Version 3.0
OmniGraffle 3 features a new multi-column interface that adapts to the device and screen size you’re on to optimize for faster access to the sidebar and inspectors. OmniGraffle tools now reside on a floating palette that hovers over the canvas and can be moved to the corner that is most comfortable for your drawing style. Tap on the pen and pencil cross at the top to collapse the tool palette entirely. This release also includes cross-platform automation, artboards, and improvements to the Inspectors and Navigation Sidebar.
Inspectors
- Optimized Inspectors — Common inspector actions are now fewer taps to get to. Inspectors are grouped into four tabs across the top: Styles, Object, Properties, and Canvas. When viewing an individual inspector, use the Show Options button to see additional options for that inspector and OmniGraffle will remember this preference. When space is available, Inspectors now persist on the screen making it even faster to adjust objects in succession.
- Canvas Size Modes — Auto-sizing canvas, now called Flexible, lets you select any direction you want canvas grows in. Flexible only extends the canvas enough to hold all the objects so there is also a dedicated third Infinite Canvas mode that extends the canvas in all directions regardless of where the objects are. If you know exactly how big the canvas should be then specify the height and width using a Fixed size canvas.
- Canvas Padding — The Canvas Padding field in the Canvas Size inspector allows you to adjust how much extra padding is visible between objects and the edge of the canvas when the canvas mode is set to Flexible.
- Convert Text to Shape (PRO) — Now available in the Font Inspector: Convert text to a shape for precise manipulation without having to create a new font elsewhere!
- Show Page Breaks — The Grid & Guides inspector has a new option called called “Show Page Breaks” which overlays the printer page boundaries on the canvas.
- Size Uses Printer Pages — A new “Size uses printer pages” toggle in the Canvas Size Inspector changes the height and width units to Pages for those who work in page sized increments.
- Default Font for the Shape Tool — Added the ability to set the shape tool’s default font and text position. Select the shape tool while nothing is selected on the canvas and the defaults can be set using the tool inspectors.
Navigation Sidebar
- Single Sidebar List of Canvases, Layers, and Objects — OmniGraffle now shows all Canvases, Layers, and Objects in one hierarchical list in the left sidebar. There are 2 tabs across the top to choose between canvas/layer/object management and the selection matrix.
- Group Visibility — Groups in the sidebar have a details chevron to the right so you can view and move the members of groups.
- Rename from the Sidebar — Set your own name for an object by tapping the name of a selected object in the sidebar.
- Context Menus for Objects in the Sidebar — Use the contextual menu on an object in the sidebar to get relevant Quick Actions. OmniGraffle now has navigation options in the menu to make it easier to find content on the canvas.
- Paste an Object on a Layer — In the sidebar, the layer context menu has a Paste option when you have an object copied so you can paste objects onto layers in the sidebar.
- Canvas Page Numbers — OmniGraffle 3 adds a new setting to allow users to show canvas page numbers in the sidebar. Look for it in the gear menu of the Document Browser.
Omni Automation
- Automation — OmniGraffle now provides cross-platform automation via Javascript. With the tap of a script URL you can programmatically create graphics, create data driven diagrams, or manipulate existing content. For security, you’ll be shown the script and asked if you want to allow the script to run when you click on a script URL. See examples and learn more at omni-automation.com.
- Automation Plug-Ins and Actions (PRO) — With Pro you can save bundles of scripts (called plug-ins) for quick access from the Automation menu in a document and call scripts as Actions on objects.
- Copy as JavaScript (PRO) — Added a new “Copy as JavaScript” option to the context menu to make scripting with our new automation tools even easier. With an object selected, bring up the context menu and Copy as JavaScript, then paste in the Automation Console to work with the JavaScript representation of your object.
Artboards
- Artboard Layers (PRO) — Use artboard objects on artboard layers to manage content on your canvas. Shapes drawn on an artboard layer only draw their stroke and always draw their stroke at 1 point in size regardless of zoom level. An artboard can be any shape that OmniGraffle can draw. Moving an artboard moves all objects above or overlapping it. Tap a selected artboard object again and moving the artboard object allows you to just move the artboard object, not the objects above it (the artboard object has a blue highlight in addition to the red artboard highlight when in this mode).
- Artboard Tool (PRO) — Creating an artboard is as quick and easy as drawing a shape. It works like the shape tool, but takes care of layer management for you.
- New Artboard Under Selection (PRO) — The “New Artboard Under Selection” option is a fast way to make a new artboard around all the selected objects. This option is available in the context menu for objects.
Settings and Customizations
- Saved Visibility Preferences — OmniGraffle remembers if you had the navigation sidebar and inspectors shown or hidden for the current orientation and restores them when documents are opened or the device is rotated.
- App Lock — When App Lock is enabled TouchID or the App Lock password is required to access the application. This feature is intended to add an enhanced layer of privacy, preventing access to OmniGraffle’s contents while your iOS device is unlocked. App Lock does not encrypt documents or block access to OmniGraffle’s contents via iTunes File Sharing. App Lock passwords are device specific. If the App Lock password is forgotten, deleting and reinstalling OmniGraffle will disable the App Lock feature (note: local data should always be backed up before deleting and reinstalling an application to prevent data loss).
- 1Password Integration — OmniGraffle now includes 1Password support when configuring an OmniPresence account making it easy to quickly fill in the username and password fields with the appropriate 1Password entry.
- Default Tool Settings are Application Wide — Now the defaults that you set for tools are application wide settings so you only need to configure them once. Select the tool you want to configure while no objects are selected on the canvas then use the inspectors to set the defaults for that tool.
- Show Tooltips Option — Added a new setting called “Show Tooltips” in the gear menu of the document picker to toggle the visibility of the app tooltips.
Efficiency
- Documentation — Added a reference manual to the app for easy access anytime – available in the App Menu (the icon that looks like gears) from the Document Browser.
- Tap to Create Lines — Updated the line tool to allow tapping to create points on the line in addition to dragging out the line length. The first tap starts the line, additional taps add points to the line, and double tapping ends the line.
- Basic SVG Import — OmniGraffle now supports basic SVG importing. Paste SVG code directly on the canvas and OmniGraffle will convert it to the appropriate shape.
- Keyboard Shortcuts — In addition to keyboard shortcuts for common tasks like Locking, Grouping, and Nudging objects into place, Hot Keys are now available for selecting tools when you use OmniGraffle with an external keyboard. The Hot Keys are the same as on the Mac: Selection (v), Point Selection (f), Shape (s), Line (c), Text (t), Freehand (e), Artboard (a), Action (b).
- Save Zoom Level and Position — OmniGraffle 3 now remembers your zoom level and position in the document when you save and restores those settings when you open the document again.
- Import Multiple Documents — OmniGraffle now accepts .zip files containing multiple documents and places them all in the Document Browser under Local Files. New documents are pre-selected so that it’s easy to move them all to the same folder or sync account.
