Adding a Custom Route Line to the Shape Library

Overview: When to add a custom route

The PQD Play Editor comes with a shape library that already contains a large set of named route lines — including ARROW, ATTACK, BASIC, BENCH, BLAZE OUT, BRANCH, COMEBACK, CORNER, DEEP THUR, DIG, DOVER, DRAG, FADE, GO, OVER, SEAM, SHORT HOOK, SKY, SLUGGO UNDER, STICK, SWIRL, THRU, THUNDER, UNDER, and others in both on-ball and off-ball variations. These cover most common route trees out of the box.

If your offense uses a route concept that does not exist in the library — or if you need a variation with a different shape or depth — you can draw the route from scratch on the Visio canvas and add it directly to the library. Once added, it appears alongside all other routes in the Lines tab and is available to every coach using the library.

Understanding the starting state

Before adding a custom route, you start from an active Visio drawing with the PQD Play Editor open on the Shapes tab. The Shapes tab shows the currently linked library — for example, ROUTES [6 BOX] — with the Lines and Drawings sub-tabs visible at the bottom of the panel.

The Lines sub-tab displays all existing route shapes as thumbnails. Scrolling through it reveals the full route inventory already in the library. The goal of this process is to add one new custom route to that existing set without replacing or modifying any routes already there.

Step 1 — Draw the custom route line on the document

The new route is drawn directly on the active Visio canvas using Visio's standard drawing tools.

1. Click away from the shape library panel to set focus on the canvas.
2. Use Visio's line drawing tools to draw the route stem. Start by drawing the vertical stem of the route — this represents the depth the receiver runs before making their break. Click to set the starting point at the bottom, then drag upward to set the depth.
3. Add the route break or continuation. Continue drawing to add the break direction — for example, a curved hook return, a diagonal break, or a flat arrow. Visio's line tool lets you click multiple points to create an angled or multi-segment route path.
4. Add an arrowhead to indicate the route direction. Select the route line, then use the line formatting options to add an arrowhead at the top end of the route path to show the direction the receiver is heading.
5. Click away to deselect and review the shape. Zoom out to check that the route line looks correct and proportional before proceeding.

Step 2 — Add the player symbol at the base of the route

Each route shape in the library combines the route line with a player symbol. Add the appropriate player symbol to the bottom of the route stem you just drew.

1. Locate the player symbol in the Shapes panel. Find the player symbol that corresponds to the position running this route — for example, the X receiver circle.
2. Place the player symbol at the base of the route stem. The player symbol should sit at the bottom end of the vertical route stem, as if the player is the starting point of the route. Position it so it connects cleanly to the bottom of the line.

Step 3 — Group the route line and player symbol

1. Select both the route line and the player symbol. Click and drag a selection box around both elements, or hold Shift and click each one individually.
2. Group the selection with Ctrl+G. Press Ctrl+G or right-click and choose Group. The two elements will merge into a single grouped shape with a unified selection border.
3. Click away and reselect to verify the group. If only a single set of selection handles appears around the entire route-and-player unit, the group is correct. If elements still select independently, undo and repeat the grouping step.

Step 4 — Drag the grouped shape into the shape library

The route is added to the library by dragging the grouped shape directly from the canvas into the PQD shape library list in the panel — no file browser or menu is required.

1. Confirm the correct shape library is selected in the Shapes tab. Verify that the library you want to add the route to — for example, ROUTES [6 BOX] — is the currently selected library in the dropdown.
2. Click and hold the grouped shape on the canvas.
3. Drag the shape from the canvas into the library list in the PQD panel. While holding, drag the shape into the library name area in the Shapes tab — specifically into the list area above the Lines and Drawings sub-tabs where the library entries are shown. Release the mouse button to drop it.
4. The shape is added to the library. PQD registers the dropped shape as a new entry in the selected library, and the library file is updated automatically.

Step 5 — Verify the new route in the library

1. Click the Lines sub-tab in the Shapes panel.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the thumbnail list. Newly added shapes appear at the end of the library list. Confirm the new route thumbnail is visible.
3. Click the new route thumbnail to test it. Confirm the route and player appear together as a single grouped unit on the play diagram.
4. Save the source library file if required. Depending on your library setup, you may need to save the source Visio file to make the new route permanently available to other users.

 What the result looks like

After the custom route is added, the Lines tab of the selected shape library displays the new route thumbnail at the bottom of the list. In the example, the new route is labeled HOOK and appears alongside the full set of existing routes as a selectable, clickable thumbnail. No existing routes are replaced or altered by this process.

Best practices

• Check the existing library before drawing a custom route. Scroll through the full Lines tab list before drawing anything new. The library ships with a large route inventory, and the route you need may already exist with a slightly different name.
• Name the route to match your staff's terminology before adding it. If your route has a specific name — for example, HOOK, CURL, PIVOT — make sure the shape is named accordingly in Visio before dragging it into the library. The Diagram Navigation panel shows the shape name as it will appear in the library.
• Draw at a consistent scale with existing routes. Routes that are significantly larger or smaller than existing library shapes will look inconsistent in the thumbnail panel and on the canvas. Use an existing route as a size reference while drawing.
• Test the new route on the canvas before distributing. After adding the route, click its thumbnail to place it on a test play canvas. Confirm it looks correct and that the player symbol connects cleanly to the route stem.
• Save the library source file after adding custom routes. Ensure the underlying Visio source file is saved so the new route is permanently stored and available to all coaches who have the library linked.