How to create a shape based on multiple paths ? + comment on usability
 

Hello,

I'm trying to do a pretty simple and trivial thing.
I want to create a custom shape based on a bezier path and 3 lines.
I can create the bezier path and the 3 lines pretty easily.

I can connect them together, that create what looks like a custom shape, right ?

From there how do I create a custom shape based on my 4 paths (well connected together) ?

I know I could use the Pen Tool but it a p*** in the a** to use when I want to create a shape with more than 3 "control points"...

Now my comment:

I always liked omnigraffle, that's the only app from omni that is somewhat actually usable.
I'm very confused by the direction took with the version 5.
The app used to be easy to use. It was doing a few things, but it was doing it well.
Now it does a lot more but not very well ...
Did you loose all your clever peoples when wil left ??
I'm using it because I don't know an alternative to it on the mac.
My only hope is that a small company will realize that omnigraffle became so convoluted to use that them will create there own.
I want a delicious library kind of Omnigraffle

mat

Hey, nice troll! Do you find that insulting people when asking for help gets you better results?

Re: How to create based on multiple paths ? + comment on usability
 

Hello again,

I'm sorry if I offended some people here, my remarks were a little bit harsh for two reasons. I have spend a few hours figuring out this problem yesterday and was pretty frustrated with omnigraffle.
The other reason is that I truly like this app and I'm sad to see the direction it's going. And when I say that I think this version (5.x) is step back from the previous versions (4.x) it's mostly because it was more intuitive to use, that's it.
I was not insulting anybody or didn't mean to. I was just a little bit sarcastic.
The remark on the pen tool are due to the fact that like many people I'm using a laptop and that this tool is not very easy to use with a trackpad.

So now back to my initial question:

I'm not a regular user of the app, i'm using it once in while to specs out some ideas for work, so I don't necessary know all the tricks to take advantage of it.
Is it possible to merge and close a few path to create a custom shape ?
It's mostly so I can fill it with a color.

regards

mat

You cannot use the line tool to close and create a shape -- This behavior has not changed at all since version 1 of OmniGraffle, lines are designed to connect shapes to each other and create relationships.

That said, you should use the Pen Tool to create custom closed shapes that can be filled with color and/or images, it allows bezier control handles and the like.

I don't know what you're referring to about a "step backward" from version 4 (at least with regard to the Pen Tool and creating custom shapes), we have made no modifications to that functionality in version 5.

Let me explain the steps backward.
I was very very happy when you guys said you were doing the 5.x a leopard only version but I don't quite see the benefit of it. I think the new UI layout is more confusing that before, that's my personal opinion and I'm sure a lot of your users like it, it displays a lot of informations. I found it distracting, I like clean and simple layouts.

I know the pen tool have not change in a while I was just saying it's not easy to use on a laptop or to create complex shapes.
I didn't know a line was only supposed to connect 2 objects ... but if I'm not mistaken, is a shape not composed of lines that are closed at some point ?
Adding a close function would be a nice feature.

I guess I can live with it.

regards

mat

[QUOTE=mamat;51194]Hello again,

I'm not a regular user of the app, i'm using it once in while to specs out some ideas for work, so I don't necessary know all the tricks to take advantage of it.
Is it possible to merge and close a few path to create a custom shape ?
It's mostly so I can fill it with a color.

mat[/QUOTE]

Have you played with the Edit -> Shapes -> Union/Intersect/Subtract Shapes menu items? Depending on what your final shape looks like, you might be able to make it out of a combination of other shapes, including those made with the pen tool. You could then save it as a stencil.

Cool I will try.

thanks a lot

mat