[Chris Crawford]

Why does it take 16 seconds on my two dual-core 2.66 GHz Mac Pro desktop with 8 GB RAM (and nothing else running) using OS 10.7.4 to initialize a new document? That's the amount of time it takes from the time that the software first comes up and the new document dialog box appears. I can't think of any other application that takes as long to get going.

[whpalmer4]

It's a good question — even my elderly black MacBook doesn't take that long. Have you tried making another user account and seeing if the problem persists there? Are there external disk drives spinning up, or offline printers being contacted?

[Chris Crawford]

I did as you suggested: created a new user account, logged in with that user account, and launched OmniGraffle. Sure enough, it brought up the new file dialog box lickety-split. So then I went back to my regular user account, launched OmniGraffle, and once again it took 16 seconds to bring up the new file dialog.

So is there something in the boot process that I'm bringing up that is interfering with OmniGraffle?

[whpalmer4]

Well, the first thing I would try would be to move your OmniGraffle preferences file aside and see if the problem goes away. If it does, you'll have to reset your settings, but that shouldn't be too much trouble. If it doesn't, I'd contact Omni support on Monday and see what they suggest.

[Chris Crawford]

I have been using and programming Macs since April of 1984, and I am embarrassed to admit that I cannot for the life of me find any preferences file for OmniGraffle or OmniGroup. I have searched Library/Preferences/ and it definitely isn't there. I have examined every single file with the string "graffle" in its filename. I have searched for filenames that include the string 'preferences' and most of what I get is C++ header files.

I've been using OmniGraffle for many years, and I've always just upgraded, never re-installed. I wonder if I need to do something like a fresh install. I'm nervous about wiping out the old version...

Later...
I renamed my copy of OmniGraffle to something else, downloaded a fresh copy of OmniGraffle from the website, and launched it. The 16-second delay is still there.

Dirty ricklefricks...

[whpalmer4]

No sweat. I briefly contemplated whether I needed to spell it out, thought to myself, "aw, he's on Lion, I don't want to explain how to get to it, let's just hope he knows" :-)

The preferences file is going to be ~/Library/Preferences/com.omnigroup.OmniGraffle.plist or ~/Library/Preferences/com.omnigroup.OmniGrafflePro.plist, depending on whether or not you've got the Pro version. However, Apple throws a curve ball in Lion and hides the Library folder from casual view. There are a couple of ways around this:

if you want the Library folder visible, as it was previously, fire up the Terminal app, and type in the following command:

chflags nohidden ~/Library

If you just want to get to the Library folder this time, switch to the Finder, click on the Go menu, press and hold the option key which will cause Library to appear in the menu. Click on Library in the menu and then you should be able to proceed to the Preferences folder.

[Chris Crawford]

Thanks for that suggestion. Sheesh, it's getting hard keeping up with everything, especially when you're getting old and doddering.

So I used the Option-key trick to access all the Preferences files. I found the following files and moved them out of the Preferences folder and onto the Desktop:

com.omnigroup.OmniGraffle.plist
com.omnigroup.OmniGraffle.LSSharedFileList
com.omnigroup.OmniGraffle.LSSharedFileList.plist.l ockfile
com.omnigroup.OmniWeb5.plist
com.omnigroup.OmniWeb5.plist.lockfile

Yes, I realize that the OmniWeb stuff is probably irrelevant, but I was taking no chances. Then I launched OmniGraffle. This time around, it took 28 seconds from the time the Inspector window appeared to the time that the new file dialog appeared. I figured that perhaps OmniGraffle had to create all those preferences files from scratch, slowing it down, so I quit and restarted. This time it took 27 seconds.

Perhaps I missed a critical preferences file. I'll go over it another time, removing ANYTHING that has OmniXXX in its filename.

Thanks again for your patience. This is certainly irksome.

[whpalmer4]

Hmm, I can't say that was the result I was expecting! I think you should give the Omni staffers a chance to earn their keep on Monday. 800-315-6664 or +1-206-523-4152, 10-5 Pacific time.

I do recall something way back when about slow startup due to printer issues, perhaps it could be a factor here. I think this was the thread:

http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=13721

[Chris Crawford]

Well, the threat of calling Mommy and Daddy seems to have whipped OmniGraffle into shape: all of a sudden it's opening a new document in a couple of seconds. Why? It happened after I changed the Preferences to refrain from presenting the Open Document dialog on launch. Instead, it now just opens a blank document if it doesn't already have something to work on. And it happens fast.

Why? I sure don't know, but if it turns out to be that I was standing on one foot while launching OmniGraffle, I'll stand on one foot. I suspect that it was a combination of clearing out old preference files and changing that preference.

Thanks again for your help.