Microsoft KB Archive/254625

= Visio: Why Visio Cannot Add a Fill Pattern or Color to Certain Shapes =

PSS ID Number: 254625

Article Last Modified on 6/4/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Visio 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Visio 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Visio 2000 Technical Edition
 * Microsoft Visio 2000 Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft Visio Standard 5.0x
 * Microsoft Visio Professional 5.0x
 * Microsoft Visio Technical 5.0x
 * Microsoft Visio Enterprise 5.0x

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This article was previously published under Q254625



SUMMARY
Visio can add the fill attribute to a shape only if it considers the shape a 2-D closed-path shape. If you create your own shape, such as a rectangle, by drawing four separate lines and positioning them in the shape of a rectangle, Visio does not consider it a closed-path shape, even though you may have connected the endpoints after you drew them or grouped the segments. To add a fill color or pattern, you must "close" the shape. The following steps show you how to use the Fragment command to convert a shape of several individual segments to a single closed-path shape that you can fill.

To "close" the shape:
 * 1) Ungroup the shape or any part of it if necessary.
 * 2) Select all parts of the shape, point to Operations on the Shape menu, and then click Combine.
 * 3) Drag a 2-D rectangle to the drawing page, and then size and position the rectangle so that it completely covers the shape that you want to fill.
 * 4) On the Shape menu, click Send to Back. This moves the rectangle behind the other shape, so that the other shape is visible.
 * 5) Select both the rectangle and the shape that you want to fill.
 * 6) On the Shape menu, point to Operations, and then click Fragment. This creates a closed version of your shape on top of the original background rectangle.



MORE INFORMATION
If the shape that you want to fill is a rectangular 2-D shape, you may be able to fill the shape by editing a cell in its ShapeSheet.

To add a fill in the ShapeSheet:
 * 1) Select the shape, and then open the ShapeSheet.
 * 2) In the Geometry section, set cell A1 to 0 (zero). This adds a white fill, which you can then edit as you would any other fill.

Keywords: KB254625

Technology: kbVisio2000Search kbVisio500xSearch kbVisioSearch kbZNotKeyword3

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