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Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests

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919 results found

  1. SVG scalable vector export option for use in Microsoft applications

    Please include an .svg format without code or mobile device use that will hold clipping, gradients, etc. to use as scalable vector artwork to be placed in MSO applications. This was not an issue in previous versions of Illustrator.

    I provide scalable vector artwork from my projects for my clients who work in Microsoft applications by placing "Picture from File" in a PowerPoint Catalog.

    When exporting, I get an error message: "Clipping will be lost on roundtrip to Tiny" when opening them back up and the artwork is distorted.

    I got better results with "Save a copy" however, I still…

    2 votes

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  2. Set type units individually instead of globally

    It would be really nice to allow the Cap Height and X Height to show in inches, independently from the Em Box units. I know this can be changed gloabally in preferences, but in my line of work, I need use pts for Em Box and inches for Cap Height, and I use them both in the same file for different purposes. I also know that I can just type in 3" in the box and it will set correctly, even though it shows in pts. However, memorizing the pt conversion for every height increment is ridiculous, as is having…

    2 votes

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  3. Artboards should have a purpose

    1. What is the purpose of having an artboard if anything drawn beyond it shows up as part of your drawing? I exported an artwork as a png file and everything beyond the artboard showed up as part of the artwork. The workspace around the artboard should be able to be used for ideas that may be relevant to future versions of your art or to assist in creating your art.
    2. When I drew the attached image, I expected that anything beyond the artboard would not show as part of the artwork.
    2 votes

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    Illustrator can respect artboards when exporting a raster image, if Use Artboards option in the Export dialog gets checked. In this case everything beyond artboards’ boundaries will get trimmed.

    Export for Screens method will respect either artboards or assets, depending on the user’s choice.

    Also, there is a view to just hide these excess temporarily with View > Trim View command, but this won’t make changes when exporting.

  4. Separate "Ask when opening" settings for color mismatches

    We have a large team that's constantly opening previous projects. The print team is separate from the video team.

    For the video team, the CMYK profile is sort of irrelevant, but the RGB isn't.

    Is there a way to have Illustrator tell about only RGB color mismatches when opening the file, and just preserve CMYK?

    Basically, I'd like to have the result of "Ask when opening" different for CMYK and RGB.

    That way the team can keep a policy of preserving CMYK without getting a popup every time, but act only RGB profile mismatches.

    2 votes

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  5. Marking already-placed images after import

    Having Illustrator flag placed images (by small icon or turning the text to italics?) under the "File > Place" pop-up window when using LIST mode (by Illustrator finding duplicates comparing in the Links pallete) helping the user keep track when a large number of images need to be placed.

    Right now if I have 50 images to place I have to use memory of where I was placing each or compare links pallete to finder window as a list to check at the end.

    2 votes

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  6. Color swatch mapping with presets for print production

    I made this script using ChatGPT, it does mostly everything I need, but I ran into the issue that the option "Merge Swatches" in the Swatches panel, cannot be used/accessed with JavaScript.

    I work as Prepress designer and I have to constantly change spot colors to match the swatches that the print operators need to match the colors the client need (Pantone match or paint swatches). Most of these colors are saved in an .ASE file and I have to manually merge them multiple times.

    I thought my script was going to fix this for me until I hit that…

    2 votes

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  7. "Multiple Record Layout" data merge feature.

    I love the "Multiple Record Layout" data merge feature in InDesign. However my merged documents are often opened in Illustrator by the end user to make changes. Currently my client wants a full vector file for laser cutting shapes with custom etched names. They do not translate well with strokes becoming their own object and lines of text disconnecting. The idea to data merge 200+ names in IN makes perfect sense, but in this case the client asked they be done in AI and each name and custom info needs to be brought in by hand manually one name at…

    2 votes

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  8. 1 vote

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    1 comment  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  9. Untie the Transform Patterns checkbox in General Options and Transform Effect dialog.

    Sometimes (actually pretty often) it is necessary to alter a pattern size for one single object. So you go to Appearance -> Fill -> Effects -> Distort and Transform -> Transform and there you have checkboxes to chose whether to transform object or pattern or both and that is great.
    But once you have done this (for one single object) this setting changes the general Option under Preferences->General and this setting affects the entire app, not this file only and you must change it back each time. And that is not that great.

    2 votes

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  10. Editable path smoothing for pencil and brush paths

    I'm proposing smoothing that may be applied or removed after a path has been created with the pencil or brush tool by the user. When a path is being created, the program would capture necessary coordinate information and the path would be represented on screen as drawn, or with a certain amount of smoothing (set prior to drawing in tool panel). If the user wanted more or less smoothing applied after creating the path, the amount could be adjusted by selecting the path and changing the amount applied. If the path would no longer need adjusting, it could be expanded…

    2 votes

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    1 comment  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
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  11. Option to assign chosen profile selection to all open documents in Missing Profile box

    When opening a project, I frequently have to choose either not to colour manage or I have to assign a particular profile to the document due to working with a number of different print houses. As I can sometimes open 10-20 documents at a time to edit them, would it be possible to assign the designated choice to all open documents at the same time, i.e., have a selection box you can tick to 'Apply selected profile option to all open projects'?

    Currently it is really laborious choosing the profile for each individual file as it opens.

    2 votes

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  12. Artboard preview in Save dialog

    In the theme of "recognition over recall," it would be great if the Save dialog allowed you to preview artboards the way the Print dialog does. When I'm working fast I don't always remember to stop and jot down the numbers of the specific artboards I need to export, and it's annoying to have to exit the save dialog, find the numbers, go back to the save dialog, repeat any necessary steps such as setting file name and location, THEN enter my desired artboard number(s) before moving forward. Having the artboard preview as part of the save window would cut…

    2 votes

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  13. 1 vote

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  14. Illustrator and Photoshop show fractional CMYK color values differently

    I have a CMYK document, and it has a linked image in it, with an intentionally chosen profile, with some specific colors set for the background, and these have to be the part of the background, because of blending modes used.
    Now I need to grab those colors form the clear parts of the background to quickly transfer them into vector part of the design. But when I try — Ai lies about values.

    Instead of
    70-15-0-0
    0-35-85-0
    0-95-20-0
    I get
    69.8-14.9-0-0
    0-34.9-85.1-0
    0-94.9-20-0

    Not much, right? Just 0.2%, why are you mad?
    But these would be enough to break…

    3 votes

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  15. Power Efficiency

    Since I've moved to working remotely entirely, I've noticed how quickly using several Adobe programs burns through my laptop battery. I'm running a brand new 16" Macbook Pro with the latest MacOS Catalina version, and I'm lucky if I get an hour and a half of battery life while running InDesign and Illustrator at the same time. When I review what is using the most battery life, my Mac lists InDesign, Illustrator, and Core Sync as the main culprits.

    Now, I understand that these programs at times are fairly graphically intensive, but the battery life I'm getting is absymal, and…

    2 votes

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  16. Resizing multiple Artboards at once for a better Icon-design performance

    When creating an icon-set of hundreds of icons at 16px, it would be super convenient to have the option to resize all the artboards for the following sizes (e.g: 24 px, 32px, 48px...). This is so cause when I have created the first file, I have also taken the time to properly name all the artboards so that when I export them, developers can find them with the naming-system that we had already created.

    The problem I am facing now with this feature is that I cannot keep the names and so, I need to start over the same process…

    2 votes

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  17. Path selection sensitivity in Illustrator

    You've finally made the node & anchor point sizes adjustable - HURRAY! However now when trying to directly select a path, i instead have to click on an area NEAR it but not ON it, so as not to pick up the other nearby paths. Furthermore, instead of being able to click in a blank area and drag my selection tool to pick up the paths Id like, it picks up everything near enough to where I've clicked in that blank space. It NEVER used to do that. Ive tried adjusting all the settings to no avail. its like now…

    2 votes

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  18. Improve Assigning Color Profile

    I’ve been running into some challenges with color profiles in Adobe Illustrator that I think could use improvement. Every time I open a document, I’m asked to either assign or discard a color profile. The issue is, even when I choose and save the file, Illustrator asks me again when I reopen it. Is there a reason it’s not saving my choice?

    Another thing that could help a lot is when working with multiple images, like 20 or more. Instead of getting prompted one by one for each image, it would be much faster if I could see a…

    2 votes

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    1 comment  ·  Other...  ·  Admin →
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  19. I have hundreds of ideas, I have been working with Illustrator every day since version 1 but you never implement my ideas

    I have hundreds of ideas, I have been working with Illustrator every day since version 1, like 10 hours on most days but you never implement my ideas.

    Here are three more.

    Include an option to render lines around the artboards or not, currently I have to go over my complete layout and trace every artboard becouse they don't render and leave my artwork borderless.

    When I save for web but hit enter to soon a dialogue box opens up under the web preview and I am unable to close the window without force the program to restart.

    Often when…

    2 votes

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  20. Add a "move/copy art with artboard" switch to the artboard options, or the main prefs.

    Currently the only place the "move/copy art with artboard" switch exists is a button on the Control bar. I have never liked the Control bar and have hidden it since it was first added to Illustrator back in CS3.

    In my workflow, I almost never want to move/copy art with artboard, and for some reason this switch constantly turns itself back on, so it's extra annoying to have to either lock all my layers, or dig around this part of the interface I never use.

    If I hit return with the Artboard tool selected, I'll bring up the current artboard's…

    2 votes

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