Programmatic Diagrams
 

I'm analyzing a database and I have a chain of scripts that results in a .DOT format file. I import that file into OmniGraffle and then use the layout tools followed by some hand re-positioning to generate a nice diagram that lets us see how about a hundred tables are being used. This all works find and produces a fine chart.

However, I need to be able to re-run my scripts and produce the new file each week. I'd like to reduce or eliminate the hand-repositioning, since for each successive chart, the locations from the last chart are the likely good placements.

My first through was that I'd extract the positions from the OmniGraffle document and then place these positions into the .DOT file. However, turns out the OmniGraffle won't import the pos attribute.

So - I'm thinking my plan is going to be to write an AppleScript that extracts the positions of the shapes on one canvas and attempts to apply them the shapes on another canvas, locating the shapes by label. Is this sane? Has anyone done this or something similar? Is there a more direct method?

Thanks for any suggestions, pointers or help!
- Mark