Don't stop duplicating when ALT is released! Make modifier keys stick after dragging starts as they do in Photoshop
When using Select and Direct Selection Tools, you can duplicate elements by holding ALT-key down.
But if you release the ALT-key before you release the Mouse Button, the duplicating ceases . This differs from how most of the other applications behaves. For example in Photoshop, duplicating continues even if you release the ALT before you release mouse button.
How this works in Illustrator leads often to situations where you think you have duplicated something, but you actually just moved it. And often I edit the element I thought I duplicated, and loose lot of work as it wasn't actually duplicated and I edited the original.
Very Frustrating
I can't believe how many this kind of little annoying things Illustrator has. Every time I have to use it, my day is ruined. This is one of those days. I can't understand how a developer with size and budget like Adobe can't get these fixed.
Kimmo Hellstr
shared this idea
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西村
commented
自由変形ツール（E）で、Ctrl/Commandキーを使用した「自由歪み」を行う際、マウスを離す前にキーを離すと変形がキャンセルされ、単なる移動になってしまう仕様を即刻改善してください。
リクエスト：
操作判定の根本的な見直し： キーを離す順番に関わらず、変形後の形状が維持されるようにしてください。
ユーザーの利便性を優先： 仮に意図しない変形になったとしても、ユーザー側で Ctrl + Z（取り消し）を行えば済む話です。ソフト側が勝手に「操作ミス」と決めつけて元の形に戻す仕様は、かえって作業の邪魔になっており、極めて使いづらいです。
Photoshopとの統一： Adobe製品間で操作性が統一されていないことは大きなストレスです。直感的に変形が確定する挙動への変更を強く望みます。
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Lingojigari Sameer commented
alt and drag are not working in Illustrator
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An earlier general request to change the duplication paradigm: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/44954005
Please vote there.This particular report is going to be reviewed as a bug report about the ghosting issue.
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Yes, it’s a known and the old paradigm Illustrator uses (along with InDesign, XD, and Figma) — all modifier keys affect the result only if they stay pressed until the mouse button is released / pen lifted.
Compared to the one Photoshop uses (and some other apps like Affinity Designer), it has some benefits. The main one is that you don’t have to start holding Alt strictly before you start dragging.
Some other apps like Corel Draw or Inkscape don’t use this Alt-to-duplicate method at all.But really, it the same exact treatment Shift or Ctrl/Cmd modifier keys get — you can start or stop holding them at any moment, and Alt is just another one.
It most probably won’t change in the near future. If you still want for it to change (or better to be customizable) — please log it as a feature request.As for the bug with the drawn copy — yes, it is a GPU bug. Definitely needs fixing!
(Edited by admin) -
When you use ALT and Drag to duplicate Objects, the duplicating is canceled if you release the ALT-key before you release the Mouse Button.
Also, if you release the Alt, but don't move the mouse, the original one will be still visible, but it will disappear after you release the mouse button (or move the mouse). So, the Illustrator leads you to assume that the Object will be duplicated, but it actually wont. See the attached GIF.
In every other App that has the same functionality that I have used the duplicating will continue even if I release the Alt key. You alt drag something, you create a duplicate, you release the alt key, duplicate stays.
The way Illustrator does it leads to a lot of errors. Often I end up in situation where I thought I duplicated something, but I actually didn't. Frequently, I edit the “duplicated” object, only to find out later that I didn't actually duplicate the original one, but loosed it. Then I have to recreate it, as I have edited the duplicate one and don't have the original any more.
This error in basic functionality of Illustrator has cost me probably hours of extra work.
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There is a controversy about modifiers. See, Photoshop requires you to start holding Alt/Opt before you click, only then it counts as duplicating. While it clearly defines the intention and allows a user to release the Alt any time, it's also infuriating for those who comes from the Ai and other apps first, where you can start holding Alt/Opt anytime, and duplicating is intended only when the key is held at the moment of releasing. If one decides not to copy, they can just stop holding... but this requires to time the release.
These are two different worlds and there is no clear intersection between. But perhaps an option can be introduced to control it.
Anyway, thank you for raising this up. Let's hope more users come to talk about it.
