OmniGraffle + FastScripts + User generated script == goodness

I've been working on a web page trying to finish up some last minute touches and I needed a Web 2.0 starburst icon. I tried using one that was auto generated by a website, but that didn't really work out liked I'd planned, so I started looking for alternative solutions.

My first attempt was to fire up Acorn, great application, and edit the one I had. In the end I wasn't pleased with the results, due to my lack of skills with an otherwise fine piece of software.

Next I thought, I know I can do this in Visio in about two minutes, but being lazy like I am, decided against it.

Thought number three was the winner. Since I could do this in Visio I'd probably be able to bang it out in OmniGraffle, right? Well, not so fast. My Visio prowess doesn't translate to OmniGraffle. Hmmm....

Enter a Google search for "star shapes for omnigraffle", which produced a link to a script! Ah-ha!

I downloaded Peter McMasters Star Script, created a new folder in my FastScripts Scripts Folder, called OmniGraffle strangely enough, and dropped Star.scpt in place.

Here's where it gets scary. I switched back over to OmniGraffle, selected the FastScripts menu, located Star, and clicked...

It worked as advertised! Woo-hoo!

After I had the shape I was looking for I added a shadow, changed the fill, inserted some text, exported as .PNG, and did a bit of touchup in Acorn, and I had what I was after. A nice cheezy Web 2.0 Starburst!

Labels: Applications, Automation, Graphics, Mac, Scripting