is there anything like MS Visio on OSX?

[phuong]

like the title said, is there any program for drawing diagrams on OSX like Microsoft Visio? and it would be best if it's compatible with MS Visio.

[Heath]

I doubt you will find anything that is compatible with Visio due to using a proprietary Microsoft format. However there are alternatives that do similar things. Check here for a couple.

http://www.osalt.com/visio

[SMM]

Originally Posted by Heath

I doubt you will find anything that is compatible with Visio due to using a proprietary Microsoft format. However there are alternatives that do similar things. Check here for a couple.

http://www.osalt.com/visio

MS bought Visio in 2000, they did not author it. The original company, Shapeware (later Visio), was always an x86 app, but there were quite a number of other employees around who may have ported a similar product. Just speculating, understand.

[Gonzalez]

Originally Posted by Heath

I doubt you will find anything that is compatible with Visio due to using a proprietary Microsoft format. However there are alternatives that do similar things. Check here for a couple.

http://www.osalt.com/visio

I use Visio to make UML Class Diagrams and Data Base Diagrams.

Is there any program in MacOSX that do these tasks?

[DavidLeblond]

http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnigraffle/

Also, you can do some class diagramming/database diagramming right in XCode.

[Queso]

OmniGraffle Pro from the Omnigroup. It's compatible with the Visio XML formats so drawings can be shared between the two that way. I use it all the time, and the output impresses a lot of hardcore Visio users. Make sure you get the PRO version for Visio compatibility.

They're also about to release an MS-Project compatible app named OmniPlan. If it's as usable as OmniGraffle I'll definitely be purchasing it.

[mduser63]

Originally Posted by dynamicv

OmniGraffle Pro from the Omnigroup. It's compatible with the Visio XML formats so drawings can be shared between the two that way. I use it all the time, and the output impresses a lot of hardcore Visio users. Make sure you get the PRO version for Visio compatibility.

They're also about to release an MS-Project compatible app named OmniPlan. If it's as usable as OmniGraffle I'll definitely be purchasing it.

Recommendation seconded. OmniGroup is a cool company, and they make good apps. OmniGraffle is very powerful.

[LAO]

Originally Posted by dynamicv

ake sure you get the PRO version for Visio compatibility.

An *important* point to remember...

[nastjush]

ConceptDraw
Another Visio alternative, besides its crossplatform Mac&PC.

[danielbriggs]

I like this one:

http://www.gliffy.com/

With a bit of tweaking, you can get just as good results as Visio.

+ it's free, and you can access your diagrams anywhere in the world, as it's all web based!

+ you can export your diagrams


Dan :-)

[chillywilly]

Another important point to remember is that none of these apps offer true Visio file compatibility without importing or exporting the Visio XML file back and forth. Until MS decides they want to do a Mac version of Visio, this is the best way to interoperate.

I've used ConceptDraw V for a while now and it's not a bad app. Very easy to use and one that produces some nice output. And importing of Visio XML files is good and they also have a seperate program that can concert Visio VSD files to Visio XML for importing into ConceptDraw.

As with OmniGraffle, the Pro version is needed for Visio importing.

[Queso]

Originally Posted by chillywilly

Another important point to remember is that none of these apps offer true Visio file compatibility without importing or exporting the Visio XML file back and forth. Until MS decides they want to do a Mac version of Visio, this is the best way to interoperate.

As with all the Office programs, MS is moving towards using XML as the default file formats on Visio. Give it another couple of years and VSD will only be used when people open old documents.

Thank the European Commission for that one, by forcing Microsoft to open their file formats to other companies.

[devman]

Originally Posted by dynamicv

As with all the Office programs, MS is moving towards using XML as the default file formats on Visio. Give it another couple of years and VSD will only be used when people open old documents.

Thank the European Commission for that one, by forcing Microsoft to open their file formats to other companies.

'fraid not. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...75#post3214975

[Queso]

Originally Posted by devman

'fraid not. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...75#post3214975

Interesting. I stand corrected. Thanks for the heads up there.

[chillywilly]

Originally Posted by dynamicv

Interesting. I stand corrected. Thanks for the heads up there.

Yes, thanks devman for those links to those posts. I guess MS still has a ways to go for true open XML support. Maybe Office 2010?? he he

BTW, dynamicv, nice avatar.

[tfalstad]

Originally Posted by danielbriggs

I like this one:

http://www.gliffy.com/

With a bit of tweaking, you can get just as good results as Visio.

+ it's free, and you can access your diagrams anywhere in the world, as it's all web based!

+ you can export your diagrams


Dan :-)

Thanks for this - I just started using with the trial and love it - especially the web-based interface.

[westam]

Originally Posted by DavidLeblond

http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnigraffle/

Also, you can do some class diagramming/database diagramming right in XCode.

ya it's a nice feature of xcode to create the class diagrams, etc
but i'm using it to build a business presentation to investors (i'd rather doing the UML

[westam]

Originally Posted by tfalstad

Thanks for this - I just started using with the trial and love it - especially the web-based interface.

cool, looks great, i will give this a try (and it plugs into Jira too)!!! 5 bucks per month is very reasonable but i dont like subscriptions. too bad they don't do one time fee.

[misterb101]

I would try out Yed from yworks. works amazing with layouting of large diagrams. Just the import functionality is fairly limited

[JYork23]

Just a reminder, you can always install Windows on your Mac (via Bootcamp or Parallels/VMWare) and use Visio that way. I'm sure you thought of that, but just in case...

[odowd80]

If you're just looking to do flowcharts, Google Docs does this very well with their "Drawing" documents. Can export as png, jpg, svg, and pdf.

[BeardedOne]

I like to use ConceptDraw PRO, I find the product easy to use and meets my drawing requirements. Once you import your Visio file the library objects that were used in your drawing are set aside and can then be saved to your local library for future use by you. The product is very comprehensive and goes beyond drawing shapes.

[GreybeardedOne]

One more comment on ConceptDraw PRO. With the release of the most recent version of the product they now have introduced ConceptDraw Solution Park. On a regular basis they release new objects and templates and I just need to update my product to pick up the changes.

They recently introduced an extensive UML update, that we use frequently at work. We have a few PCs in our work environment and as we transition from a PC to a Mac we just move the license over to the newer platform. Makes it dead simple.

[Zatoka]

Originally Posted by chillywilly

Another important point to remember is that none of these apps offer true Visio file compatibility without importing or exporting the Visio XML file back and forth. Until MS decides they want to do a Mac version of Visio, this is the best way to interoperate.

I've used ConceptDraw V for a while now and it's not a bad app. Very easy to use and one that produces some nice output. And importing of Visio XML files is good and they also have a seperate program that can concert Visio VSD files to Visio XML for importing into ConceptDraw.

As with OmniGraffle, the Pro version is needed for Visio importing.

I'm using conceptdraw pro 9. It does a great job with hundreds of its solutions for diagrams, in my opinion much better than Visio. I've got a lot of fun doing an information map with this video:
http://www.conceptdraw.com/video/solutions.php?t=92

[chillywilly]

Originally Posted by Zatoka

I'm using conceptdraw pro 9. It does a great job with hundreds of its solutions for diagrams, in my opinion much better than Visio. I've got a lot of fun doing an information map with this video:
http://www.conceptdraw.com/video/solutions.php?t=92

I've guessing that when I posted that - Concept Draw V - and with the current release of version 9, true Visio compatibility has been beefed up and improved. This is great to hear.