Quickly Adding Shapes with Labels
 

Hi,

First, let me send my kudos to the Omnigraffle for iPad team. It is clearly the most ambitious productivity app out there for the iPad, and I'm amazed at how much was done so quickly.

I'm using OmniGraffle for iPad for narrative plotting, and had a question about quickly creating labelled objects. I'm hoping some Omnigraffle aficionados might have some suggestions for me.

To create a labelled shape (my plot points and character notes), I currently have to enter draw mode, add the shape, exit draw mode, and double tap to add a label, delete the default text (which isn't pre-selected for quick type-over), and then type the text - a lot of taps when I just want to get the idea out quickly.

I found that it is faster just to double tap a blank area (Though I still have to delete the default text which isn't pre-selected) and type. I found that later I could mass select my text labels and assign shapes, fills, etc. Still, the disadvantage to this is they are not true shapes - when selected, they only have right and left handle bars, and I cannot make vertical adjustments.

Anyone have any thoughts on how I might be able to add true labelled shapes more quickly? (or get vertical handlebars on my text labels?)

Does any of this make sense?

Thanks in advance...

Okay, I'm getting faster at adding items using the stencils -- multitouch just takes some getting used to! :)

You can make them into 'real' shapes with more handles. You need to change the text-wrapping behavior in the text inspector popover. Just above the phrase 'wrap to shape' there's 3 options for text-wrapping behavior. The default for labels is the right-hand one, resize shape to fit text. You want either of the others (overflow or crop).

[QUOTE=Lizard;75569]You can make them into 'real' shapes with more handles. You need to change the text-wrapping behavior in the text inspector popover. Just above the phrase 'wrap to shape' there's 3 options for text-wrapping behavior. The default for labels is the right-hand one, resize shape to fit text. You want either of the others (overflow or crop).[/QUOTE]

Hi Lizard,

Thank you for your reply! That works splendidly! :)

-macfrankencow