OmniGraffle File Generator

Generate native .graffle files that open directly in OmniGraffle 7+ on macOS and iOS.

How It Works

OmniGraffle files are ZIP archives containing a binary Apple plist (data.plist) and a preview JPEG. This skill uses Python's plistlib to assemble the document structure and zipfile to package it. The output matches OmniGraffle 7's native format (GraphDocumentVersion 16, zipped).

⚠️ Native-quality conventions (READ FIRST)

Five rules separate a clean, editable, professional diagram from a broken one. They were learned the hard way against real OmniGraffle files — follow them.

1. Z-ORDER IS FRONT-FIRST (most common bug). OmniGraffle paints layer index 0 — and the first

graphic within a layer — at the FRONT. This is the REVERSE of SVG / normal painter order. So backgrounds, zone tints, and rack/frame outlines must be the LAST layer (highest index), never the first — otherwise they sit on top and hide everything, and box labels disappear "behind" their boxes. Two ways to get it right:

• With GraffleBuilder: add layers FRONT→BACK (title/labels first, background last); or build

naturally and call save(z_order="back_first").

• With the SVG converter: author SVG layers back-first; fix_z_order() reverses them so

OmniGraffle renders exactly like the SVG preview.

1. Give frames/zones a transparent or translucent fill (fill_color=None, or low opacity) and

put them at the back. A solid-filled full-canvas rectangle will occlude even when "behind" if the z-order is wrong — fix the z-order and don't use opaque backgrounds.

1. Every box gets magnets (the builder does this by default) so connectors snap to edges and

stay attached when shapes move. Keep MagnetsVisible: "NO" (already set) so the pink magnet dots don't render.

1. Use connected + ORTHOGONAL connectors, not loose straight lines. Pass from_id/to_id

(connection) plus orthogonal=True so lines route at right angles and follow shapes when moved. Add hop="round" (or "square") so crossing connectors hop instead of overlapping. Optionally pin an edge with from_side/to_side ("top"/"bottom"/"left"/"right").

1. One concept per canvas; layers for toggles. Use separate canvases (e.g. "Rack Elevation" vs

"Network") rather than cramming everything onto one. Within a canvas, group by named layer so the reader can toggle planes. Opaque rects ≤130 pt tall auto-absorb the text placed inside them as a native multi-line label (so labels never hide behind a fill).

Step 1: Copy Scripts

Before generating any file, copy the builder scripts to your working directory:

cp -r /path/to/this/skill/omnigraffle_generator/ /home/claude/omnigraffle-scripts/omnigraffle_generator/

Then import (add the directory containing the package to the path):

import sys
sys.path.insert(0, '/home/claude/omnigraffle-scripts')
from omnigraffle_generator.graffle_builder import GraffleBuilder, create_network_diagram, COLORS

Step 2: Understand the User's Diagram

Ask or infer:

1. What type of diagram? Network architecture, flowchart, org chart, system diagram
2. What are the nodes/shapes? Names, positions, colors, groupings
3. What are the connections? Which nodes connect, line colors, arrows
4. What layers are needed? Logical groupings (e.g., "hardware", "network", "labels")

Step 3: Build the Diagram

Option A: Low-Level Builder API

For full control over every element:

from omnigraffle_generator.graffle_builder import GraffleBuilder

b = GraffleBuilder(title="My Diagram", creator="User Name")

# Clear default layer and add custom ones
b._layers = []
l_hw = b.add_layer("hardware")
l_net = b.add_layer("network")

# Add shapes (returns shape ID for connections)
srv = b.add_shape(x=100, y=100, w=120, h=40,
                  text="Server1", fill_color="blue",
                  layer=l_hw, name="Server1")

sw = b.add_shape(x=300, y=100, w=120, h=40,
                 text="Switch", fill_color="green",
                 layer=l_net, name="Switch")

# Connect shapes
b.add_line(from_id=srv, to_id=sw, color="blue", width=2.0,
           layer=l_net, head_arrow="FilledArrow")

# Add floating text labels
b.add_text_label(100, 60, "Rack 1", font_size=14,
                 text_color=(0,0,0), bold=True)

# Group shapes together
group_id = b.add_group([srv, sw], layer=l_hw)

# Save
b.save("/mnt/user-data/outputs/diagram.graffle")

Option B: High-Level Network Diagram

For quick network/architecture diagrams from structured data:

from omnigraffle_generator.graffle_builder import create_network_diagram

builder = create_network_diagram(
    title="Data Center Network",
    layers=["servers", "switches", "storage"],
    nodes=[
        {"name": "Web-1", "x": 100, "y": 50, "color": "blue"},
        {"name": "Web-2", "x": 250, "y": 50, "color": "blue"},
        {"name": "LB",    "x": 175, "y": 150, "w": 140, "color": "green"},
        {"name": "DB",    "x": 175, "y": 250, "color": "red", "layer": 2},
    ],
    connections=[
        {"from_name": "Web-1", "to_name": "LB", "color": "yellow", "width": 2},
        {"from_name": "Web-2", "to_name": "LB", "color": "yellow", "width": 2},
        {"from_name": "LB", "to_name": "DB", "arrow": True, "width": 2},
    ],
)
builder.save("/mnt/user-data/outputs/network.graffle")

Option C: SVG → multi-canvas .graffle (best for layered network/rack diagrams)

For large, layered diagrams (rack elevations, multi-plane network maps) author one SVG per canvas and convert with omnigraffle_generator/svg_to_graffle.py. Every rect/line/text becomes a native, editable OmniGraffle object; SVG layer groups become togglable OmniGraffle layers; boxes get magnets; and connectors become connected + orthogonal lines with line-hops.

Author the SVG this way:

• One layer per plane: <g inkscape:groupmode="layer" id="L0_title" inkscape:label="Title"> … </g>.

Number/emit layers back-first (background/frame first, title last) — fix_z_order() flips them to OmniGraffle's front-first order so the file renders like your SVG preview.

• Mark any box that takes a connector with id="cbox:NAME".
• Put connectors in a sidecar <same-basename>.connections.json:

  { "lineLayer": "L2_links",
    "connections": [
      {"from":"client_nic","fromSide":"top","to":"firewall","toSide":"bottom",
       "color":"#2563eb","width":2,"dashed":false,"arrow":true,"hop":true}
    ] }

Draw matching preview elbows in the SVG with data-preview="1" (skipped in the .graffle, so the PNG/SVG preview shows the route while OmniGraffle draws the real connected orthogonal line).

Convert (one canvas per SVG, titles optional):

python3 omnigraffle_generator/svg_to_graffle.py rack.svg network.svg \
    --titles "1. Rack Elevation,2. Network Connectivity" \
    --output diagram.graffle

Preview an SVG without OmniGraffle via LibreOffice: soffice --headless --convert-to png rack.svg. Because the converter reverses z-order, the LibreOffice/SVG preview equals what OmniGraffle renders — use it to verify before delivering (handy when OmniGraffle's own scripting/export is unavailable, e.g. the non-Pro Mac App Store build).

API Reference

GraffleBuilder(title, creator, orientation, paper_size)

add_layer(name, locked, visible, printable) → layer_index

add_shape(x, y, w, h, ...) → shape_id

add_text_label(x, y, text, ...) → shape_id

Convenience for borderless/fillless text. Same params as add_shape minus fill/stroke.

add_line(from_id, to_id, ...) → line_id

add_line_multi_point(points, ...) → line_id

For multi-segment paths. points is a list of (x,y) tuples.

add_group(shape_ids, layer) → group_id

Groups existing shapes. Removes them from main list and nests under group.

save(filepath, z_order="front_first")

Writes the .graffle ZIP file. Pass z_order="back_first" if you added layers/shapes back-to-front (intuitive painter order) and want OmniGraffle to render them that way (see conventions, rule 1).

Available Named Colors

Use these strings for fill_color or color parameters:

blue, red, green, yellow, orange, purple, cyan, pink, brown, white, lightgray, darkgray, black, lightblue, lightgreen, lightcyan, lightpink, lightyellow, darkblue, darkgreen, darkred

Or pass any RGB tuple like (0.5, 0.8, 0.2) in the 0-1 range.

Layout Tips

• OmniGraffle coordinate system: origin is top-left, units are points (1/72 inch)
• Typical node sizes: 100-150w × 30-50h for labels, 40-60w × 14-20h for small tags
• Vertical spacing: 80-120 points between rows
• Horizontal spacing: 40-80 points between columns
• Use layers to separate logical diagram elements (hardware, networks, labels) — **front layer

first, backgrounds last** (see conventions, rule 1)

• Name important shapes so they can be found in OmniGraffle's sidebar
• Prefer orthogonal=True connected lines over straight/loose lines; add hop="round" on crossings

Limitations

• Geometry is limited to Rectangle, Circle, RoundRect, Octagon, Star via

add_shape(shape=...) — no custom paths. Omitting shape gives a rectangle

• No image fills or embedded images
• No stencil references
• Orthogonal connectors auto-route in OmniGraffle; exact elbow positions may shift on open (expected)
• hopType is honored by OmniGraffle 7 but is best-effort across versions — toggle in the

Connections inspector if a build doesn't show hops

• Preview JPEG is a blank placeholder (OmniGraffle regenerates it on first save)