Show an Object in the ShapeSheet Window

Office 2013 and later

Last modified: January 09, 2012

Applies to: Office 2013 | Visio 2013

In this article
Show a shape, group, guide, guide point, or foreign object
Show a master
Show a page
Show a document
Show a style

Microsoft Visio objects are stored internally as a set of formulas. You can view a Visio object in the ShapeSheet window to see and edit the underlying formulas that determine its appearance and behavior.

For details on how to show a specific object in the ShapeSheet window, click an element in the following list.

  1. Select the object.

  2. On the Developer tab, click Show ShapeSheet.

You can access the ShapeSheet window and edit formulas only for masters on a custom or document stencil. Beginning with Microsoft Office Visio 2003, you cannot edit masters on stencils that ship with the Visio product.

  1. In the Shapes window, click More Shapes, and then click Open Stencil.

  2. Locate and select the stencil that contains the master, click the arrow next to the Open button, select an opening option from the drop-down list, and then click Open.

    If the stencil is already open, right-click the stencil title bar, and then click Edit Stencil on the shortcut menu.

  3. Right-click the master on the stencil, click Edit Master on the shortcut menu, and then click Edit Master Shape.

  4. In the master editing window, right-click the master and then click Show ShapeSheet.

  1. Make sure nothing on the page is selected.

  2. Right-click the page and then click Show ShapeSheet.

  1. On the Developer tab, in the Show/Hide group, select Drawing Explorer Window.

  2. In the Drawing Explorer, right-click the document, and then click Show ShapeSheet on the shortcut menu.

  1. On the Developer tab, in the Show/Hide group, select Drawing Explorer Window.

  2. In the Drawing Explorer, expand the Styles folder.

  3. Right-click the style, and then click Show ShapeSheet on the shortcut menu.

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