Introduction

Navigating in OmniGraffle

Creating a new diagram

Adding text

Changing the background color

Changing stencil colors

Adding a hyperlink

Using your OmniGraffle diagram

Other types of OmniGraffle Drawings

Additional Resources

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Introduction

This tutorial is designed for people who are new to OmniGraffle. OmniGraffle is a drawing and diagramming program that helps transform concepts into a visual diagram. OmniGraffle helps you draw out anything that can be represented by symbols and lines: flow charts, org charts, network diagrams, family trees, project processes, office layouts, and much more. OmniGraffle provides you with pre-defined shapes, symbols, backgrounds, and borders. Just drag and drop elements into your diagram to create a professional communication tool.

For the purposes of this tutorial, we are going to focus on how to create a flowchart diagram, but OmniGraffle also provides the tools to create many other types of diagrams. Be sure to browse the OmniGraffle sample gallery link at the end of this document.

Currently, OmniGraffle is available on all of the Macs in the iSchool Lab. (OmniGraffle is a Mac only program.) The program can also be purchased at the Campus Computer Store for about $70. You can also download a free 30 day trial from http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnigraffle/4/

An alternative program is Visio, available on all of the PCs in the iSchool Lab. (Visio is for PCs only.) Another alternative is Dia, an open source diagramming program currently available on all of the PCs in the lab, and available for download (see Resources at the end of this tutorial).

After completing this tutorial, you will have learned how to:

• Open a new OmniGraffle document
• Create a flowchart diagram using shapes and connectors; move or add shapes
• Add text to a diagram and format the text
• Modify the color palette
• Print a diagram or insert it into a PowerPoint or Word document
  

Getting Started

First, let's open OmniGraffle. Go to the Finder. Select "Applications." Double click on "OmniGraffle." This opens a blank document along with a tool palette, a stencil palette and 3 inspector windows.

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