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-   OmniGraffle for iPad (http://forums.omnigroup.com/forumdisplay.php?f=60)
-   -   Grid is almost useless (http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=20058)

HappyCatMachine 2011-02-08 07:15 AM

Grid seems almost useless, but actually is useful :)
 
If the grid is turned on then newly placed objects should align to the grid automatically. Unfortunately they are not.

The grid is necessary since OmniGraffle for iPad doesn't have an 'align objects' command.

What this means is that placing new objects involves placing them then pixel pushing them to the right location. This impacts the usability significantly and costs unecessary time.

Support ninja's contacted as well.

whpalmer4 2011-02-08 07:37 AM

If you are showing the grid, you have snap to grid turned on. Perhaps you haven't noticed which edges get aligned with the grid if your shapes are not integer multiples of grid units in size. The sides closest to where you are touching the shape are the ones aligned with the grid.

HappyCatMachine 2011-02-08 09:06 AM

Perhaps I did not explain this good enough. I do of course see the option. Turn grid on, turn snap on, drag a new shape out but dont let go. Notice how you can place it anywhere.

Ah, now I see though, they do drop into the grid :) [EDITED and CORRECTED below. Shapes do NOT drop to the same grid when dragged from the stencils menu]

I guess it would be nice to see as you drag an object around how it snaps to the grid.

Cheers

whpalmer4 2011-02-08 10:03 AM

[QUOTE=HappyCatMachine;92948]Perhaps I did not explain this good enough. I do of course see the option. Turn grid on, turn snap on, drag a new shape out but dont let go. Notice how you can place it anywhere.

Ah, now I see though, they do drop into the grid :)

I guess it would be nice to see as you drag an object around how it snaps to the grid.

Cheers[/QUOTE]
What shape are you dragging out for this experiment? When I do it, using the shape tool in drawing mode (tap the pencil, tap the rectangle with a +) the side closest to where I started dragging is drawn aligned with the grid from the outset. I suppose it is possible that the behavior has changed between the released version and the alpha I'm running.

Or do you mean drag a shape out from a stencil? That does seem to allow you to drop it anywhere, initially, though any subsequent adjustment snaps to the grid.

whpalmer4 2011-02-08 10:11 AM

FWIW, I wish the grid display and snap to grid could be independent options like in the Mac version! I suppose I could supply my own grid in another layer.

The snap to grid behavior when moving shapes around is somewhat different than the Mac version. On the Mac, you get a "click" every time an edge meets a grid line, so if your shape isn't an integer multiple of grid units along the direction you are moving, it aligns one edge then the opposite edge. On the iPad you get half as many "clicks" because it only tries to align the edge closest to your finger.

HappyCatMachine 2011-02-09 04:33 AM

I'm using the default shapes in the stencils drop down. If I draw shapes manually they do snap but part of the reason I want to use a grid is to save time.

I've found with some experimentation that the grid is indeed broken. Shapes may vertically align to it when they do not horizontally align to it.

I don't even care if the top/left edge snaps to a grid point, as long as all the shapes are on the SAME grid I can position them accurately and quickly. Workflow would be speeded up.

As it is (broken) I still have to nudge shapes into place pixel by pixel.

This is a serious failing of a piece of software the requires accurate placement of objects. The absence of an 'align' feature must have been a seriously discussed topic before release. Sketch has align and I find that easier to use for many things for that very reason.

As it stands: With grid turned on, snap to grid turned on, default shapes (squares) dragged from the shapes palette do NOT automatically snap to the grid. They each snap to what appears to be an independent grid so that aligning them with each other is impossible without nudging them pixel by pixel.

I wish something so fundamental hadn't been overlooked. Sigh.

HappyCatMachine 2011-02-09 04:53 AM

As a workaround, I've found that copying an object that you've aligned to the grid and pasting it does result in the pasting object to be aligned to the grid.

For things like flowcharts this is a huge help.

whpalmer4 2011-02-09 10:15 PM

[QUOTE=HappyCatMachine;93024]I'm using the default shapes in the stencils drop down. If I draw shapes manually they do snap but part of the reason I want to use a grid is to save time.

I've found with some experimentation that the grid is indeed broken. Shapes may vertically align to it when they do not horizontally align to it.
[/quote]
That's not what I'm seeing. As I said, the initial placement from a stencil is not snapped to the grid, but any subsequent movement is.

[url]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/971671/MVI_2245.m4v[/url]

(you'll have to forgive the low production values!)
[quote]
This is a serious failing of a piece of software the requires accurate placement of objects. The absence of an 'align' feature must have been a seriously discussed topic before release. Sketch has align and I find that easier to use for many things for that very reason.

As it stands: With grid turned on, snap to grid turned on, default shapes (squares) dragged from the shapes palette do NOT automatically snap to the grid. They each snap to what appears to be an independent grid so that aligning them with each other is impossible without nudging them pixel by pixel.

I wish something so fundamental hadn't been overlooked. Sigh.[/QUOTE]
You're a "glass is half-empty" kind of guy, aren't you? It's amazing how well the feature works, considering it was allegedly overlooked! You might want to direct such reports to Omni support (via the Contact Omni button) in the future, as they may not see them here.

As I said, the initial placement is not snapped to the grid. I don't regard this as a big problem, because it is likely that the stencil needs to be resized as well as placed. Any subsequent movement snaps to the grid on the edge(s) closest to your finger.

HappyCatMachine 2011-02-20 01:48 AM

[QUOTE=whpalmer4;93072]That's not what I'm seeing. As I said, the initial placement from a stencil is not snapped to the grid, but any subsequent movement is.

[url]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/971671/MVI_2245.m4v[/url]

(you'll have to forgive the low production values!)

You're a "glass is half-empty" kind of guy, aren't you? It's amazing how well the feature works, considering it was allegedly overlooked! You might want to direct such reports to Omni support (via the Contact Omni button) in the future, as they may not see them here.

As I said, the initial placement is not snapped to the grid. I don't regard this as a big problem, because it is likely that the stencil needs to be resized as well as placed. Any subsequent movement snaps to the grid on the edge(s) closest to your finger.[/QUOTE]

Please keep your assessments focused on the product and off the people. Your knowledge and product opinion is valued, your judgements of people are not.

Cheers and yes, thanks for the tips.


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