Clip one shape with another
 

Hi all first post here, i'm enjoying using Omnigraffle for wireframing.

Struggled to find an answer to this question by searching or in the docs, so how do I clip one shape with another?

I've attached an image of what i'm trying to achieve. I have a sale 'ribbon' in the corner of a featured item box. I want the box to clip the ribbon.

[IMG]http://www.lightflows.co.uk/omni/clipping.png[/IMG]


Any help much appreciated.

regards

Hixster

You need to find out how the product works, rather than looking for "clip" which is your terminology.

Select the image. Shift-Select the ribbon. Group them (either Arrange/Group or the Group/UnGroup button on your toolbar). Now the grouped object can be treated as an oobject (with certain limitations).

While it is a group, if you want to choose a specific object within the group, click twice (as opposed to double-click). OG has a "click-through" feature.: to select the object in the group that is four layers deep, click four times.

Hi Incisive one,

Thanks for the reply. I understand the grouping mechanism, but just grouping the objects doesn't do what I what.

I am looking for the ribbon to be 'clipped' or 'masked' by the white box, so that the corners that lie outside of the white box are 'hidden' or 'clipped'.

Incidentally, I did search for Omnigraffle, Masking , Clipping, Intersecting Shapes which are all common terminologies for this operation.

Is this achieved by grouping the shapes and then re-ordering them so that one shape clips/masks another?

regards

Hixster

Ok, in that case I misunderstood you.

>> Incidentally, I did search for Omnigraffle, Masking , Clipping, Intersecting Shapes which are all common terminologies for this operation.

Ok, so if you found the operation, why do you still have a question ?

I had to read your posts twice, slowly, I now think I understand what you want. The image you've posted [I]isn't[/I] what you want, right ? You want that image, [I]plus[/I] changes:
• the rectangular ribbon rendered as a trapezium
• whether you treat the objects as a group or not, is not at issue
• the content of the white square and the image are not relevant
Right ?

In that case it is simple, and sorry but the terminology did get in the way. And no, you haven't found the operation, so whatever those manuals called it, they did not work for you, right ? And it is definitely not "masking".

Ok, there are several ways to do that. If your example is typical of your need, the simplest and fastest is to use a trapezium, and place the label "sale" in it; then rotate it 45º. Then place it wherever you like. To get that exact shape of the required trapezium, Edit/Shapes/MakePointsSelectable. It helps if you are using a grid and the image (or white rectangle or whatever) is first aligned to the grid.

You can also just take your existing rectangle; rotate it; Edit/Shapes/MakePointsSelectable; change the points to make it a trapezium.

You can do it with SubtractShapes but you need a different approach and a bit of experience with OG.

>> Is this achieved by grouping the shapes and then re-ordering them so that one shape clips/masks another?

No, but that is the correct approach for obese products that are passed off as drawing tools, or not using the right tool for the job. Kinda like using PhotoShop to layout a catalogue, a bit silly, you end up with a very fat file.

O.k. yes, i accept my image is a little misleading.

I would like to go down the subtract shapes route, where can i find a tutorial?

Are you serious, the image I posted took 5 seconds to draw ? Did you expand the thumbnail, is it incorrect ?

Go to the Omni website:
[url]http://www.omnigroup.com/products/omnigraffle/[/url]

There, you will find links for tutorials. I find it is good to download the manual; the online help is a bit legless.

[QUOTE=IncisiveOne;77192]Are you serious, the image I posted took 5 seconds to draw ? Did you expand the thumbnail, is it incorrect ?[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the link, it's not that I don't want to draw a trapezium, i'd just that i'd like to further my understanding of the package and techniques available, so that I can apply them to future challenges.

I would also say, that by drawing the trapezium, i get locked into that workflow. If a clipping/masking solution was available , I would be free to move my 'sale' label around inside the rectangle shape to achieve the visual result i was after.

After playing with the subtract and merge shapes tools , it seems that the functionality i require is missing.

As you say the online documentation is a little limited.

Thanks again

Then check out the samples and templates.

For Interesct/Subtract, [URL="http://www.omnigroup.com/blog/entry/simones_story_using_omnigraffle_to_draw_comics/"]this[/URL] is a good intro. And check in with Omni Mouth regularly.

[quote]As you say the online documentation is a little limited.[/quote]
Sure. It can be expected to teach you how to use the product (I meant it was a bit legless in that aspect); it cannot be expected to teach you to draw (it does not try to).

Cool! thanks looks like a nice tutorial, i'll check it out :-)