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OmniGraffle 3 Reference Manual for iOS

The Tool Palette

Whether you’re creating a diagram or an interactive app prototype, the way you create things in OmniGraffle is with a unique set of tools. On iOS, OmniGraffle’s tools are conveniently located in a moveable, collapsible Tool Palette that floats above the canvas area.

The tool palette

Tools in the Tool Palette

The tool you choose in the floating tool palette determines which inspectors are available in the Inspectors pane. For example, choosing the Shape Tool makes the Fill, Stroke, Shape, Shadow, Connections, Font, and Text Position inspectors available for use.

Tool Palette Handle the tool palette handle is slightly rectangular and has a pointy end that directs you toward the tools

Tap to open and close, or drag to another corner of the canvas area to relocate the floating tool palette.

Selection Tool button for the selection tool

Use the Selection tool to select objects on the canvas.

Point Editor Tool button for the point edit tool

Use the Point Editor tool to move the vertex points that make up the path of an object, or touch and hold a point to convert it to a Bézier curve.

Add Point a plus sign sits above a line with a diamond shape in the middle to denote a point along an object's path

Use the Add Point tool to add a point to an object’s path. With the tool selected, tap anywhere along an object’s path to add a point.

Remove Point a minus sign sits above a line with a diamond shape in the middle to denote a point along an object's path

Use the Remove Point tool to remove a point from an object’s path. With the tool selected, tap to remove the undesired point.

Shape Tool a square with a plus sign at the lower-right corner

Use the Shape tool to draw objects on the canvas. Use in combination with the Object inspectors to choose the shape type and stylize objects.

Freehand Drawing Tool a circular line with a plus sign at the line's starting point

Use the Freehand Drawing tool to draw on the canvas without the use of predefined shapes.

Shape Recognition a square over a shadowed outline of another square

Turn on Shape Recognition while using the Freehand Drawing tool to have the shapes you draw converted to objects.

Line Tool a line with an arrow at one end

Use the Line tool to connect objects in a diagram, or to draw lines on the canvas.

Text Tool An upper- and lower-case A next to each other, with two perpendicular lines bracketing the uppercase A

Use the Text tool to add text labels to objects and lines, or to add a block of text as a standalone object on the canvas.

Artboard Tool The Artboard tool is only available in OmniGraffle Pro a hash, or pound, symbol

Use the Artboard tool to create an artboard for defining export regions of the canvas.

Action Tool a right hand, with the index finger extended

Use the Action tool to perform an action assigned to an object on the canvas.

Show Action Badges a pointy circle

Use to display Action Badges; accessible after tapping the Action Tool.

Hide Action Badges a pointy circle with a minus symbol inside

Use to hide Action Badges; accessible after tapping the Action Tool.

Choosing a Tool

Most tools have three different states: A tool is Unselected when it has a white background, Selected when it has a light green background, or Sticky with a darker green background.

A grid of six icons; the three on the top row represent unselected, selected, and sticky tools, respectively. The three on the bottom row illustrate those three button states using the Shape tool as an example.

The exceptions are the Selection, Point Edit, Add Point, and Remove Point tools, which are either Unselected or Sticky.

Tap a tool once to Select; or double-tap a tool to make it Sticky. The difference between a Selected and Sticky tool is that:

  • A Selected tool may only be used once. After the selected tool has been used, the Selection tool the Selection tool becomes the active tool.

  • A Sticky tool is persistently active; meaning you can repeatedly use that tool until you choose another tool in the palette.