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Modifying Existing Stencils to Build a Shape Library

Learn how to take existing Visio stencils with route shapes, combine them with a player symbol and route label to create reusable grouped shapes, and link the resulting file to the PQD Play Editor as a shape library.

 

Catapult Integrations Package is required in order to use the Visio Play Editor Tool.

 

Overview: Shape library vs. Drawing Library

The PQD Play Editor supports two types of libraries:

  • Drawing library — A Visio file where each page represents a full formation or personnel grouping. Used to stamp a complete set of players onto a play diagram.
  • Shape library — A Visio file where each shape represents a single player-with-route combination or other line designations. Used to place individual pre-built routes onto a play diagram.

This article covers the shape library. Each shape combines two elements:  a line path (such as a route or block), and a label. Once linked to PQD, these shapes appear in the Shapes tab as clickable thumbnails that place a complete player-and-route unit onto the document.

📋 Prerequisites
You need an existing Visio drawing that contains route shapes to work from. You will modify these existing shapes rather than drawing routes from scratch. The PQD Play Editor panel must also be active in Visio before you begin. 

 

Understanding the starting stencil

Before modifying anything, understand how an existing stencil is set up. The starting file is a Visio drawing with a stencil loaded in the Quick Shapes panel. The stencil contains basic route shapes that are raw line-based routes without player symbols or labels attached.

The goal is to take those raw route lines and a route name label to each one, group both elements into a single shape, and save that modified file so PQD can use it as a shape library.

The line by default should start in the middle of a player. PQD has settings to adjust from the top or bottom of an object but middle is the best practice and most consistent style for creating a shape library.

Step 1 — Open an existing route stencil drawing

  1. Open your existing stencil or route drawing in Visio with the PQD Play Editor panel active. This is the file that contains the base route shapes you want to modify.
  2. Review what routes are present. Identify each route shape that needs a player symbol and label added.

💡 Tip — Work on one route at a time
Complete the full process — add line, add label, group — for one route before moving to the next. This keeps the canvas organized and reduces the chance of accidentally selecting the wrong elements when grouping. 

 

Step 2 — Add the line and label each line

  1. Drag the line from the stencil and place on the page.
  2. Click the route shape on the page to select it. Ungroup the lines to disconnect it from the stencil master.
  3. Add a route label text box below the player symbol. Labels such as POST and DIG are placed just below the player symbol. This can be a standard Visio text box or a label shape from the stencil.
  4. Make sure the starting point of the line is built in the middle of where a player is located.
  5. Confirm the elements are positioned correctly. When complete, each route shape should have: the route line and arrow at the top, the line should start from the center/middle of the player, and the route name label below the player.

⭐ Pro tip — Zoom in to place elements precisely
Route shapes can be small on the canvas. Zoom in to 800–1000% using Ctrl+scroll or the View ribbon to place the player symbol and label exactly where you want them relative to the route stem. Precision at this stage makes the grouped shape look clean when it appears in the shape library panel. 

Step 3 — Edit the route label text

  1. Double-click the label element to enter text edit mode.
  2. Type the route name exactly as you want it to appear in the library — for example, DIG or POST.
  3. Click outside the label to exit text edit mode.

📋 Note — Labels appear in the shape library thumbnail
The route label text is part of the grouped shape and will be visible in the shape thumbnail inside the PQD Shapes tab. Using clear, consistent route names makes it easier for coaches to identify and select the right shape.

 

Step 4 — Group the route and label

Grouping combines the elements — the route line  and the label — into a single selectable shape. This is the most important step. If the elements are not grouped, PQD will not treat them as a single shape library entry.

  1. Select all elements for this route. Click and drag a selection box around the route line and label — or hold Ctrl and click each element individually.
  2. Group the selection. Right-click and choose Group, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+G. The elements will merge into a single grouped shape with a unified selection border.
  3. Confirm the group is correct. Click away to deselect, then click back on the shape. Only one set of selection handles should appear around the entire unit. If individual elements are still selectable independently, the group was not applied — undo and try again.

⚠️ Warning — Always group before saving
If elements are not grouped before the file is saved and linked to PQD, the shape library will display the elements as separate items rather than as a unified route shape. Verify each group is correct before moving on. 

💡 Tip — Use the Diagram Navigation panel to verify shapes
Visio's Diagram Navigation panel lists the named elements on the page. After grouping, you should see each route listed as a single named item — for example, DIG and POST — rather than as separate sub-elements. This confirms the group was applied correctly. 

 

Step 5 — Repeat for all routes

  1. Move to the next route shape on the canvas and repeat Steps 2–4 for each route in the file.
  2. Verify all routes are grouped before saving. Click each shape on the canvas one by one to confirm each selects as a single grouped unit.

⭐ Pro tip — Build your full route tree in one session
If you plan to include all of your route concepts in the library, complete them all in one session before saving and linking. Adding routes to the library later requires updating the file and re-linking it, which takes additional steps. 

 

Step 6 — Save the file as a new Visio drawing

  1. Press Ctrl+S or go to File → Save As.
  2. Navigate to your preferred save location. Choose a stable folder — for example, a dedicated PQD shapes folder on your Desktop or OneDrive.
  3. Enter a descriptive file name — for example, NEW ROUTES or Receiver Routes Library.
  4. Save as Visio Drawing (.vsdx) and click Save. If Visio prompts you to save the original stencil file, choose Don't Save for the original so you preserve it unmodified.

 

Step 7 — Link the file to PQD as a shape library

With the file saved, link it to PQD through the Shapes tab — not the Drawings tab. Shape libraries and drawing libraries are linked from different locations within the panel.

  1. Open the PQD Play Editor panel and click the "Shapes" tab.
  2. Click the "⋯" (more options) button next to the Shapes dropdown.
  3. Select "Add Shape Library." A file browser dialog titled Add Shape Library to SHAPES will open.
  4. Navigate to your saved Visio file and select it, then click Open.
  5. Confirm the library appears in the Shapes tab. The new shape library will appear as a named entry — for example, NEW ROUTES. Below the library list, the Shapes tab displays two sub-tabs: Lines and Drawings.

⚠️ Warning — Link from the Shapes tab, not the Drawings tab
Shape libraries must be linked from the Shapes tab in the PQD Play Editor panel. Linking a shape file from the Drawings tab will cause it to appear incorrectly and will not work as expected. 

 

What the result looks like

After linking, the Shapes tab shows your shape library listed alongside any existing libraries. Selecting your library reveals two sub-tabs:

  • Lines tab — Displays each grouped route shape as a thumbnail (for example, DIG and POST) that can be clicked to place the shape on the active play diagram.
  • Drawings tab — Displays any full-diagram drawings in the file. For a routes-only shape library, this tab will typically be empty.

Clicking a shape thumbnail in the Lines tab places that complete route — player symbol, route line, and label — directly onto the active play canvas.

 

 Best Practices

  • Build one shape library per receiver position or route category. Consider building separate files for X receiver routes, Y receiver routes, Z receiver routes, and so on. This keeps each library focused and makes it faster for coaches to find the right shape.
  • Name routes using your staff's exact terminology. The route label text is what coaches read when selecting shapes. Use the same route names your entire staff already knows.
  • Verify every group before saving. Before saving and linking, click each shape on the canvas one final time to confirm it selects as a single grouped unit. Fixing ungrouped shapes after linking requires updating the source file and re-linking.
  • Save the file to a stable, shared location. Store the Visio file where all PQD users on your staff can access it. The PQD Play Editor links to the file by its path, so moving it after linking will break the connection.
  • Keep the original stencil file as a backup. Before modifying an existing stencil, save a copy of the original to a separate location so you can start over or reference it later if needed.