Option to permanently add a brush to every opened document
I often use very specific custom made brush in an Operation. Adding panel with library containing this brush does not help - I have to click on it in every document before starting the operation. Option to permanently add a brush to every opened document would be splendid. Or at least to incorporate that into Operation. (no, using paste in operation doesn't work)
Joe-Anne
shared this idea
-
Joe-Anne
commented
Thank you so much Margaret! I only tried placing the object and it obviously didn't work.
I'm so happy, haha You made my day. -
Margaret Trauth
commented
Here is a one-click workaround:
1. Make a document containing nothing but a path with your desired brush assigned to it. Save it.
2. Open a new file.
3. Start recording an action.
4. file>open the document made in step 1, do *not* use file>open recent files as this will get recorded as a "place" action placing some unrelated file
5. select all, copy, close, paste
6. stop recording the action
7. make a new document and run the action again to make sure it's working
8. quit Illustrator to make it save your new action, unless you want to risk making it again after Illustrator crashes before the next time you manually quitYou might also want to record "new layer" before opening the brush document in step 4, otherwise the action might abort when it tries to paste into a document with no unlocked layers.
-
Joe-Anne
commented
Scripts can be incorporated into an operation so it would reduce the process to one click/shortcut :)
Thank you so much for your help. Now I at least know what is possible and what isn't :)
-
A script would have to be run anyway. There is no way I know of to let Illustrator run anything automatically on a file open/create event.
So in any variant it requires an action from a user — to click a brush tip in a persistent library or to run a script (and as far as I know, scripts can't load or create brushes at all).
I'm afraid there is no other practical solution to this :/
The request seems valid though, I can imagine the benefits, and for other presets too, like swatches and styles. -
Joe-Anne
commented
Egor, thank you for your answer. Sadly, none of those work for me.
1. This is my current workaround. It works but it is time consuming - with dozens of files a day it adds up. But it, indeed, does work. I'm just looking for more... elegant - and faster - solution, but I guess with the way Illustrator stores brushes it is just impossible.
2. & 3. Those are valid options, sadly I work with files provided by clients (we're a very large print-house so we cannot provide each client with proper templates) - quickly adding regmarcs, finishings, cutlines etc. and sending them down the production line.Do you think it could be done with a script? Or just because of the way Illustrator stores brushes I am stuck with what I am currently using?
-
There are several ways to have this in Illustrator today.
1. Saving your brush into a separate local brush library, opening it as a separate panel and then marking the panel as a 'persistent' one. But yes — this wild require to click on a brush tip in this palette for it to appear in Brushes (but you have to pick it anyway, right?)
2. Customizing existing document profiles or creating your own, to include whatever brushes, swatches or other presets. Illustrator stores these in a dedicated folder — try searching 'Print.ai' to locate them. This method will work for new files only, when the first one just adds a permanent extra palette.
3. Templates in .ait format are easier to create and work almost like document profiles. Same limitations apply.
Do these work for you? If not — why exactly?
Thanks for the request anyway, and please reply.(Edited by admin)
