Issues with Orbus BPMN Stencil in Microsoft Visio

Veeramani Visu 0 Reputation points
2026-02-23T06:00:06.35+00:00

Hi,

I am using the Orbus BPMN stencil in Microsoft Visio and I am facing the following challenges.

While exploring and comparing the Orbus stencil with the default Microsoft Visio BPMN stencil, I noticed some differences in container and connector behavior.

1.Unable to identify parent (Pool/Lane) details from Shape Data
When working inside a Pool and Lane, I am not able to find the parent container details in the Shape Data.
In the default Microsoft Visio BPMN stencil, I can find a property like:
msvSDContainerMargin = CFF Container.45!User.visMargins
Using this property, I am able to identify the parent container. However, in the Orbus stencil, I do not see a similar property. Because of this, I am unable to determine the parent (Pool or Lane) of a shape.
User's image

User's image

Is there an alternative way to identify the parent container when using the Orbus stencil?

2.Connecting Task to Lane – Connector Point Not Visible

**When I try to connect an Task to a Lane, the connector point does not appear on the Lane.
Is this the default behavior in Visio?

Please let me know if this behavior is expected or if there is a recommended approach when working with the Orbus stencil.
Thank you.

Regards,

Microsoft 365 and Office | Visio | For education | Windows
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  1. Anonymous
    2026-02-23T07:20:50.7466667+00:00

    Hi Veeramani Visu

    Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A forum and sharing detailed explanation of the behavior you are seeing when comparing the Orbus BPMN stencil with the default BPMN stencil in Microsoft Visio.

    1, Identifying the parent Pool or Lane

    In the default Visio BPMN template, Pools and Lanes are implemented as native Visio containers, which is why container‑related ShapeSheet properties (such as msvSDContainerMargin) are available to identify a shape’s parent container. The Orbus BPMN stencil, however, is a third‑party custom stencil, and its Pool and Lane shapes are not required to use Visio’s native container framework; as a result, container‑specific properties may be missing and parent container information may not be exposed in the same way. Visio does not infer parent–child relationships unless shapes are implemented as native containers or grouped shapes, so if the Orbus stencil does not use these mechanisms, there is no Visio‑level property to reliably identify the parent Pool or Lane, and confirmation from Orbus documentation or support would be required.

    2, Connecting a Task to a Lane

    In BPMN, Pools and Lanes are organizational constructs used to partition responsibilities and are not considered flow objects; therefore, sequence flows are intended to connect tasks, events, and gateways rather than Lanes themselves. As a result, Lanes generally do not expose visible connection points, and connectors are expected to attach to BPMN elements within the Lane instead of to the Lane boundary. This design applies consistently to both the default Visio BPMN stencil and most third‑party BPMN stencils, including Orbus.

    Hope this helps clarify the behavior you’re seeing.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-02-23T06:00:16.5166667+00:00

    The issues you are facing with the Orbus BPMN stencil in Microsoft Visio are not explicitly covered in the provided context. However, I can provide some general guidance based on typical behaviors in Visio and BPMN stencils.

    1. Identifying Parent Container Details: If the Orbus stencil does not provide a property similar to msvSDContainerMargin for identifying parent containers (Pools/Lanes), you may need to explore other properties or metadata associated with the shapes. Sometimes, custom stencils may have different naming conventions or may not expose certain properties. You could also check if there are any documentation or support resources provided by Orbus that might clarify how to access parent container details.
    2. Connector Points Not Visible: The behavior of connector points not appearing on a Lane when connecting a Task can vary depending on the stencil design. In some cases, it may be a default behavior of the Orbus stencil. You might want to ensure that the Lane is properly configured to accept connections. Additionally, you can try adjusting the shape's properties or checking for any specific settings within the Orbus stencil that might affect connector visibility.

    If these issues persist, I recommend reaching out to Orbus support or consulting their documentation for more tailored assistance regarding their BPMN stencil in Visio.

    References:

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