What is a VSDM file?
Files with .vsdm extension are drawing files created with Microsoft Visio application that supports macros. VSDM files are OPC/XML drawings that are similar to VSDX but also provide the capability to run macros when the file is opened. Macros are user defined actions/steps that are developed in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and can be used to perform repetitive tasks. VSDM file format was introduced with the launch of Microsoft Visio 2013. Visio files are used to create drawings that contain visual objects, flow charts, UML diagram, information flow, organizational charts, software diagrams, network layout, database models, objects mapping and other similar information. Files generated using Visio can also be exported to different file formats such as PNG, BMP, PDF and others.
VSDM File Format
VSDM files are based on the Open Packaging Conventions and XML and developers can benefit from this format by learning how to work with these file programmatically. The format inherits many of the same XML structures as its parts from the Visio XML Drawing file format (.vdx). Interoperability with Visio files is greatly increased since third-party software can manipulate Visio files at a file format level.
Each Visio file is termed as package that holds other files or parts. A package part can be an XML file, an image or even a VBA solution.The parts within the package can be devided into “document” and “relationship” parts.
Document
The document parts contain the actual content and metadata of the Visio file, like the name of the file, the first page and all of the shapes that it contains, and even the data connections for the shapes. Images and text files within the package are considered document parts.
Relationships
The relationship parts of a Visio file are stored in “_rels” folder and describe how the parts within the package are related to each. It also provides the structure of the file. A standalone XML document uses the parent/child relationship of elements to determine the relationship of entities to each other. A valid Visio 2013 file format contains the correct set of parts and the package contains the relationships between the parts.
Relationship parts are XML documents that describe the relationships between different document parts within the package. They define an association between two items: a specified source (defined by the name and location of the relationship file) and a specified target document part. For example, relationship parts are used to describe which shape masters are associated with the file, how pages relate to the file and to each other, or how images and objects relate to a specific page.
