Is there a better way to show simple trees at varying levels of collapse and expansion ?

Subgraphs seem unsuitable - turning a sub-tree into a subgraph changes its position in the sibling sequence used by automatic layout. Also subgraph labels seem to remain visible regardless of collapse state.

Placing successive generations/levels of the tree on different layers (and toggling the visibility of these layers) seems better but a little complex ...

[links between shapes are hidden intelligently, and auto-layout adapts quite gracefully, but time (or Applescript automation) seems to be required to set up all the layers.]

Is there something simpler that I am missing ?

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OK, at the scripting level, simply moving particular levels, sets of levels, or sub-trees in and out of a single special 'hidden' layer, and then re-triggering automatic layout, seems to work OK.

But it would be good to have something built into the GUI, to prevent me from reaching for my old copy of Inspiration, which is still quicker than OG for typing an outline swiftly, switching back and forth between an outline view and a graphic view, and hoisting or collapsing particular subtrees, or collapsing to particular levels.

All of which is where I happen to spend quite a lot of the day :-)

[PaulHughes]

Hello! I just downloaded omnigraffle, and I'm curious how you achieved the retrigger of auto-layout in your script, as what you describe is exactly what I want. If you could share your script with me I would be very grateful. THanks so much!

The OG applescript library contains a layout command, and shapes have a layer property.

(I don't have a general body of code that I can share for this, unfortunately).