VBA/Visio course recommendation?

DVS has been the standard starting point for Visio development since it was
first released. The examples were in VB, when Visio was the first non
Microsoft product to fully implement VBA, the examples in DVS were in VBA.
Originally it was a blue book, then a PDF and it's final incarnation was as
a Microsoft Press book (and a set of MSDN webpages).

So what is DVS. Originally it was Developing Visio Shapes, then renamed
Developing Visio Solutions, then Developing (Microsoft) Visio Solutions. For
those who have bought Graham Wideman's book, the unofficial name of the DVS
book is Da Very Start.

So, find a copy of Visio.pdf from an older version of Visio, buy the MS
press book, or visit the MSDN website. Though the book was released for
Visio 2002 and the pdfs are getting long in the tooth, more than 90% of the
information is still applicable to Visio 2007. Hopefully the book will be
updated for the next version of Visio.

Oh, I almost forgot, David Parker's book covers Data graphics, something
that was included in Visio 2007.

(We have also been bribing Graham to update his VIsio 2002 book)

John... Visio MVP

"WapperDude" <WapperDude.DeleteThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:620D33AC-3FED-448A-A991-DCA1F866DE05@microsoft.com...
> Hey Paul --
> Unfortunately, there isn't a nice text for Visio VBA as there is for
> Excel.
> I'll refer you to an answer posted in the Developer section, subject is:
> Re:
> is there a book for macros in visio 2003?.
>
> I've seen similar posts to yours, and the common answer seems to be the
> same
> as in the post above, basically, trial by fire, and when stumped, ask for
> help in a forum. Part of the problem is Visio offers much more breadth in
> this arena than say Excel, and, Visio isn't quite as stable in my opinion.
> Some quite a bit can change from release to release. But, if your looking
> to
> do VBA in Excel, my recommendation is the current text by John Walkenbach.
>
> Wapperdude
>
>
>
> "Paul" wrote:
>
>> I learned my Visio on the streets, which means by banging around. Not
>> much use of the stencils except when I need a shape. Trial and error
>> on the interconnect types, and connection handles.
>>
>> I want to take a VBA course because it would add a lot of value in the
>> environment of MS Windows applications. I suspect that I should try
>> to lean it toward Visio first, and Excel second. The combination of
>> Visio and VBA seems quite rare. Would anyone have suggestions? Any
>> special considerations to keep in mind due to the hole-filled
>> knowledge of Visio, as learned by banging around?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>

Interesting comment about DVS. It rang a bell, and I searched through my
files of antiquity, and yes, I have a paperback book, Developing Visio
Solutions. It came with Visio Technical 4.1. No author though. Seems to
cover much or most of the basic stuff. The following link will take you to
the website version,
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa245244(office.10).aspx, which is
under V2002. See my topic referal in 1st post, which includes John's website
-- has a ton of examples.!


"John... Visio MVP" wrote:

> DVS has been the standard starting point for Visio development since it was
> first released. The examples were in VB, when Visio was the first non
> Microsoft product to fully implement VBA, the examples in DVS were in VBA.
> Originally it was a blue book, then a PDF and it's final incarnation was as
> a Microsoft Press book (and a set of MSDN webpages).
>
> So what is DVS. Originally it was Developing Visio Shapes, then renamed
> Developing Visio Solutions, then Developing (Microsoft) Visio Solutions. For
> those who have bought Graham Wideman's book, the unofficial name of the DVS
> book is Da Very Start.
>
> So, find a copy of Visio.pdf from an older version of Visio, buy the MS
> press book, or visit the MSDN website. Though the book was released for
> Visio 2002 and the pdfs are getting long in the tooth, more than 90% of the
> information is still applicable to Visio 2007. Hopefully the book will be
> updated for the next version of Visio.
>
> Oh, I almost forgot, David Parker's book covers Data graphics, something
> that was included in Visio 2007.
>
> (We have also been bribing Graham to update his VIsio 2002 book)
>
> John... Visio MVP
>
> "WapperDude" <WapperDude.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:620D33AC-3FED-448A-A991-DCA1F866DE05@microsoft.com...
> > Hey Paul --
> > Unfortunately, there isn't a nice text for Visio VBA as there is for
> > Excel.
> > I'll refer you to an answer posted in the Developer section, subject is:
> > Re:
> > is there a book for macros in visio 2003?.
> >
> > I've seen similar posts to yours, and the common answer seems to be the
> > same
> > as in the post above, basically, trial by fire, and when stumped, ask for
> > help in a forum. Part of the problem is Visio offers much more breadth in
> > this arena than say Excel, and, Visio isn't quite as stable in my opinion.
> > Some quite a bit can change from release to release. But, if your looking
> > to
> > do VBA in Excel, my recommendation is the current text by John Walkenbach.
> >
> > Wapperdude
> >
> >
> >
> > "Paul" wrote:
> >
> >> I learned my Visio on the streets, which means by banging around. Not
> >> much use of the stencils except when I need a shape. Trial and error
> >> on the interconnect types, and connection handles.
> >>
> >> I want to take a VBA course because it would add a lot of value in the
> >> environment of MS Windows applications. I suspect that I should try
> >> to lean it toward Visio first, and Excel second. The combination of
> >> Visio and VBA seems quite rare. Would anyone have suggestions? Any
> >> special considerations to keep in mind due to the hole-filled
> >> knowledge of Visio, as learned by banging around?
> >>
> >> Thanks.
> >>
>
>

I've been hanging around since before version 1, so I am sort of the
unofficial historian. DVS was part of the official manual that came with
Visio, back in the old days when software did come with manuals. The book
was written by the Visio team and Chris Roth, the Visio Guy, had a hand in
it. His name is mentioned in the authors section in the earlier versions,
but that section was dropped by the time the book was updated for 4.1. (and
yes I do have a shelf load of Visio books that came with the product) One of
my early complaints was that the version number did not appear on the spine.

John...

"WapperDude" <WapperDude RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:CCC157BA-EC28-4E16-8DCC-99BE614A02A5@microsoft.com...
> Interesting comment about DVS. It rang a bell, and I searched through my
> files of antiquity, and yes, I have a paperback book, Developing Visio
> Solutions. It came with Visio Technical 4.1. No author though. Seems to
> cover much or most of the basic stuff. The following link will take you
> to
> the website version,
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa245244(office.10).aspx, which is
> under V2002. See my topic referal in 1st post, which includes John's
> website
> -- has a ton of examples.!
>

John,
You missed that Graham wrote one for the 2003 version as well.

al

"John... Visio MVP" <lancucki.TakeThisOut@stonehenge.ca> wrote in message
news:9EE30B5C-ACCE-464E-933D-883D3D90088E@microsoft.com...
> I've been hanging around since before version 1, so I am sort of the
> unofficial historian. DVS was part of the official manual that came with
> Visio, back in the old days when software did come with manuals. The book
> was written by the Visio team and Chris Roth, the Visio Guy, had a hand in
> it. His name is mentioned in the authors section in the earlier versions,
> but that section was dropped by the time the book was updated for 4.1.
> (and yes I do have a shelf load of Visio books that came with the product)
> One of my early complaints was that the version number did not appear on
> the spine.
>
> John...
>
> "WapperDude" <WapperDude.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:CCC157BA-EC28-4E16-8DCC-99BE614A02A5@microsoft.com...
>> Interesting comment about DVS. It rang a bell, and I searched through my
>> files of antiquity, and yes, I have a paperback book, Developing Visio
>> Solutions. It came with Visio Technical 4.1. No author though. Seems
>> to
>> cover much or most of the basic stuff. The following link will take you
>> to
>> the website version,
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa245244(office.10).aspx, which
>> is
>> under V2002. See my topic referal in 1st post, which includes John's
>> website
>> -- has a ton of examples.!
>>
>
>

We were discussing DVS. Graham's books go beyond DVS so they require that
you are acquianted with DVS.

As to Graham's 2003 version, the SIGNED version is sitting within three feet
of this keyboard, next to his other two books. There is also space next to
them for his next edition.

John...

"AlEdlund" <edlund RemoveThis @ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:ABF7D93B-F2BD-46D3-9780-CDA8565FA8D2@microsoft.com...
> John,
> You missed that Graham wrote one for the 2003 version as well.
>
> al
>
> "John... Visio MVP" <lancucki RemoveThis @stonehenge.ca> wrote in message
> news:9EE30B5C-ACCE-464E-933D-883D3D90088E@microsoft.com...
>> I've been hanging around since before version 1, so I am sort of the
>> unofficial historian. DVS was part of the official manual that came with
>> Visio, back in the old days when software did come with manuals. The book
>> was written by the Visio team and Chris Roth, the Visio Guy, had a hand
>> in it. His name is mentioned in the authors section in the earlier
>> versions, but that section was dropped by the time the book was updated
>> for 4.1. (and yes I do have a shelf load of Visio books that came with
>> the product) One of my early complaints was that the version number did
>> not appear on the spine.
>>
>> John...
>>
>> "WapperDude" <WapperDude RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:CCC157BA-EC28-4E16-8DCC-99BE614A02A5@microsoft.com...
>>> Interesting comment about DVS. It rang a bell, and I searched through
>>> my
>>> files of antiquity, and yes, I have a paperback book, Developing Visio
>>> Solutions. It came with Visio Technical 4.1. No author though. Seems
>>> to
>>> cover much or most of the basic stuff. The following link will take you
>>> to
>>> the website version,
>>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa245244(office.10).aspx, which
>>> is
>>> under V2002. See my topic referal in 1st post, which includes John's
>>> website
>>> -- has a ton of examples.!
>>>
>>
>>
>

Thanks for the references, Wapper, John, and Al.

Would you know of any actual courses (possibly multilple days) to get
someone jumpstarted? Sitting down with a book presumes realistic
scheduling and scope of mainline activities (which isn't always in
one's control). In the absence of such, it isn't all that fine to be
doing other stuff (or actually, there is, but there are other things
competing for that time!). However, it is OK to take a time-out to
formally get a jumpstart via courses.

If there are no courses that are visio-oriented, what Excel-oriented
course would minimize the gap in getting started in visio? Would it
be overly presumptuous to also have the criteria of looking for a
course for those who haven't yet picked up VBA on the streets of
Excel, and have a intermediate knowledge of Excel as a spreadsheet
rather than a programming tool? I.e. same degree of knowledge depth
as one might have of older spreadsheet programs such as sc on unix,
Quatro, and older applications on the venerable CBM machines....

On Aug 30, 5:14 pm, "John... Visio MVP" <lancu....TakeThisOut@stonehenge.ca>
wrote:
> We were discussing DVS. Graham's books go beyond DVS so they require that
> you are acquianted with DVS.
>
> As to Graham's 2003 version, the SIGNED version is sitting within three feet
> of this keyboard, next to his other two books. There is also space next to
> them for his next edition.
>
> John...
>
> "AlEdlund" <edl....TakeThisOut@ameritech.net> wrote in message
>
> news:ABF7D93B-F2BD-46D3-9780-CDA8565FA8D2@microsoft.com...
>
>
>
> > John,
> > You missed that Graham wrote one for the 2003 version as well.
> >
> > al
>
> > "John... Visio MVP" <lancu....TakeThisOut@stonehenge.ca> wrote in message
> >news:9EE30B5C-ACCE-464E-933D-883D3D90088E@microsoft.com...
> >> I've been hanging around since before version 1, so I am sort of the
> >> unofficial historian. DVS was part of the official manual that came with
> >> Visio, back in the old days when software did come with manuals. The book
> >> was written by the Visio team and Chris Roth, the Visio Guy, had a hand
> >> in it. His name is mentioned in the authors section in the earlier
> >> versions, but that section was dropped by the time the book was updated
> >> for 4.1. (and yes I do have a shelf load of Visio books that came with
> >> the product) One of my early complaints was that the version number did
> >> not appear on the spine.
>
> >> John...
>
> >> "WapperDude" <WapperD....TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >>news:CCC157BA-EC28-4E16-8DCC-99BE614A02A5@microsoft.com...
> >>> Interesting comment about DVS.  It rang a bell, and I searched through
> >>> my
> >>> files of antiquity, and yes, I have a paperback book, Developing Visio
> >>> Solutions.  It came with Visio Technical 4.1.  No author though.  Seems
> >>> to
> >>> cover much or most of the basic stuff.  The following link will take you
> >>> to
> >>> the website version,
> >>>http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa245244(office.10).aspx, which
> >>> is
> >>> under V2002.  See my topic referal in 1st post, which includes John's
> >>> website
> >>> -- has a ton of examples.!- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -