Import stencils from Visio

What it is

The Import button in the Rack Editor Library panel converts Microsoft Visio stencil files into CreaRack stencils. Each Visio master (template shape) becomes one stencil image in your library. Supported formats:

Files up to 50 MB are accepted. Importing requires an admin account.

How to import a Visio file

1. Open any rack in the Rack Editor and expand the Library panel (left side).
2. Click Import and pick the file.
3. The Import Stencils dialog opens and analyzes the file. For .vsdx/.vsd/.vss files a progress spinner shows while the server converts the file in the background — large vendor files can take a few minutes; just leave the dialog open.
4. The dialog then lists every shape found: a checkbox, a preview thumbnail, the name (editable right in the list), an optional per-shape Category box, and the detected height in U. All shapes start selected; the Selected counter tracks your choice.
5. Use Select All / Unselect All, or click rows individually.
6. Set the Category Name — it is pre-filled with the file name and acts as the default for every shape. To send a specific shape to a different folder, type a name in its own Category box.
7. Rename any shape by editing its name box before importing.
8. Click Import Selected.

The new stencils appear in their category folders right away — no page reload — and a toast confirms how many were imported. Drag one onto the canvas to check the image quality.

What happens during the import

• Uploading the file creates a temporary analysis session on the server. Confirming the import moves the generated images into your library and cleans the session up.
• .vsdx/.vsd drawings are converted page by page: each page of the drawing becomes one stencil (grouped shapes on a page stay together in one image).
• .vss stencils are converted shape by shape with their real master names, and the height in U is estimated from the drawing dimensions — review it in the list before importing.
• Every SVG that enters the library is sanitized on the server first — scripts and external references are stripped automatically.
• Each shape lands in its own Category if you typed one; otherwise the general Category Name applies.
• Masters flagged as half-width keep that flag and show a (Half) tag in the library.

Troubleshooting

• “Invalid file type” error — only .vsdx, .vsd, .vssx, .vdx, .vss, and .svg are accepted.
• “File too large” warning — the limit is 50 MB per file, and the dialog warns you the moment you pick an oversized file (nothing is uploaded). Some vendors publish the same stencil set in both .vss and .vssx; the .vssx is usually smaller — prefer it.
• The conversion takes very long or times out — very large files can exceed the dialog’s wait of a few minutes. Split the drawing into fewer pages, or export the shapes you need from Visio as .vssx.
• Analysis fails or the list is empty — shapes with very complex content or embedded macros may not convert. The import produces static images only; Visio text and interactive behavior are not preserved.
• Nothing imports / permission error — importing Visio files requires the admin role.
• Some selected shapes are missing after import — shapes whose image could not be generated (or that failed the safety check) are skipped.
• “Session expired or invalid” — too much time passed between analyzing and confirming. Upload the file again.

Related

• [[crearack—racks—stencils-crear]] — create stencils from your own images
• [[crearack—racks—stencils-backup]] — back up and restore the whole library
• [[crearack—racks—dispositivos]] — place imported stencils in a rack
• [[crearack—conceptos—stencils-conceptos]] — stencil and library concepts

Véase también

• [[crearack—racks—stencils-crear]]
• [[crearack—racks—stencils-backup]]
• [[crearack—racks—dispositivos]]
• [[crearack—conceptos—stencils-conceptos]]