How to Convert Visio Stencils (VSSX/VSDX) into Draw.io Templates

Migrating from Microsoft Visio to draw.io (diagrams.net) is easier than most people think — especially when you need your old Visio stencil libraries (VSSX/VSDX).
However, many users struggle because importing Visio stencils directly into the draw.io desktop app often fails, breaks images, or produces unreadable shapes.

After a lot of trial and error, here is a method that works 100% reliably and keeps all visual details intact (including PNGs, geometry, labels, and grouping).

This guide explains the exact process for converting Visio shapes into fully functional draw.io templates (.xml / .mxlibrary).

Why This Method Works Best

Draw.io Desktop and the Web App behave differently. The desktop version cannot fully interpret Visio stencil metadata, but the online diagrams.net editor can.

So the trick is simple:

Use the Web App to interpret and convert the VSSX → then export as native Draw.io XML → use it in Desktop.

This avoids broken shapes, missing images, and formatting issues.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Export your shapes from Visio as a VSSX file

1. Open your stencil in Visio
2. Go to File → Save As
3. Select VSSX (Visio Stencil)
4. Save the file somewhere on your computer
5. Your icons are now packaged as a standard Visio stencil library.

Automatically Clean Up Old Log Files with PowerShell

If you’re managing a web server or any system that generates log files, you’ll quickly notice that these files can grow very large over time. This article will show you how to automatically delete old log files using PowerShell, so you don’t have to manually clean them up.

Why Clean Up Log Files?

Log files are important for tracking system activity, but they can take up a lot of disk space. If you don’t clean them regularly, your server might run out of storage space. This script will automatically remove log files that are older than 30 days.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

• A Windows server with PowerShell installed
• Administrative rights to run PowerShell scripts
• The folder path where your logs are stored (usually C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles)

The PowerShell Script

Here’s a simple script that will automatically clean up old log files:

# Define the folder path where logs are stored
$LogFolder = "C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles"

# Define how many days old files should be deleted (30 days)
$DaysOld = 30

# Define the folder where log files will be saved
$ScriptLogFolder = "C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles\ScriptLogs"

# Create the log folder if it doesn't exist
if (!(Test-Path $ScriptLogFolder)) {
    New-Item -Path $ScriptLogFolder -ItemType Directory -Force
}

# Create today's log file name
$LogFile = "$ScriptLogFolder\logcleanup_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd').log"

# Function to write log messages
function Write-Log {
    param([string]$Message, [string]$Level = "INFO")
    $timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
    $logEntry = "[$timestamp] [$Level] $Message"
    Write-Host $logEntry
    Add-Content -Path $LogFile -Value $logEntry -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}

try {
    Write-Log "Starting log cleanup process..." "INFO"
    
    # Check if the main log folder exists
    if (Test-Path $LogFolder) {
        # Find all files older than 30 days
        $OldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $LogFolder -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
                   Where-Object { (Get-Date) - $_.CreationTime -gt (New-TimeSpan -Days $DaysOld) }
        
        if ($OldFiles.Count -gt 0) {
            Write-Log "Found $([int]$OldFiles.Count) old files to delete" "INFO"
            
            $DeletedCount = 0
            $ErrorCount = 0
            
            foreach ($File in $OldFiles) {
                try {
                    Remove-Item $File.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
                    Write-Log "Deleted: $($File.FullName)" "INFO"
                    $DeletedCount++
                }
                catch {
                    Write-Log "Error deleting $($File.FullName): $($_.Exception.Message)" "ERROR"
                    $ErrorCount++
                }
            }
            
            Write-Log "Cleanup complete: Deleted $DeletedCount files, $ErrorCount errors" "INFO"
        }
        else {
            Write-Log "No old files found to delete" "INFO"
        }
    }
    else {
        Write-Log "Log folder does not exist: $LogFolder" "ERROR"
    }
    
    # Delete old log files (older than 30 days)
    $Today = Get-Date
    $OldLogFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $ScriptLogFolder -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
                  Where-Object { ($Today - $_.CreationTime).Days -gt 30 }
    
    if ($OldLogFiles.Count -gt 0) {
        Write-Log "Deleting old log files (older than 30 days): $($OldLogFiles.Count) files" "INFO"
        $OldLogFiles | ForEach-Object {
            try {
                Remove-Item $_.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
                Write-Log "Deleted log file: $($_.FullName)" "INFO"
            }
            catch {
                Write-Log "Error deleting log file $($_.FullName): $($_.Exception.Message)" "ERROR"
            }
        }
    }
    
    Write-Log "Log cleanup process completed!" "INFO"
}
catch {
    Write-Log "Unexpected error: $($_.Exception.Message)" "ERROR"
}

How to Use This Script

What This Script Does

• Finds old files: Looks for log files older than 30 days
• Deletes them automatically: Removes the old files without asking
• Creates logs: Saves what happened in a log file for later review
• Cleans up old logs: Also removes old log files from the script itself (keeping only 30 days)

Troubleshooting Tips

If the script doesn’t work when scheduled:

• Check that you’re running it as Administrator
• Make sure the path to the script is correct
• Verify that the execution policy allows PowerShell scripts
• Try running PowerShell with -ExecutionPolicy Bypass manually first

Conclusion

This simple PowerShell script helps you automatically manage your server’s disk space by cleaning up old log files. It’s perfect for beginners who want to keep their servers running smoothly without manual intervention. The script is safe, simple, and very effective at keeping your log directories clean.

Remember to test it first and always keep a backup of important logs before running automated cleanup scripts!