Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
775 results found
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Workspace Management (Update/Save Current Workspace, etc.)
Please can Adobe implement a proper Workspace Manager in Adobe Illustrator that is identical to Adobe InDesign.
Currently if you want to replace a Workspace you have to type the name of the Workspace in so that Illustrator asks you if you want to replace it? In Adobe InDesign you can select the Workspace from the drop down so there is no need to type anything in.
I hope Adobe can make their Workspace Management the same across all their applications.
18 votes -
Make an option to show points' handles when part of the path is transformed live
I often modify part of the path or single point with basic tools. For examples, it's quite convenient to select one point and rotate it, if I want to change the angle of it's handles, or scale it, if I want both rotate and scale. Unfortunately, AI hides handles when I drag my selection with a chosen tool. It makes sense in general, but I would like to have an option not to hide it, so I could see where my handles are all the time of transformation.
18 votes -
You can't enter isolation mode when nothing is selected
Sometimes I want to create artwork without messing up with existing one, and without locking/hiding anything (because it's require for other operations).
Sane way is to enter isolation mode and start there.
But NO, AI won't let you isolate empty space! And I have to create one thing (trying to not auto-connect to existing paths), then isolate it and finally draw in peace.
If you afraid that many users will double-click nothing and struggle understanding what has happened, make it an option.18 votes -
Add option to Always update links
Sometimes I make a lot of changes within linked images. AI always asks if I am to update links, and I'd like to have this dialogue temporarily switched off (but enable it later)
18 votesAs per Neeraj: it is possible to control the update behavior of links — automatically or manually. Go to Preferences > File Handling & Clipboard > Update Links.
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Unify the design language of UI and UX across all Adobe products
Panels, sliders, buttons, icons, properties, drag and drop behavior is different across all your products. Why? Unify them under a single design language. I would look to Adobe XD for inspiration.
18 votes -
Add total artboard counter when exporting
When I export my artboards (with 'Export as'), AI sometimes won't show whole range numbers, but stick to previously entered numbers for this file. This is fine.
But my problem is I often need to export all artboards, but not first. And I don't remember exactly how much of them I do actually have — this differs from project to project.
So I have to exit 'Export as' dialogue, go to Artboards palette, see how much artboards are there and return to exporting.Why not to show how much artboards I do have inside dialogue window?
Please see mockup attached.18 votes -
Art brushes different weight value
Well, this is complex one.
As you know, a lot of people live in metric world.
It means they use 'cm-mm' instead of 'inches-points'.
I, for example, have all three major units set to millimeters — general, stroke and type.But each time I apply brush to anything, it gets weight '0,353 mm'.
Yes, it is 1 point. And every time I need to scale my brush twice as normal, I have to type in '*2' in the end of 'Weight' field instead of just typing 2.Worse, when I don't remember what weight it has now, but need to…
18 votes -
Add ability to use PPCM along with PPI, as Photoshop does
AI is used worldwide. Despite PostScript, based on points, based on inch, being de-facto a standard for most users, many people use metric system.
English inch, as you know, equals exactly 2.54cm.
This gives us, metric users, mantra for translating PPI into PPCM: 254ppi=100ppcmSince fractional values for resolution are impossible within AI (while Photoshop does!), we have to import via PS or work in scale and are very limited.
Please, add ability to use PPCM along with PPI, as Photoshop does.
18 votes -
Effect dialogs need sliders
Illustrator's stylized filters need a more practical and dynamic UI.
Currently, stylized effects such as Drop Shadow, Feather, Inner and Outer Glow have an outdated UI and are not dynamic.
I remember that Gaussian Blur was not in the past either, but Gaussian Blur was updated years ago and these stylized filters were not.
I believe that these stylized filters deserve a more practical, faster and dynamic way of being adjusted, and I took the liberty of creating a UI suggestion inspired by the current Gaussian Blur UI.
What do you think, would it be possible?
17 votes -
Sync the order of Align and Distribute menu commands
Hey, we now have Object > Distribute commands! No more actions wraps to bind these to hotkeys!
However, why is the order is swapped? Align menu has Horizontal commands first, but Distribute has them at the bottom, under Vertical.
One can object it’s just like the Align panel has them, and this is not the legacy behaviour you better keep, really. Please sync these.
17 votes -
Delete all saved selections
There is no way to quickly delete all the saved selections (displayed in the bottom of the Select menu, once you saved them via 'Select > Save Selection...').
You have to do it one by one, which is a torture.Also you can’t just right-click a name of it right there in the menu and say 'Delete' — because you have no context menu for top menu items. You do not like context menus in general.
17 votes -
Allow us to customize/choose features/controls/order in Control panel
A Feature that can be used by any Tool or Panel which is most common (like Fill & Stroke), that should not be active in the both (Control Bar & Properties Panel )sides at a time.
When Text Object is selected by Arrows.
If you have selected Text by using Arrows/Selection Tools, you should have good options in the Right Click's menu, like Spell Checking which is logical according to selection.
It would be also better if these features will be added in Control Bar by replacing redundant Features Like Fill & Stroke which can be used by Panels and…17 votes -
Bring back Access Keys Underscores
AI 23.0 Win7x64 hides underscores until Alt is pressed down, while 22.1 shows them always. 22.1 does it rights, and 23.0 does not. Please give us option to always display underscores.
17 votes -
Add 'Expand shape' button in Transform palette
You can convert live ellipses and rectangles to ordinary paths by using Unite in Transform palette, which is a nice hack. But the only way to convert live lines to paths — is through menu, Object > Shape > Expand shape. Three precise clicks with long distances run in-between.
Please, add button for this in shape properties area in Transform palette. There's plenty of space.
When path can be converted to live shape, change 'Expand live shape' button to 'Convert to live shape'.
And why there's no command for that in contextual menu still?
17 votes -
More details on "an error occurred while processing the appearance of an object".
When you start doing complicated work with a lot of effects, you start getting the above-mentioned dialogue. It is incredibly unhelpful: which of the several thousand objects in my illustration is causing problems? What layer is the offending object on? Where in the appearance stack did things go awry? Maybe I'd like to find out which object caused this - how about a button to select the offending object, unlocking whatever containing objects may be locked?
To make an analogy for the programmers: imagine if your compiler just said "some errors happened while compiling your project", and didn't even tell…
17 votes -
Touch Workspace Eraser
Drawing in the touch workspace is not usable without an eraser. A Simple undo is not enough. Try to undo something you drew 5 minutes ago without undoing the stuff you like and you'll see what I mean.
17 votes -
Allow to choose file version when saving templates
One of our designers still use old version of AI.
We need to share newly created templates (.ait) with her.
But AI doesn't give options when saving templates!
So I'm forced to save to .ai first, choose CS6 version and then change extension by hand.Why can't I see same options for templates?
17 votes -
Add ability to set grid settings while creating new document
First of all — I'm speaking about adding this feature to OLD New dialogue window, because new fancy one is a disaster.
I create new documents with a vision in mind, what will I do and what grid would I use. I'd like to have an ability to set it with defining size of a document.
Next, most new users have no idea about grids and don't understand, why use it. More of it, even intermediate users don't have a clue, and I have to deal with a lot of designs, made by these average designers. All of them can't…
17 votes -
Add ability to use fractional values for resolution everywhere
AI is used worldwide. Despite PostScript, based on points, based on inch, being de-facto a standard for most users, many people use metric system.
English inch, as you know, equals exactly 2.54cm.
This gives us, metric users, mantra for translating PPI into PPCM: 254ppi=100ppcmBut if we need lower value, such as 10 or 20 or 30 ppcm (working in scale with huge designs, such as ad bus wraps), we can't use it, because AI doesn't allow to enter fractional values anywhere inside! We can't use 50.8, 25.4, 76.2, Ai would round it to 51, 25, 76.
This will give…17 votes -
Allow tool bar to be fixed horizontally on either top or bottom
Now that the properties has been finally set in the right panel, I love it! This allows me to have the layers set in the left panel. Next step, It would be nice to have the ability to set the tool bar above or below horizontally.
17 votes
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