Arrange in a Circle script for OmniGraffle

Using

1. Download circle_arrange.zip (4 KB).
2. Install the script.
3. In OmniGraffle make some shapes you want arranged in a circle. Maybe make one like you want then duplicate until you have as many as you want.
4. Select > Arrange in Circle.
5. In the window that appears enter the appropriate radius. It doesn't have to be whole numbers, but it will freak out if you put in negatives.
6. Hit OK... tada!

Tips and other uses

Whatever points up in the shapes you start with will end up pointing into the circle you end up with. Here all the little triangles were pointing up. This means that if you select everything you just made into a circle and do it again they'll all be a bit squint. Easy to straighten them all (using the rotate thingy, wherever it is) before you run it again to avoid disappointment, heartbreak, blood-borne infections, possible reclamation of your land, property and relatives and other untoward side effects.

Sometimes it's easiest to get what you want by making waay more than you want of something, then deleting a few of them when you've got them arranged.

The circle things are circulated in the order that they were created. If you're sneaky with the order that you make things you can make things in a sneaky fashion. In reality, it's probably easier to change and resize (resizing multiple things with the Geometry inspector keeps them all centred nicely) after they're in the right in-a-circle positions.

Known 'features'

• 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.

Things to maybe get around to some nice day

• Error checking...
• Other suggestions and comments are more than welcome.

Version history

1.0 (2005-07-06)

Initial release. Apparently works with OmniGraffle version 3.2.1 and OmniGraffle Professional 4.0 beta 3b.