two-column text layout in shapes

[Erik Price]

Is there a way to get a two-column text layout within a shape using
OmniGraffle? I have "box" shapes (dragged from the basic palette) with
text inside them, looks like this:

+------------+
| users |
| |
| user_id |
| user_first |
| user_last |
| user_pw |
| user_lvl |
| etc |
+------------+


I'm wondering if there's any way I can get two nicely-formatted columns
of text within a shape, to look like this:

+----------------------------+
| users |
| |
| user_id SMALLINT(5) |
| user_first VARCHAR(36) |
| user_last VARCHAR(36) |
| user_pw VARCHAR(32) |
| user_lvl ENUM |
| etc |
+----------------------------+


Thanks for any advice,


Erik




----

Erik Price
Web Developer Temp
Media Lab, H.H. Brown
***@hhbrown.com

[Joe Piazza]

Post by Erik Price
I'm wondering if there's any way I can get two nicely-formatted columns
+----------------------------+
| users |
| |
| user_id SMALLINT(5) |
| user_first VARCHAR(36) |
| user_last VARCHAR(36) |

[...]

Piece of cake. Enter the text in a Box shape, flush left. Seperate
the text in the left column from the right column using a tab (need to
type option-Tab). When done, select all the text, make sure the rulers
are showing, and arrange the tab stops on the ruler.


joe

[Brian Covey]

This isn't a feature that's in OmniGraffle at the moment, but you could
probably simulate it by having two lineless, shadowless shapes over the
parent document that are the same color as the parent, and about the
same size as you'd want the column to be. (So, this wouldn't work if you
had gradients in the shapes.)

Add text to the two "child" shapes, nudge them into place so they look
good, and then group all three shapes.

If you have any other questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to
contact me. When replying, please include the quoted text of this
message. We really appreciate your help!

Sincerely,

Brian Covey
Support Manager
Omni Group



On Thursday, May 9, 2002, at 12:03 PM, omnigraffle-users-

Date: Wed, 8 May 2002 17:31:31 -0400
Subject: two-column text layout in shapes
Is there a way to get a two-column text layout within a shape using
OmniGraffle? I have "box" shapes (dragged from the basic palette) with
+------------+
| users |
| |
| user_id |
| user_first |
| user_last |
| user_pw |
| user_lvl |
| etc |
+------------+
I'm wondering if there's any way I can get two nicely-formatted columns
+----------------------------+
| users |
| |
| user_id SMALLINT(5) |
| user_first VARCHAR(36) |
| user_last VARCHAR(36) |
| user_pw VARCHAR(32) |
| user_lvl ENUM |
| etc |
+----------------------------+
Thanks for any advice,
Erik
----
Erik Price
Web Developer Temp
Media Lab, H.H. Brown

[Erik Price]

Post by Joe Piazza

Post by Erik Price
I'm wondering if there's any way I can get two nicely-formatted columns
of text within a shape

Piece of cake. Enter the text in a Box shape, flush left. Seperate
the text in the left column from the right column using a tab (need to
type option-Tab). When done, select all the text, make sure the rulers
are showing, and arrange the tab stops on the ruler.
This isn't a feature that's in OmniGraffle at the moment, but you could
probably simulate it by having two lineless, shadowless shapes over the
parent document that are the same color as the parent, and about the
same size as you'd want the column to be. (So, this wouldn't work if
you had gradients in the shapes.)

Both are excellent suggestions, which I appreciate. I decided to use
the tabs technique -- it's a little tricky to always remember to
"option-tab" (hint for Preferences addition, Omni!), but it makes it
easy to ensure that the lines match up even if you have "snap to grid"
turned off (since this keeps the text and its equivalent column text on
the same line).

The only trick is that sometimes I type faster than OmniGraffle can keep
up on my underpowered G3, and thus I will accidentally hit "tab", which
selects the next shape, and I will continue to type or hit delete, which
of course destroys that shape. I just have to be careful.

BTW congratulations to Omni Group for your awards, I think OG is really
cool.

Thanks Joe and Brian.



Erik




----

Erik Price
Web Developer Temp
Media Lab, H.H. Brown
***@hhbrown.com