Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4747 results found
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XD style snapping and spacing
Adobe Experience Design has a nice snapping and spacing function that would drastically increase the power of Illustrator. Being able to more easily repeat objects and adjust the spacing between them by clicking and dragging while being able to see a measure of the spacing.
10 votes -
Make raster brushes in Ai work as brushes in Photoshop and Affinity Designer do
I think you should change the brush type and make it as same as the Photoshop, as the brush of Photoshop is much convinient.
Like we can use a soft brush or we can lower the opacity of the brush easily and same with the eraser tool.
Now, Photoshop is raster based software whereas Illustrator is a vector based which is the positive point a for Illustrator.
File made in Illustrator is much more useful and file made in Photoshop is much more on the attractive side.
So we need Illustrator to be easy and convenient to use.
Or else make a new software which will be the combination of both Illustrator as well as Photoshop.I think you should change the brush type and make it as same as the Photoshop, as the brush of Photoshop is much convinient.
Like we can use a soft brush or we can lower the opacity of the brush easily and same with the eraser tool.
Now, Photoshop is raster based software whereas Illustrator is a vector based which is the positive point a for Illustrator.
File made in Illustrator is much more useful and file made in Photoshop is much more on the attractive side.
So we need Illustrator to be easy and convenient to use.
Or else…10 votes -
Proportional Grid like After Effects
Make the standard grid setting in preference allow specification of height AND width. After Effects has a similar feature. Just tried to set up a proportional grid using Make Guides and illustrator almost crashed. Sometimes I don't want the Grid to be square.
10 votes -
Copy the style of stroke when using eyedropper tool
When I use the eyedropper tool on a stroke with arrowhead, the full style does not get copied - only color and weight (not arrowhead). I think it is expected for the arrowhead to get copied too, just like the color AND font get copied when you use the eyedropper tool on text.
10 votesAs mentioned in comments, arrowheads are strangely the part of Appearance and not the basic stroke, and to get it copied you should tick 'Appearance' in Eyedropper tool settings (hit Enter when the tool is chosen). Then everything works. Please comment back if it does not for you. -
Layers panel filter: show only objects visible in the main window
I need this option (see the video)
9 votes -
Delete all / individual color chips in Recent Colors sections
Recently Ai added Recent Color sections (the request: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/44772598) to Swatches and Color panels (with an ability to disable them — thanks!)
Unfortunately, we have no control over the section. Once a color gets added, it stays until Prefs reset.Sometimes I misclick and create almost identical colors and have to hover later to understand which one is correct... or want to remove some chips to keep some older ones... or wipe everything to be less distracted, because I switch projects.
I’d like to have an ability to hold Opt/Alt or Shift and delete these chips with a click. An ability to 'wipe the row' )at least with a panel’s menu command) would be great as well.
There is a second related request, about pinning a chip, so it can use the other modifier — http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/50279430
Recently Ai added Recent Color sections (the request: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/44772598) to Swatches and Color panels (with an ability to disable them — thanks!)
Unfortunately, we have no control over the section. Once a color gets added, it stays until Prefs reset.Sometimes I misclick and create almost identical colors and have to hover later to understand which one is correct... or want to remove some chips to keep some older ones... or wipe everything to be less distracted, because I switch projects.
I’d like to have an ability to hold Opt/Alt or Shift and delete these chips with a…
9 votes -
Allow to distort a text with Free Distort tool
In many other software packages you are able to use perspective distortion on text. This should be a very basic feature of Illustrator. This way you can still change the font / text while it is in perspective.
9 votes -
Focus the Search field in Preferences (introduced in Beta 29.7.0.60) when the dialog gets opened, and focus the found and highlighted option
Search in Preferences, originally requested here (http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/42476344) is a welcome feature! However, it works not as it should be, as shown in the GIF attached.
- The field should get immediately focused instead of Keyboard Increment field, so we can start searching right away after calling the dialog with Cmd/Ctrk+K
- When it finds an option that can be toggled (a checkmark) or focused (a field) — it should focus it, so we can toggle it with s Space or type a new value This makes the whole experience mouse-free for those who are in a hurry (and we are). It doesn’t take away from anybody else, with a pen or a mouse, it just makes it more accessible...
Search in Preferences, originally requested here (http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/42476344) is a welcome feature! However, it works not as it should be, as shown in the GIF attached.
- The field should get immediately focused instead of Keyboard Increment field, so we can start searching right away after calling the dialog with Cmd/Ctrk+K
- When it finds an option that can be toggled (a checkmark) or focused (a field) — it should focus it, so we can toggle it with s Space or type a new value This makes the whole experience mouse-free for those who are in a hurry (and we are).…
9 votesThis change broke the existing method to quickly access the Keyboard Increment value, reported here. The team decided to revert this change until a better solution is found. Please watch this space for further news.
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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
0-94.9-20-0Not much, right? Just 0.2%, why are you mad?
But these would be enough to break Select Same Fill later, duplicate swatches if added next to existing ones in other documents, drop my trust level for the tool and force me cleaning this mess in the time I need I can’t spend. Sure, there are methods to help with this, but it’s not MY error. It’s Ai’s lie....later Ton Frederiks suggested it’s Photoshop that is rounding numbers.
To quote: if the placed file gets rasterized, it gives the fractions in Illustrator. But if the file gets exported from Illustrator as .tif, Photoshop will show the same rounded numbers it started with. Photoshop will not allow fractions and force round numbers when we try to enter percentages like 69,8%. CMYK values go from 0-100 while image values have a range from 0-255.Indeed, I tried to rasterize a rectangle with fractions in CMYK color (55.69) and opened the image in Photoshop — and got integers, 56...
But then I mix the very same color in Ps, making integers manually, fill half of the image with this new color and try to pick colors from this image in Ai: Ai still picks the original 55.69 from the original half of the image... and 56.08 from the half I flooded with Ps’s 56!
And Ps SEES them as different color when Color Picker is used, displaying different Lab, RGB, HSB values, but CMYK stays the same, rounded.In my experiment below I did a similar thing: created these in Ai first (but no fractions), rasterized it, used to make a composition and placed back into Ai.
Double conversion and forcing integers (visually) would explain it.So Ai is rather precise... but the irritation stays.
Now the question would be — what to do with the uncomfortable truth? 'Fighting ignorance' is my favorite choice, but...I don’t have a clear solution to this — and I invite others to a discussion — but perhaps the Eyedropper can get an option to Emulate Photoshop Eyedropper (round CMYK values)?
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
0-94.9-20-0Not much, right? Just 0.2%, why are you mad?
But these would be enough to break…9 votes -
Align is immune to Constrain Angle
If we change Constrain Angle in Preferences general, our grid gets rotated, all shapes get create as rotated...
Pretty powerful, right? Read more about it here, in the Rotate the x and y axes of a document:
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/rotating-reflecting-objects.htmlHowever, even though it’s an old feature, it was never completed, it seems.
Align functions just ignore it, making alignment to an angle a rather cumbersome endeavor: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/39019732This also makes Rotate View pretty useless (which does not counter-rotate the Constrain Angle, unless you use free Direct Prefs plugin by Astute Graphics to handle it automatically, among other things) — http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/44001624
While arrows indeed get fixed with the counter-rotation trick, Align is forever broken... as well as the selection marquee, which is also ignores both Rotate View and Constrain Angle altogether.
If we change Constrain Angle in Preferences general, our grid gets rotated, all shapes get create as rotated...
Pretty powerful, right? Read more about it here, in the Rotate the x and y axes of a document:
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/rotating-reflecting-objects.htmlHowever, even though it’s an old feature, it was never completed, it seems.
Align functions just ignore it, making alignment to an angle a rather cumbersome endeavor: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/39019732This also makes Rotate View pretty useless (which does not counter-rotate the Constrain Angle, unless you use free Direct Prefs plugin by Astute Graphics to handle it automatically, among other things) — http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/44001624
While…
9 votes -
Increase number of recent files
Please increase the maximum number of recent files from 30 to 50 or 100 like Photoshop (both in Home Screen and File > Recent).
Original idea by Junior Rocha
9 votes -
Make objects in Objects on Path to reposition relative to one set as a key object
Align and Distribute operations in Illustrator support picking a key object, by clicking on of the objects in a selection, so it get a thicker edge. This object stays in place, while every other in a selection aligns or distributes relative to it.
Sadly, this 'key object' paradigm is largely unloved in other areas, but it's also neglect in new Objects on Paths construct.
While it does not support setting a target path with it (requested here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/48988013), it also does not allow to 'fix' one object on path as adjust gaps relative to this fixated object.What we have now is an ability to hold Opt/Alt, to scale gaps relative to the center of the array... but with key object support it would be even cooler!
Original idea by Ton Frederiks
Align and Distribute operations in Illustrator support picking a key object, by clicking on of the objects in a selection, so it get a thicker edge. This object stays in place, while every other in a selection aligns or distributes relative to it.
Sadly, this 'key object' paradigm is largely unloved in other areas, but it's also neglect in new Objects on Paths construct.
While it does not support setting a target path with it (requested here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/48988013), it also does not allow to 'fix' one object on path as adjust gaps relative to this fixated object.What we…
9 votes -
Allow to convert a live blend into Objects on Path
Blends are cool to when you need to create intermediate objects or colors, but these sucks when you need to create a uniform distribution — Ai stupidly uses’ the spine’s curvature to control both the spine’s curvature AND the distribution (requested to get improved here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/32403880)
But now we have Objects on Path, which can’t provide any other distribution except uniform one (yet, we hope).
But, as usual, two similar functions remain completely separated and non-ingedrated (we saw this before with Repeat Grid and pattern, and there is a request to allow conversion of one into another here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/45233863 — along with 'why can’t we add these as swatches, here: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/41686228)So it’s a similar one — allow to convert a live blend directly into Objects on Path. This would allow to solve the uniformity / acceleration for blends first, but then it’s just a question of cutting a corner between these two VERY similar tools.
Blends are cool to when you need to create intermediate objects or colors, but these sucks when you need to create a uniform distribution — Ai stupidly uses’ the spine’s curvature to control both the spine’s curvature AND the distribution (requested to get improved here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/32403880)
But now we have Objects on Path, which can’t provide any other distribution except uniform one (yet, we hope).
But, as usual, two similar functions remain completely separated and non-ingedrated (we saw this before with Repeat Grid and pattern, and there is a request to allow conversion of one into another here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/45233863…9 votes -
Display Move Locked and Hidden Artwork with Artboard option in Control panel and Properties while using Artboard tool / mode
The Move Locked and Hidden Artwork with Artboard option should be displayed when the user is actually in the "Edit Artboard" mode, using the Artboard tool. It is common problem when you want to duplicate an artboard and you have locked background. In most cases, I want to move my artwork with the background.
9 votes -
Highlight objects to unlock when choosing one from Unlock in context menu
Previously Illustrator introduced a way to unlock specific objects under cursor: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/34950421
See the screenshot for example.
However, when you have objects unnamed, this list doesn’t really help, and Ai does nothing to highlight the object in focus and help to distinguish from other locked ones.Ai should make the edge of the object to be unlocked with a thick line, similar to one we see on key objects, or a somewhat similar look it is used for Objects on Path picking mode (now in Beta).
Look how Figma highlights objects (see the attached video).
Why Ai can’t do the same?Previously Illustrator introduced a way to unlock specific objects under cursor: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/34950421
See the screenshot for example.
However, when you have objects unnamed, this list doesn’t really help, and Ai does nothing to highlight the object in focus and help to distinguish from other locked ones.Ai should make the edge of the object to be unlocked with a thick line, similar to one we see on key objects, or a somewhat similar look it is used for Objects on Path picking mode (now in Beta).
Look how Figma highlights objects (see the attached video).
Why Ai can’t do the…9 votes -
Press Alt while creating a radius / diameter dimension to toggle these two mode on the fly
Currently Dimension tool requires you to orient your cursor when creating a radius or diameter: inside of the clicked shape to create a diameter or outside to make it a radius.
This is very nifty, sure.
But:The tool hardly tells you about it when you draw. The only hint Ai give us is a blue bar (that we all tired of seeing, because everything in Ai now pops and shouts and distracts — I’m speaking about use, Text To Vector!) — I attach the screenshot of it for those who blinked and missed it.
If I work with a tiny circle and I want to mark a diameter for it, I’d have to precisely aim inside of this little area — and this give me very little control over the angle of the line produced. Especially important, since you just ignore Shift to constrain the angle, which is respected by any other construction tool in Ai.
Here is a request about Shift, BTW: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/47734580
So, for this request, please introduce a modifier key we can use to toggle radius/diameter as we draw, without moving the cursor in or out.
Opt / Alt will do.Currently Dimension tool requires you to orient your cursor when creating a radius or diameter: inside of the clicked shape to create a diameter or outside to make it a radius.
This is very nifty, sure.
But:The tool hardly tells you about it when you draw. The only hint Ai give us is a blue bar (that we all tired of seeing, because everything in Ai now pops and shouts and distracts — I’m speaking about use, Text To Vector!) — I attach the screenshot of it for those who blinked and missed it.
If I work with a…
9 votes -
Press Shift to constrain the angle of a radius / diameter dimension
Shift is universally used to constrain a drawn art to 0-45-90° angles when using a tool. This applies to lines, rectangles, other shapes, anything that can be clearly oriented.
The Dimension tool breaks the paradigm — we can’t hold shift to constraint the angle of the drawn dimension line when creating radii or dimeters.
Some standards require us to have these lines too use integer steps, like 15° or 30°... this is very hard to comply now.
Please either make the tool to respect angles set in Preferences > Smart Guides, or make it a separate setting in the tool’s options.
Shift is universally used to constrain a drawn art to 0-45-90° angles when using a tool. This applies to lines, rectangles, other shapes, anything that can be clearly oriented.
The Dimension tool breaks the paradigm — we can’t hold shift to constraint the angle of the drawn dimension line when creating radii or dimeters.
Some standards require us to have these lines too use integer steps, like 15° or 30°... this is very hard to comply now.
Please either make the tool to respect angles set in Preferences > Smart Guides, or make it a separate setting in the tool’s…
9 votes -
Multi page PDF import: needs to respect original document color space
Hi,
Now when selecting "All" for page range, Illustrator creates a document with default color space, e.g. now CMYK.
It would be nice if PDF importer was a bit smarter and could check and respect original PDF's color space, and set up the document in Illustrator to match.E.g. when importing an RGB pdf, it would use RGB color space; and CMYK for CMYK.
9 votes -
Add First Object Above / Last Object Below commands in Select menu
Illustrator provides two ways to access Next Object commands:
1. From Select menu
2. From the context menu, Select submenuAnd while the context menu provides four commands, the Select menu gives only two. First Object Above / Last Object Below — for no apparent reason — are missing, and we can’t assign hotkeys to these because of it.
Please add them there.
Also consider this request, to be able to select ALL objects above or below the current selection: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/34306246-select-objects-above-below-current-layer-objec
Note that this one is basically about 'select those who intersect', while we are also interested in 'select those which are above below in stack'.
Finally, here is a bug report about Select Next Object commands in context menu (and only these, not their main Select menu analogs) not working at all: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/46742011-select-next-object-commands-in-context-menu-are-br
Illustrator provides two ways to access Next Object commands:
1. From Select menu
2. From the context menu, Select submenuAnd while the context menu provides four commands, the Select menu gives only two. First Object Above / Last Object Below — for no apparent reason — are missing, and we can’t assign hotkeys to these because of it.
Please add them there.
Also consider this request, to be able to select ALL objects above or below the current selection: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/34306246-select-objects-above-below-current-layer-objec
Note that this one is basically about 'select those who intersect', while we are also interested in 'select those…
9 votes -
Show the exact location where snapping to grid occurs
Snap to Grid is underrated. Illustrator makes everything to make it uncomfortable to use: no constantly available indicator, clashing with Smart Guides, the general lack of customization (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-feature-requests/suggestions/32403847-make-center-point-visible-while-dragging-art)...
And also it does not give enough feedback on WHERE the moved / transformed object snaps to, to which exact gridlines’ intersection.
Something just happens!
Look at the GIF — this 13.25×13.25 magenta square feels like it’s lagging, also I’m just trying to position it.Look at the second GIF, from Affinity Designer. Can you spot the difference? We can clearly see which point it snaps to, no problem. Well, almost clearly, lines get drawn too late and too pale to my taste... but at least they exist!
Hello, Illustrator?
Snap to Grid is underrated. Illustrator makes everything to make it uncomfortable to use: no constantly available indicator, clashing with Smart Guides, the general lack of customization (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-feature-requests/suggestions/32403847-make-center-point-visible-while-dragging-art)...
And also it does not give enough feedback on WHERE the moved / transformed object snaps to, to which exact gridlines’ intersection.
Something just happens!
Look at the GIF — this 13.25×13.25 magenta square feels like it’s lagging, also I’m just trying to position it.Look at the second GIF, from Affinity Designer. Can you spot the difference? We can clearly see which point it snaps to, no problem. Well,…
9 votes
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