Page.CreateSelection Method

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Visio Automation Reference

Creates various types of Selection objects.

Version Information
 Version Added:  Visio 2003

Syntax

expression.CreateSelection(SelType, IterationMode, Data)

expression   A variable that represents a Page object.

Parameters

Name Required/Optional Data Type Description
SelType Required VisSelectionTypes The type of selection. See Remarks for possible values.
IterationMode Optional VisSelectMode The selection mode used. See Remarks for possible values.
Data Optional Variant The object type that corresponds to the SelType argument. See Remarks for possible values.

Return Value
Selection

Remarks

The CreateSelection method makes it possible to create complex selections programmatically. So instead of having to select all shapes on a page, for example, you can select only those on a given layer, or only those based on a certain master.

Calling the CreateSelection method with SelType equal to visSelTypeByType or visSelTypeByLayer is equivalent to selecting options in the Select byType dialog box (Edit menu).

The SelType argument should be one of the following values, which are declared in VisSelectionTypes in the Visio type library.

Constant Value Description

visSelTypeAll

1

A selection that initially contains all shapes.

visSelTypeByDataGraphic

6

A selection that initially contains all shapes that have a given type of data graphic appled.

visSelTypeByLayer

3

A selection that initially contains all the shapes of a given layer.

visSelTypeByMaster

5

A selection that initially contains all the instantiated shapes of a given master.

visSelTypeByType

4

A selection that initially contains all the shapes of a given type.

visSelTypeEmpty

0

A selection that initially contains no shapes.

visSelTypeSingle

2

A selection that initially contains one shape.

The optional IterationMode argument should be one of the following values, which are declared in VisSelectMode in the Visio type library. The default is visSelModeSkipSuper.

Constant Value Description

visSelModeOnlySub

&H0800

Selection only reports subselected shapes.

visSelModeOnlySuper

&H0200

Selection only reports superselected shapes.

visSelModeSkipSub

&H0400

Selection does not report subselected shapes.

visSelModeSkipSuper

&H0100

Selection does not report superselected shapes.

The optional Data argument should be an object that corresponds to the object type specified by SelType. For example, if you want to select all the masters of a certain type, Data should be of type Master. And if you want to select all the shapes on a certain layer, Data should be of type Layer.

When the SelType argument is visSelTypeByType, possible Data values should be one of the following values, which are declared in VisTypeSelectionTypes in the Visio type library.

Constant Value Description

visTypeSelBitmap

16

A shape that is a bitmap.

visTypeSelGroup

1

A shape that contains other shapes.

visTypeSelGuide

4

A shape that is a guide.

visTypeSelInk

32

A shape that is ink.

visTypeSelMetafile

8

A shape that is a metafile.

visTypeSelOLE

64

A shape that is linked, embedded, or a control.

visTypeSelShape

2

A native Visio shape.

Example

This Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro shows how to use the CreateSelection method to select all shapes on a particular layer. Before running this macro, create two layers in your drawing, one named "a" and one named "b", and add shapes to both layers.

Visual Basic for Applications 
  Public Sub CreateSelection_Layer_Example()

Dim vsoLayer As Visio.Layer
Dim vsoSelection As Visio.Selection

Set vsoLayer = ActivePage.Layers.ItemU("a")
Set vsoSelection = ActivePage.CreateSelection(visSelTypeByLayer, visSelModeSkipSuper, vsoLayer)

Application.ActiveWindow.Selection = vsoSelection



End Sub

This VBA macro shows how to use the CreateSelection method to select a particular shape on the drawing page. Before running this macro, open the Basic Shapes stencil.

Visual Basic for Applications 
  Public Sub CreateSelection_Page_Example()

Dim vsoSelection As Visio.Selection
Dim vsoShape As Visio.Shape

Application.ActiveWindow.Page.Drop Application.Documents("BASIC_U.VSS").Masters.ItemU("Rectangle"), 2, 9
Application.ActiveWindow.Page.Drop Application.Documents("BASIC_U.VSS").Masters.ItemU("Rectangle"), 5, 9
Application.ActiveWindow.Page.Drop Application.Documents("BASIC_U.VSS").Masters.ItemU("Rectangle"), 2, 7

Set vsoShape = ActivePage.Shapes(2)    
Set vsoSelection = ActivePage.CreateSelection(visSelTypeSingle, visSelModeSkipSuper, vsoShape) 

Application.ActiveWindow.Selection = vsoSelection

Debug.Print vsoShape.Name   



End Sub

See Also