Visio

From Luke Jackson

Working with protected shapes

If you can’t select a shape, the shape might be protected against selection, which prevents you from deleting or applying any changes to it such as positioning, resizing, formatting, editing text, or rotating. To remove protection against selection

1. On the View menu, click Drawing Explorer Window.
2. Right-click the drawing file name, and then click Protect Document.
3. In the Protect Document dialog box, clear the Shapes check box, and then click OK.

If you can select a shape, but can't apply any changes to it, the shape might still be protected. If grey handle bars on the shape you select, the shape is locked against all changes. To remove protection against all changes

1. Select the shape, and then on the Format menu, click Protection.
2. Clear the check boxes that apply to the characteristics you want to change, and then click OK.

Working with groups

If you can select the shape, but you can't work with it as you expect, the shape might be a group. Shapes that are grouped together function as one unit. For example, if the shapes are grouped, you can change their color at the same time. To find out if a shape is a group

You can find out if a shape is a group by selecting the shape and then clicking Special on the Format menu. If the shape Type is specified as Group, the shape is a group. To select a shape within a group

You can select a shape within a group by selecting the group, and then on theEdit menu, clicking Open Group. A window opens that displays the group of shapes. You can then select a shape and apply changes to it. When you are finished, close the window by clicking the Close button on the upper right corner of the window.

Tip: You can also select a shape within a group by clicking a group once, and then clicking a specific shape within the group.

Sources

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio/HA010788361033.aspx