When I have to create diagrams for documenting some Java code, I used to manually draw an UML like class diagram with OmniGraffle. I also like OmniGraffle very much, and I'm still wondering what makes this tool so much better then all the GEF based editors. After you play around for a few days, I’m sure you’ll be hooked.If you ask developers using Mac OS X about their favorite diagramming tool, you will often get the same answer: OmniGraffle. If you’re curious, you can download a trial copy from The Omni Group’s Web site. While OmniGraffle Professional 4.0 is probably overkill for simple diagrams, this fantastic program is a revelation for anyone who needs to explain processes and concepts visually. (Additional samples and walkthroughs should be available online by the time you read this.) Macworld’s buying advice The information is there, but you’ll have to use the brief manual, on-screen help system, and Web-based guides to find what you need. Alas, OmniGraffle Pro’s fragmented documentation makes it difficult for new users to climb its steep learning curve. OmniGraffle Pro isn’t an application that you can expect to learn overnight-mastering its many features takes time and effort. Other new features let you create objects that represent the sum, difference, or intersection of two existing objects, or convert any object on the canvas into a table in which every cell takes on the appearance of the original item. ![]() OmniGraffle Pro 4.0’s beefed-up export functions include improved support for Microsoft Visio files and the ability to export documents in SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) format. A new feature in the Properties pane lets you define pop-up notes that appear when you hover over any item in a diagram for more than an instant. Each pane sports tabs that let you access groups of related functions, such as object and line shadows. OmniGraffle Pro 4.0 consolidates the previous version’s multiple inspectors into three vertically arranged panes: Style, Properties, and Canvas. Like Apple’s Pages ( ,Ěpril 2005 ) and Keynote ( ,Ěpril 2005 ), OmniGraffle Pro uses inspectors to centralize most of its formatting and other controls. You can even control where the connections terminate by placing virtual “magnets” inside objects. When you connect two objects using OmniGraffle Pro’s Line Tool, they remain linked until you sever the tie-as you move the objects around the canvas, the lines move with them. If you’ve ever tried to craft an intricate diagram using a conventional drawing application, you know how difficult it is to prevent all the lines and arrows from becoming a tangled mess of digital spaghetti. ![]() OmniGraffle Pro ships with styles for common types of diagrams, and you can define your own styles to add to the basic repertoire. ![]() As you add items to the outline, OmniGraffle Pro assembles the diagram based on a style that you select from a menu at the bottom of the Utility Drawer. ![]() In addition to the Canvases view, which shows all the canvases and lets you hide or reveal any subset of layers, the drawer includes a view-new in version 4-that displays your diagram in outline form. OmniGraffle Pro’s Utility Drawer, which slides out when you click the Utilities button at the top of the canvas, provides another, more automated route to diagram construction.
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