OmniGraffle 3 Reference Manual for iOS

The Canvas

The Canvas is the area on which you work. Using the tools provided in The Tool Palette, the Canvas is where you create the objects and shapes that make up your document.

The canvas, with the Navigation Sidebar open to the left side.

Each Canvas has at least one layer, and each OmniGraffle document can have multiple canvases. Canvases and layers are managed in the Navigation Sidebar.

Canvas Modes

Use the Canvas Size inspector to specify your type of canvas; choose between:

  • Fixed Size
  • Flexible
  • Infinite Canvas

Fixed Size

The canvas is a size of your specification, based on the values set in the Width and Height fields. Choose a Fixed Size canvas when you know the dimensions of the thing you are creating; for example, an app icon.

The Canvas Size inspector set to a Fixed Size canvas

Flexible

A canvas that can be expanded in any direction: up, down, left, right, or any combination of the four. Choose a Flexible canvas when you want the canvas to expand or collapse to the size of objects on the canvas.

The Canvas Size inspector set to a Flexible size

Use the Autosizing Switches to enable canvas expansion in that direction.

The Autosizing Switches are placed on the top, bottom, left, and right side of a box. The box is supposed to be the canvas; use the switches to choose the direction in which the canvas expands.
  • Width: Tap the minus button or the plus button to decrease or increase the width of the canvas, respectively. Changing the Width after the Autosizing Switches have been set turns off the left and right switches.
  • Height: Tap the minus button or the plus button to decrease or increase the height of the canvas, respectively. Changing the Height after the Autosizing Switches have been set turns off the top and bottom switches.
  • Canvas Padding: Tap the minus button or the plus button to adjust the amount of padding to surround a canvas.

Canvas Padding is disabled when you turn on Size Uses Printer Pages; see Canvas Size inspector, later in this Manual.

Infinite Canvas

A canvas that infinitely extends in all directions. Choose an Infinite Canvas when you have a document that needs a lot of space.

The Canvas Size inspector set to an Infinite Canvas

The Width and Height of an Infinite Canvas are not adjustable.

Contextual Menus and the Canvas

With nothing selected on the canvas, a single-tap on the canvas reveals its contextual menu:

The contextual menu that you see when you tap on the canvas

Menu Item Description
Select All Selects everything on the canvas.
Paste Available if something has been copied to the clipboard; pastes the contents of the clipboard at the tapped location.
Full Screen
Exit Full Screen
Enters or exits Full Screen.
Previous Canvas Navigates to the previous canvas in the document.
Next Canvas Navigates to the next canvas in the document.

To reveal an object’s contextual menu, touch and hold the object until the menu appears.

Contextual menu displayed on an object

Menu Item Description
Cut Removes the selected object(s) from the canvas and places them on the clipboard for pasting.
Copy Copies the selected object(s) and makes it available on the clipboard for pasting.
Paste Available if something has been copied to the clipboard; pastes the contents of the clipboard at the tapped location.
Copy As JavaScript this is only available in OmniGraffle Pro Copies the properties of the selected object(s) and makes that information available for use in the Automation Console, accessible by tapping the Prompt button in the toolbar.
Copy Style Copies the style of the selected object; the style properties are copied to the clipboard for pasting.
Paste Style Available if the style properties of another object have been copied to the clipboard; pastes the style properties from the clipboard to the selected object(s).
Duplicate Copies and instantly pastes a copy of the selected object on the canvas.
Delete Deletes the selected object(s).
Select All Selects everything on the canvas.
Lock/Unlock Locks or unlocks the current selection.
Arrange... Opens the Arrange... submenu, with commands for manipulating the position of the selection.
Group When two or more objects are selected, creates a group from those objects.
Ungroup If a group or table is selected, the selection is ungrouped.
Convert Text to Shape this is only available in OmniGraffle Pro Converts the characters of a selected text block to shapes.
Full Screen
Exit Full Screen
Enters or exits Full Screen.

The Arrange... submenu contains commands for manipulating the position of the selected object or objects.

Menu Item Description
Bring to Front Brings the selected object(s) to the front of the object stack.
Bring Forward Brings the selected object(s) one position forward in the object stack.
Send to Back Sends the selected object(s) to the back of the object stack.
Send Backward Sends the selected object(s) one position back in the object stack.
New Artboard Under Selection this is only available in OmniGraffle Pro Places an artboard under the selected object(s). If no artboard layer exists, one is created.
Make Table this is only available in OmniGraffle Pro Creates a table out of the selected object(s).