Feature Requests to do with Scaling Objects
 

I have been using OmniGraffle only for a couple of days now.

I have to say I find it a very easy to use application, find the multiple shared layers great, and the layout great.

I thought I would put in a couple of feature requests now, as if I leave it much longer I will forget about them (learn to live without them), or better yet, someone might be able to point me in the direction of where the feature is (or the closest thing to it).

The two features are closely related.

[B]Feature Request 1: Extra Group Scaling Features[/B]
To be able to scale a group of objects without all the objects in that group scaling at the same proportion.

A typical example might be that you have a scroll bar as a template or stencil object.

You have the arrows sized just right. You want to scale the scroll bar in one dimension, but don't want the arrows getting all out of shape.

I have found that what you have to do now is double click to edit the group (great feature by the way!), move things around in the group, then exit out of the group.

This is a bit like the 9 Slice Scaling feature as in Adobe Fireworks.
I guess this is more bitmap based, so may not work so well for OmniGraffle.

What about adding options in the area of "Maintain Aspect Ratio"... (I have seen it in other editing apps, perhaps Smart Draw? Can't Recall)

Something like a resizing option instead of just the "Maintain Aspect Ratio", so you choose one of "No Restriction", "Maintain Aspect Ratio", "Maintain Width", "Maintain Height", "Don't Resize".

Then, when objects are grouped, the things within that group would still follow the rules. I guess there would be some checking on the groups resizing option, if all the things in the group are set to Don't Resize and the group was set to No Restriction, what would happen... but that is in the details...

So, you could set your vertical scroll bar arrows to Maintain Height, your scroll-bar background would be set to No Restriction, then when you resize, you would get just what you want, a resizing scroll bar without scaling the bits you don't want to, you could still scale everything in one direction, but only some things in the other.

Sounds good to me :-)


[B]Feature Request 2 - Better Table Scaling[/B]
Say you set up a table, it would be great to be able to tell the table which row and column you want to repeat.

As I said at the start, it is sort of related to the previous feature request, because it sort of gives you the nice slice scaling.

So you set-up your table with nicely formatted top, bottom, left and right borders, and the real content is in the middle, this is the bit you want to repeat when scaling.

Sorry for the long post, I am not complaining... I like this App and felt like making some suggestions that, I at least, think would make it even better.

Regards
Colin

+1

I know myself and 12 other people at Übermind would love a 9 slice / object scaling feature. The main reason Omnigraffle is facing some uphill battles is specifically because this feature is handled poorly.