring the grid lines to front at the moment is - Alt-E, B, N, U, Enter - then click to Bring to Front - long winded or what. That saves me the step of putting the grid lines on a layer.

I have just remembered that some years ago I did try to write some VBA for a Macro but failed miserably and didn't follow through - perhaps I should look at that again. Hmm...

Roy

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Scott Helmers

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RzzB

ASKER

Excellent - Now I just need to work out how to get that macro in to all my Visio projects.

Many thanks for your help.

Scott Helmers

The easiest way to make the macro available in multiple Visio diagrams is usually to save it in a custom stencil (stencils can contain code, just the same as a diagram can). Then 1) open the stencil in a diagram, and 2) save the diagram. The stencil should reopen, along with any existing stencils, the next time you open the diagram.

RzzB

ASKER

Ahh - fascinating - Thanks for that.

Visio - Keeping guide lines on top 2007&gt;2016

Visio - Keeping guide lines on top 2007>2016