Spiral script for OmniGraffle

Instructions

1. Download spiral.zip (8 KB).
2. Install the script.
3. In OmniGraffle open a new document and select > Spiral.
4. In the first window that appears, enter the desired radius for the beginning of the spiral...
5. The following window asks for the end radius. (This doesn't necessarily have to be larger than the start radius.)
6. Enter the angle you want your spiral to be, in turns of a circle. 1 gives you a 360° spiral, 2 gives 720° etc.
7. Hit OK... tada!

Tips and other uses

Resizing and rotating these things is a bit if a pain. Select more than one object (possibly even a spiral and a dummy object you make temporarily) to get the usual resizing handles. Alternatively, the geometry palette lets you resize and rotate numerically.

Because there are so many points on the spirals it can be difficult to move them around. If one is already selected chances are clicking on it again will select a point. Chances are this isn't what you want to do! It's easier to deselect it and then click on and drag the previously un-selected one.

Known 'features'

• Big spirals have a lot of points, and OmniGraffle may be not entirely happy with them if your computer's not the speediest.
• Some people have noticed that the script may not run when selected from the menu when using OmniGraffle 3.1.2, and only works when opened from the Finder. This was due to a change in the way Script Editor and OmniGraffle work together. Using OmniGraffle 3.2 fixes the problem.
• There is no error checking. As such, if you do anything out of the ordinary the script will almost certainly give strange—or no—results. Obvious things which come to mind which will confuse it are putting in negative numbers, or words. If you do do something funny, OmniGraffle will give you the option to edit the script. Feel free! Let me know if you come up with anything great.
• Multiple spirals are always drawn in the same place. Best to move your spiral once it's been drawn if you are doing more than one.

Things to maybe get around to some nice day

• Maybe some error checking here and there might be a good idea.
• Make one nice dialog with three boxes, rather than three little separate boxes.
• Other suggestions and comments are more than welcome.

Acknowledgements

• Applescript sine function from the Applescript Guidebook [no longer online]

Version history

1.0 (2005-05-16)

Initial release. Apparently works with OmniGraffle versions 3.2 beta 1, 3.2 and 3.2.1. Should also work fine with corresponding Pro versions of OmniGraffle.