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Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests

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562 results found

  1. More Pattern Tiling Options

    In Illustrator, it would be some next level powerful stuff if we could tile patterns based on shapes like these attached (as well as just blocks and hexagon). They are all based on a single shape that tessellates.

    14 votes
    3 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  2. 3D visualization of art

    Ability to visualize the art on a 3D model.
    Ability to make basic adjustments to 3D attribute.

    14 votes
    10 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  3. Dimension tool improvements

    The dimension tool is a really helpful thing but some improvements would be appreciated.

    • As stated in other posts, please include the possibility to add user defined scalings, including decimal numbers like 1:1.5 and other ones, like 1:15.

    • According to ISO standards, the dimension text should sit above the lines, as viewed from the right. This would be a great option, because at this moment I don't use this tool regularly because of this.

    • When dimensions are too small, there should be an option to move the text away, either to the right or the left. Of course this can…

    13 votes
    2 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  4. Rotate, scale, skew, transform selected objects separately

    If we make a selection of objects, and then rotate it with a corner marker of the bounding box (or with the Rotate tool), they get rotated all at once, as a single object.
    If we want to rotate all separate objects in the selection separately, the only way to do it is with the Transform Each dialog, with Preview option on, with arrow keys, changing the Angle value. Doable, but not fun.
    What if we get a mode, at least for the Rotate tool (since it’s a special tool for rotating), let’s say, with Ctrl/Cmd held, to rotate object…

    13 votes
    9 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  5. Allow to define circle pie angles in percent, with snapping options

    We can create pie angles in degrees, but there are cases when we rather more interested in percentage — pie charts.
    Sure, we know math, and can multiple 360° by 0.7 to get 70%, and Ai supports this in its fields...
    ...but what about the tool? How about an ability to create these directly on canvas — with the snapping to a defined value, like 5% or maybe even 3.5%?

    13 votes
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  6. More visual feedback for the Eyedropper

    The Eyedropper tool has several cursors (it’s almost impossible to find any explanations about at helpx.adobe.com), displaying different states:
    - a filled pipette for when you click,
    - a pipette with square below to indicate a screen sampling,
    - an additional T to indicate a text below,
    - a reverse filled pipette to indicate apply mode.
    However, some modes are missing.

    When you have smart guides disabled (for any reason), you can’t tell which object the tool will pick from, what attribute or will you miss completely by a pixel. The Shift mode is not covered too. So we need…

    13 votes
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  7. Allow strokes in brush and pencil tools to be shown in real time while drawing

    When you draw lines with freehand tools (pencil/brush), the stroke doesn't show up until after you finish it and release. It just shows as a thin blue line. It doesn't account for thickness so I end up having to redo lines because I can't see what they look line until I finish drawing each line.

    13 votes
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    The latest Beta build 28.7.0.17 now offers live preview for paths drawn with Pencil tool. Please install or update to this version, try it yourself, and share your feedback.

    You can always disable this behavior by toggling Live Feedback option in the Pencil Tool Options dialog.

    The team aims to offer a similar feature for Brush tool, if this one works properly.

  8. Lock angle of bezier handles (hotkey-selectable)

    When drawing with the pen tool, it would be very helpful to be able to lock the angle of the control point handles when drawing the next segment.

    The function works well for the existing fixed snap angles (90-deg, etc) but I would love to have a hotkey to temporarily lock the existing (arbitrary) angle of the point as I draw the next segment.

    Currently, I find it too easy to destroy a perfectly placed curve while drawing the next segment--particularly when the in- and out- handles have dramatically different lengths.

    13 votes
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  9. Keyboard shortcuts for Flip (Reflect, Mirror)

    I flip vertically and horizontally quite often. It'd be very nice to have a shortcut for it. I currently have to create a custom action for it, but that ends up using one of the F1-F14 keys which are inconvenient to use.

    13 votes
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  10. Allow to customize colors for handle controls, anchors, and paths edges (permanently and context-based / on the fly)

    It would be helpful if you could make the color of pen tool handles distinguishable from the anchor color, even just a slight difference would be helpful.

    13 votes
    8 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  11. Transform Shortcuts / Enter the transform panel with a keyboard shortcut

    I want to be able to transform an object using the keyboard.

    For example, in Sketch, I can manipulate an object by holding the command key (optionally with a 10x Shift-key modifier) and using the arrow keys to increase or decrease the height or width of an object. This tends to be easier than using the mouse or the Transform panel when making quick modifications. (Also, less painful for arthritic users!)

    Please consider it.

    13 votes
    6 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  12. Word Cloud Creator

    the ability to create a word cloud based on specific words, fonts to be applied to specific shapes or artwork. This would be very handy.

    13 votes
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  13. character/puppet rigging

    To add the ability to puppet rig illustrations directly in Illustrator.

    This could not only be used to easily move parts of character illustrations while keeping it intact but also export illustrations ready for animating in After Effects.

    Main feature would be ability to pair objects together using anchor points.
    e.g pairing characters hand to forearm and forearm to bicep and bicep to torso. so when the hand is moved the rest of the linked objects will follow.

    13 votes
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  14. The ability trim or extend a line using another line. Like the one they have in Autocad

    The ability trim or extend a line using another line. Like the one they have in Autocad

    13 votes
    1 comment  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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    Illustrator allows this today with Shape Builder tool.

    You need to hold Opt/Alt and either click or brush through the excessive portion of the path, and Ai will trim it to the next intersection or between intersections. Works with selected objects only.

    The precision of the tool is limited and bound to internal grid of the document. There is a bug report about this you might want to upvote.

  15. Non-uniform scale tool by angle

    Using available AI tools I have to twist and dance to perform non-uniform scale by angle.

    Right now I have to do this:
    1. Rotate path to make in straight oriented (it's not an default ellipse, it's manually traced path)
    2. Reset bounding box
    3. Rotate path backwards
    4. Turn on bounding box (I work with it turned off)
    5. Scale using bounding box at angle

    If I use Scale tool instead, and set point to a center,
    AI will scale path uniformly ONLY.
    What a stupidity is this? I even remember custom plugin tool that allowed desired action, but…

    13 votes
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  16. Make Drawing Guides Thicker

    With the onset of 4K & 5K monitors, the red dotted guides have become incredibly hard to see. I would like to suggest that the guides be made thicker or that there be a way for me to increase their thicknesses in settings so they can be seen better.

    13 votes
    2 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  17. Swap Tool or Transform Option

    I would like a tool or feature whereby I can select two objects, hit the tool or possible transform option and the objects swap their exact positions. This would save an incredible amount of time especially when updating an existing document. There used to be a script for this way back in the day but I think it's time to bring in this very effective feature.

    12 votes
    6 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  18. Blending live pie (ellipses) treats them as path and not like live shapes

    Make an ellipse and set pie end angle to 5 degrees (press Invert button if neede to get thin pie)
    Duplicate and offset it and change en angle to 270 (doesn't really matter).
    Blend these. AI won't blend their shape properties, but blend them as paths. What's use of live shapes then, if AI can't handle them with basic tools?

    12 votes
    1 comment  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  19. Scale Percentage to automatically tell you the Percent of Increase or Decrease in the Object's Size

    Enhancing the Scale tool so that it automatically tells you the Percent of Increase or Decrease in the Objects Size. When scaling elements in Illustrator I cannot always select all and type in 10 inches and have it be what I need. In the attached Image I need the letter T to equal 10 inches in height and scale the other letters up accordingly. So I take the size of the "T" and now have to manually calculate the percent of increase from 4.691” to 10”.

    With an improved Scaling Tool it would be nice to see what that percentage…

    12 votes
    4 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  20. Ability to change starting point for closed path

    Currently the only option is to cut and the path or redraw the path completely if the starting anchor is in the wrong place. For straight edges, such as a square or even a rectangle it's easy to work around, but when it's a curved edge it is difficult to replicate the same curve with the cut method. Could easily add this feature to stoke effect so that the starting point can be adjusted with a click on the anchor. Or have left and right arrows to move it to a different starting anchor (although that wouldn't work on things…

    12 votes
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