How to Integrate OmniGraffle with Other Mac Applications

Edited 3 days ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

OmniGraffleMacIntegrationApplicationsProductivitySoftwareWorkflowOfficeCompatibilityAutomationConnectivity

OmniGraffle is a powerful application for creating diagrams, flowcharts, and various visual content on macOS. Its versatility can be further enhanced by integrating it with other Mac applications, allowing for a seamless workflow that can boost your productivity and creativity.

In this detailed description, we will explore various ways to integrate OmniGraffle with other applications on your Mac. By understanding these integration techniques, you can increase your productivity and ensure that your workflow is not only effective but also highly adaptable to different tasks.

1. Using AppleScript for automation

AppleScript is a scripting language that allows you to perform complex tasks and automate repetitive tasks on your Mac. OmniGraffle has strong support for AppleScript, which means you can create scripts to seamlessly integrate with other applications.

For example, if you want to export diagrams from OmniGraffle to another application, you can write an AppleScript that saves the file in a particular format and then opens it in the desired application. Here is a simple script that demonstrates how to export a diagram from OmniGraffle and open it in Preview:

tell application "OmniGraffle" set theDoc to front document export theDoc as "PNG" to "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.png" end tell tell application "Preview" open "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.png" end tell
tell application "OmniGraffle" set theDoc to front document export theDoc as "PNG" to "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.png" end tell tell application "Preview" open "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.png" end tell

In this script, reserved characters such as quotation marks and the phrase "set" follow AppleScript's syntax. You can customize this script to suit your specific needs by changing the export format or the path where the file is saved.

2. Integration with Mail for sharing

Sharing your diagrams and workflows can be essential, especially in a collaborative environment. OmniGraffle can be integrated with Apple's Mail app to make sharing your visual content easier. You can automate the process of attaching an exported diagram to an email draft.

With AppleScript, you can create a script that exports a diagram and then opens a new email message with the file attached. Here's an example:

tell application "OmniGraffle" set theDoc to front document export theDoc as "PDF" to "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.pdf" end tell tell application "Mail" set theMessage to make new outgoing message with properties {subject:"Diagram", content:"Here is the diagram you requested.", visible:true} tell content of theMessage make new attachment with properties {file name:"/path/to/your/directory/diagram.pdf"} at after the last paragraph end tell activate end tell
tell application "OmniGraffle" set theDoc to front document export theDoc as "PDF" to "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.pdf" end tell tell application "Mail" set theMessage to make new outgoing message with properties {subject:"Diagram", content:"Here is the diagram you requested.", visible:true} tell content of theMessage make new attachment with properties {file name:"/path/to/your/directory/diagram.pdf"} at after the last paragraph end tell activate end tell

By using such scripts, you can reduce the time spent on file exports and manual email attachments, thus streamlining your workflow and making communications more efficient.

3. Integration with Sketch for advanced design

Sketch is a popular design application for UI/UX projects that often require visual components like flowcharts and diagrams. Integrating OmniGraffle with Sketch can help you quickly bring these visual elements into your designs.

One way to integrate these applications is through file export and import. OmniGraffle supports a number of export formats, such as SVG and PDF, which Sketch can easily import. You can set up an automation in OmniGraffle to export your diagrams in a format compatible with Sketch, simplifying the transition between the applications.

For example, by setting the default export to SVG, any diagram can be easily opened or imported into Sketch. Here is an example script to export OmniGraffle diagrams to SVG:

tell application "OmniGraffle" set theDoc to front document export theDoc as "SVG" to "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.svg" end tell
tell application "OmniGraffle" set theDoc to front document export theDoc as "SVG" to "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.svg" end tell

Once exported, simply open or import the SVG file into Sketch to include it in your design project.

4. Integration with Finder and file management

Being able to discreetly manage files right from your desktop can be a boon to productivity. OmniGraffle allows for automatic saves and versions of documents on disk, and can be integrated with Finder for seamless file management.

Using Finder tags, you can automatically organize your OmniGraffle exports. Here's how you can create a script that exports a file and assigns it a Finder tag:

tell application "OmniGraffle" set theDoc to front document export theDoc as "PNG" to "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.png" end tell tell application "Finder" set theFile to POSIX file "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.png" as alias set label index of theFile to 2 -- color-coded label, eg, red set comment of theFile to "Exported from OmniGraffle" end tell
tell application "OmniGraffle" set theDoc to front document export theDoc as "PNG" to "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.png" end tell tell application "Finder" set theFile to POSIX file "/path/to/your/directory/diagram.png" as alias set label index of theFile to 2 -- color-coded label, eg, red set comment of theFile to "Exported from OmniGraffle" end tell

This process allows for both an organized file system and documentation for tracking the origin and status of your files.

5. Using Automator for workflow enhancements

Automator is an extremely useful tool that comes with macOS, designed to automate tasks across a variety of applications. OmniGraffle supports Automator through its actions, meaning you can create comprehensive workflows that include OmniGraffle tasks.

For example, you can create an Automator workflow that processes a batch of files: importing them into OmniGraffle, applying some preference styles, and exporting them all automatically. Here's a simple setup to get you started:

1. Open Automator and create a new document.
2. Select the "Workflow" template.
3. Add a "Get Specified Finder Items" action to select input files.
4. Drag the "Open Finder Items" action to open these files in OmniGraffle.
5. Define any additional actions you want OmniGraffle to perform, such as running an AppleScript you created.
6. Optionally, add an action to export or move the files as desired.

Automation can be as simple or complex as needed, allowing you to focus more on your creative work and less on mundane tasks.

6. Integration with cloud services for collaboration

Collaboration using OmniGraffle can be enhanced through cloud services. OmniGraffle files can be stored and accessed through cloud storage such as iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive.

Saving project files to a cloud service not only provides backup but also allows them to be easily shared with team members. You can manually drag these files to your cloud storage folder or create a script to automate this synchronization.

Incorporating a combination of OmniGraffle's AppleScript support and third-party cloud APIs (if available), automation for file uploads can be planned:

tell application "OmniGraffle" set theDoc to front document export theDoc as "PNG" to "/Users/Shared/OmniGraffle/diagram.png" end tell -- Script to upload to a chosen cloud provider -- Assumes integration with the specific API of the cloud service
tell application "OmniGraffle" set theDoc to front document export theDoc as "PNG" to "/Users/Shared/OmniGraffle/diagram.png" end tell -- Script to upload to a chosen cloud provider -- Assumes integration with the specific API of the cloud service

Note that configuring these scripts requires some level of expertise in handling the cloud API and possibly additional library installation.

Conclusion

Integrating OmniGraffle with other Mac applications can significantly increase your efficiency and workflow. Using automation tools like AppleScript and Automator, you can easily create a productive environment where OmniGraffle works seamlessly with mail services, design apps, file management systems, and cloud services.

With a little bit of setup and customization, you can tailor OmniGraffle to your unique workflow, making it an even more powerful tool in your productivity arsenal. The possibilities are many, and the impact on your creative process can be profound.

  Share This Article

If you find anything wrong with the article content, you can request an update