Offset Path - Option to offset to one side of path only
I wish the "Offset Path" gave me the option to offset the path to one side of the path only.
When creating labels for linear features on a map it is useful to create an offset version of the line you are labeling (road, river, etc.) and place the type on that path. Sometimes you can just copy the path and nudge it above or below the line that needs to be labeled, and type along that path. But this doesn't always work nicely if the path curves a lot.
Offsetting a single line in Illustrator results in a path that encircles that line. Adding type to this is problematic and requires manually cutting the offset path at both ends and deleting the part you won't use for labeling. On a map with hundreds of linear labels this is wasted time.
The AG Offset tool from the Astute Graphics plugin accomplishes this task pretty well, but it is literally the only tool in the whole Astute Graphics suite that I use...to the cost of $149/year. It sure would be great if I could just accomplish this in Illustrator and not have to pay for an entire suite of plugins to accomplish this.
Mike Boruta
shared this idea
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Yep, seeing it, thanks. Maps and schemes, got it, very familiar to me. And I’m aware of the baseline shift trick, and the fact it needs some tracking compensation with high shift values or just for curves, as you said.
Astute Graphics, BTW, has a nice tool to quickly rotate a dragged object at a collision with a path, using its tangent. Works for curves as well, but the text is kept straight. Allows to set a spacing. Great for quickly signing straight lines — look at the GIF attached. Too late, I know :)
They Reform Text is a nifty solution too. although I’d love to have some additional features for it.And perhaps if you sign stuff a lot, you’d love to upvote these requests as well?
1. Convert a Type on Path object to a Point Type text and a normal Path (Detach / Release Text from Path) — https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/42886527
2. Allow to combine/merge selected text and path to Type on Path — https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/44049999 -
Egor - I attached an image to my first post illustrating the use case I need this for (labeling linear features on maps). Did you see that? Basically, imagine doing that a few hundred times on a dense road map and that is my use case summed up.
Sometimes for features with lots of twists and turns I'll just manually draw a path to place the label on. But when possible it is often better to create an offset path that is longer than the length of the text in your label. That way, if you need to adjust your label to accommodate other features all you need to do is slide the label to a different position along the offset path.
I should also note that for labels along straight lines it is also possible to just add the label to the original path and adjust the baseline shift of the type so that the label floats above or below the line. BUT, for curvy lines this does not work and changing the baseline shift will result in adding/shrinking the kerning between letters. So, I've always found it easier to just add a label along an offset path and try and keep the character style the same for one category of label (eg road labels, river labels, trail labels, etc.)
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Mike, whatever suits you and your workflows best. There are so many things people use Illustrator for...
I use all of these regularly, and the way native Offset Path works with open paths serves me as much as the AG one.
Can you please share some of the cases you need this option for? Just curious. I record small GIFs with LICEcap app (works great on both Mac and Windows): https://www.cockos.com/licecap/ -
Thanks Egor, I actually just bought Toolshed yesterday and cancelled my AG subscription. The AG suite is great, and I tried to incorporate more if its tools into my workflows, but I can't justify the (annual) cost if I'm not using it. And it turns out the Toolshed offset tool works even better for my needs. :)
That said, if Adobe is never going to change this tool they might as well as just name it "Offset Closed Path" because when I first tried using it I was sure that I was doing something wrong or missing some option to offset an open path.
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Agree with having it form the box, upvoted...
...but you should try to learn what other thing Astute Graphics plugin offer. You a sitting in shop full of amazing tools and use only one hammer of it. A waste indeed :)Plus you should take a look at the Toolshed plugin: https://rj-graffix.com/product/toolshed/
It has a similar interactive tool, it’s cheaper, it’s one-time purchase. Perhaps it’d suit your needs better.
Again — Ai would indeed benefit form having a second effect. But it can benefit form all of these things other developers add. And, as you state, not all the users need all the things devs add...
