OmniGraffle
Encyclopedia
OmniGraffle is a diagramming application
made by The Omni Group
. OmniGraffle is built only for Mac OS X
and the iPad
. It may be used to create diagrams, flow charts, org charts, and illustrations. It features a drag-and-drop
WYSIWYG
interface. "Stencils"—groups of shapes to drag and drop—are available as extensions for OmniGraffle, and users can create their own stencils.
In many of these respects, OmniGraffle is similar to Microsoft Visio
. The Professional version of OmniGraffle can both import and export Visio files created using Visio's XML export function. OmniGraffle 5 can also open Visio's native binary .vsd files. However, Omnigraffle doesn't provide CAD integration, since it lacks some features such as DWG or DXF (AutoDesk file formats), import/export functions, among others. Also it is important to notice that layers cannot be shared among some versions of Visio and OmniGraffle.
OmniGraffle uses Mac OS X's graphics layer, known as Quartz
, and benefits from on-the-fly antialiasing, smooth scaling, transparent drop shadow
ing, and other features. OmniGraffle 4 added Bézier
shapes and text-based hierarchical
chart construction to the range of available tools. OmniGraffle 5 added Bézier connecting lines; previously connecting lines were bent to fit between their points which made them relatively easy to create, but difficult to control with any great precision.
OmniGraffle can output to PDF, TIFF, PNG, JPEG
, EPS
, HTML image map
, SVG
, Visio XML, PICT
vector, Photoshop and BMP bitmap documents. It also allows mental-mapping techniques in organizing information, as well as a style manager, allowing layout of web page prototypes or PDF
documents, as well as outlines or brainstorming documents. OmniGraffle uses Apple's
plist XML schema
to store the data. The extension is .graffle.
According to former Omni Group president Wil Shipley
, Graffle "sort of stands for 'graph layout'... but in general it was a nonsense word
invented just to counter 'Visio'."
Diagramming software
Diagramming software is a computer program that is used to produce graphical diagrams. Diagrams are used in software and business to represent dataflows, workflows and software architecture.- Flowchart :* ARIS Express * Creately...
made by The Omni Group
The Omni Group
The Omni Group is a company that develops software for the Mac OS X platform. The Omni Group was informally founded as a NEXTSTEP consulting company in 1989 by Wil Shipley, who immediately brought on Ken Case and Tim Wood. The three incorporated together under the name Omni Development, Inc. in...
. OmniGraffle is built only for Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
and the iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
. It may be used to create diagrams, flow charts, org charts, and illustrations. It features a drag-and-drop
Drag-and-drop
In computer graphical user interfaces, drag-and-drop is the action of selecting a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object...
WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
interface. "Stencils"—groups of shapes to drag and drop—are available as extensions for OmniGraffle, and users can create their own stencils.
In many of these respects, OmniGraffle is similar to Microsoft Visio
Microsoft Visio
Microsoft Visio , formerly known as Microsoft Office Visio, is a commercial diagramming program for Microsoft Windows that uses vector graphics to create diagrams.- Features :...
. The Professional version of OmniGraffle can both import and export Visio files created using Visio's XML export function. OmniGraffle 5 can also open Visio's native binary .vsd files. However, Omnigraffle doesn't provide CAD integration, since it lacks some features such as DWG or DXF (AutoDesk file formats), import/export functions, among others. Also it is important to notice that layers cannot be shared among some versions of Visio and OmniGraffle.
OmniGraffle uses Mac OS X's graphics layer, known as Quartz
Quartz (graphics layer)
Quartz specifically refers to a pair of Mac OS X technologies, each part of the Core Graphics framework: Quartz 2D and Quartz Compositor. It includes both a 2D renderer in Core Graphics and the composition engine that sends instructions to the graphics card...
, and benefits from on-the-fly antialiasing, smooth scaling, transparent drop shadow
Drop shadow
In computer graphics, a drop shadow is a visual effect consisting of drawing that looks like the shadow of an object, giving the impression that the object is raised above the objects behind it. The drop shadow is often used for elements of a graphical user interface such as windows or menus, and...
ing, and other features. OmniGraffle 4 added Bézier
Bézier curve
A Bézier curve is a parametric curve frequently used in computer graphics and related fields. Generalizations of Bézier curves to higher dimensions are called Bézier surfaces, of which the Bézier triangle is a special case....
shapes and text-based hierarchical
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
chart construction to the range of available tools. OmniGraffle 5 added Bézier connecting lines; previously connecting lines were bent to fit between their points which made them relatively easy to create, but difficult to control with any great precision.
OmniGraffle can output to PDF, TIFF, PNG, JPEG
JPEG
In computing, JPEG . The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable tradeoff between storage size and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with little perceptible loss in image quality....
, EPS
Encapsulated PostScript
Encapsulated PostScript, or EPS, is a DSC-conforming PostScript document with additional restrictions which is intended to be usable as a graphics file format...
, HTML image map
Image map
In HTML and XHTML , an image map is a list of coordinates relating to a specific image, created in order to hyperlink areas of the image to various destinations . For example, a map of the world may have each country hyperlinked to further information about that country...
, SVG
Scalable Vector Graphics
Scalable Vector Graphics is a family of specifications of an XML-based file format for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and dynamic . The SVG specification is an open standard that has been under development by the World Wide Web Consortium since 1999.SVG images and their...
, Visio XML, PICT
PICT
PICT is a graphics file format introduced on the original Apple Macintosh computer as its standard metafile format. It allows the interchange of graphics , and some limited text support, between Mac applications, and was the native graphics format of QuickDraw.The original version, PICT 1, was...
vector, Photoshop and BMP bitmap documents. It also allows mental-mapping techniques in organizing information, as well as a style manager, allowing layout of web page prototypes or PDF
Portable Document Format
Portable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
documents, as well as outlines or brainstorming documents. OmniGraffle uses Apple's
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
plist XML schema
XML schema
An XML schema is a description of a type of XML document, typically expressed in terms of constraints on the structure and content of documents of that type, above and beyond the basic syntactical constraints imposed by XML itself...
to store the data. The extension is .graffle.
According to former Omni Group president Wil Shipley
Wil Shipley
William "Wil" Jon Shipley is a Macintosh software developer, best known for co-founding and heading The Omni Group in 1991, where he did consulting work and developed software for the NeXTSTEP operating system, Rhapsody and later Mac OS X...
, Graffle "sort of stands for 'graph layout'... but in general it was a nonsense word
Nonsense word
A nonsense word, unlike a sememe, may have no definition. If it can be pronounced according to a language's phonotactics, it is a logatome. Nonsense words are used in literature for poetic or humorous effect. Proper names of real or fictional entities are sometimes nonsense words.-See...
invented just to counter 'Visio'."
See also
- Concept mapConcept mapFor concept maps in generic programming, see Concept .A concept map is a diagram showing the relationships among concepts. It is a graphical tool for organizing and representing knowledge....
- Mind mapMind mapA mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Especially in British English, the terms spidergram and spidergraph are more common, but they can cause confusion with the term spider diagram used in mathematics...
- List of concept mapping software
- List of mind mapping software