Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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- Why is this valuable to you?
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4728 results found
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Remove background/ make background transparent in images
It would be really great if we can provide a feature to remove background and make objects transparent within Illustrator. There are users who import pictures in Illustrator but in order to make the background transparent, they have to use other application and, image trace would be complicated.
7 votes -
Open, import, save, and export .CGM files
Illustrator CC advertises compatibility with the Computer Graphics Metafile (.CGM) format.
While it gives me the option to open a .CGM file, all of the older .CGM files I work with throw an "unknown format" error when I try to open them.
I would also like an option to save .CGM files.
Illustrator should include these features.7 votes -
Adobe Illustrator CC is integrated with InVision Studio. When designing prototypes in Illustrator CC it can be exported directly to InVision
Adobe Illustrator CC is integrated with InVision Studio. When designing prototypes in Illustrator CC it can be exported directly to InVision Studio. Adobe Illustrator supports 100% technology from InVision Studio.
7 votes -
Option to have Anchor and/or Control Points always visible in Preview and/or Outline modes
Sometimes it would be nice to see the anchor points of other objects, when drawing a new object. It would be nice if you could add an option to the outline mode that would not only show all lines but also every anchor point, no matter if the a path is selected or not.
7 votes -
Graph Data Label Decimal Exision
Previous versions of Illustrator's graph data labels matched the decimal points defined in the "Cell Style" field. The current version of CC removes any zeros at the end of the label - e.g. "3.00" is changed to "3", or "4.20" is changed to "4.2".
According to Adobe's Customer Care, this is an intended behaviour - but could it be an optional one? Having to manually append zeros to hundreds of labels is not an appealing prospect.
7 votes -
Scrollable Panels and Tools
I want to be able to scroll panel and tool windows.
Panels:
I want to keep my most-used panels open in a scrollable sidebar rather than having to expand and collapse them. Generally speaking, expanding a tool collapses another. This leads to unnecessary clicks and movement. Unless I choose to collapse a panel, it should remain open — respect my intention! I expect panels to remain in the same place I left them, not shift up or down according to which panel was opened last.Tools:
On a small screen, the single-column toolbar gets cut off by the application frame, making the bottom tools inaccessible. There is no excuse for this.I know this will likely fall on deaf ears but I figure it's worth a shot.
I want to be able to scroll panel and tool windows.
Panels:
I want to keep my most-used panels open in a scrollable sidebar rather than having to expand and collapse them. Generally speaking, expanding a tool collapses another. This leads to unnecessary clicks and movement. Unless I choose to collapse a panel, it should remain open — respect my intention! I expect panels to remain in the same place I left them, not shift up or down according to which panel was opened last.Tools:
On a small screen, the single-column toolbar gets cut off by the application frame,…7 votes -
Make the Touch Type Tool work both sides
OK, I'm having this "workflow" issue with the Touch Type Tool.
I like to be able to move 1 character at a time, rotate, move, scale.
But I'm a bit annoyed because SOMETIMES, I'd love it to NOT change the text after. So I usually have to reverse-compensate by making negative kerning on the next character.
See the image attached :
1. I justified my type between the 2 green margins.
-> Nice.
2. I change the H character (scale/rotation)
-> Getting out of the green margin.
3. I change the character after (negative kerning)
-> Back into nice green margins…Sometimes I'm ok with moving every character one after the other, but sometimes, I'd like to move only ONE character and leave the rest in place.
I'd appreciate if Illustrator would compensate by not moving the remaining characters (and automating the next characters kerning).
So, if you take the joined file, I'd like to be able to skip step 2 ! (may be a modifier key ?)
btw, i loved playing with the xants font (bauhaus/typekit/hiddentreasure)
OK, I'm having this "workflow" issue with the Touch Type Tool.
I like to be able to move 1 character at a time, rotate, move, scale.
But I'm a bit annoyed because SOMETIMES, I'd love it to NOT change the text after. So I usually have to reverse-compensate by making negative kerning on the next character.
See the image attached :
1. I justified my type between the 2 green margins.
-> Nice.
2. I change the H character (scale/rotation)
-> Getting out of the green margin.
3. I change the character after (negative kerning)
-> Back into nice green…7 votes -
Timeline and Onion Skin mode for animations in vector
Illustrator insert a Timeline for animations in vector
7 votes -
Procedural textures for fills, like crosshatch, stripes, etc.
It would be nice if there was a procedural texture fill available. Something like CorelDRAW has, but completely procedural so that file size doesn't bloat. The more parameters the better so we could create many varying textures/colors/patterns/etc.
7 votes -
Less bugs, better perfomance, less bloat: bring back your a team on Illustrator!
On the general course of Adobe (and especially Illustrator and XD)
:
- I've been defending Illustrator as a viable alternative to Sketch for screen design for years now within my team. But I am about to give up. Bugs and slow performance make it border unusable and make me look bad!
- Please put your A-team back on Illustrator (and give it the XD engine) OR move faster with XD (probably the wiser option).
- On XD: fantastic vector engine, but you guys are getting your *** kicked by Invision Studio (state-to-state hifi prototyping) and Figma (collaboration).Step it up! Ditch the marketeers! and give back the power to the people with a vision!
On the general course of Adobe (and especially Illustrator and XD)
:
- I've been defending Illustrator as a viable alternative to Sketch for screen design for years now within my team. But I am about to give up. Bugs and slow performance make it border unusable and make me look bad!
- Please put your A-team back on Illustrator (and give it the XD engine) OR move faster with XD (probably the wiser option).
- On XD: fantastic vector engine, but you guys are getting your *** kicked by Invision Studio (state-to-state hifi prototyping) and Figma (collaboration).Step it…
7 votes -
Clipping Mask with complex objects
I'm trying to clipping mask an object not that complicated (1000 points) and Illustrator says it's to complex (really?). But if I do a "paste inside" with Indesign, Illustrator allows the Clipping Mask.
It's crazy since Illustrator should be the right software to work with multiple points vector.
7 votes -
Add Convert to normal map filter / effect
As It's already existing in Photoshop, and as there are some Photoshop filters applicable in Illustrator, I was wondering if we can get the "convert to Normal Map" filter directly in Illustrator.
It may be useful and more efficient than using AI + PS to generate some Normal maps based on vector graphics.
Many Thanks
7 votes -
More Layer Options for Actions
I work in print, and need to set up files daily for print which are separated into layers for grouping purposes. One of these purposes is for our automated cutting machines. In order for these to work, I need to keep the cutting and scoring paths on individual, specifically-named layers. When setting up many files at once I would like to automate the saving of print files, proof files, and cutting files.
To do this I really need Actions which support things like selecting Layers by Name (similar to selecting objects by attribute description, a feature I already use in my automation). Delete Empty Layers would also likely be helpful in many circumstances outside my need.
For example, a typical document I work on contains the following layers: Printer Marks, Crop Marks, Art, Outside Cut Paths, Inside Cut Paths, Score Paths, Registration Marks.
I need to be able to use actions to do the following: Save a PDF with all layers turned on, Save a PDF with only the Outside and Inside Cut and Score Paths turned off, and finally Save a PDF with all Layers Deleted except Registration Marks, and all Cutting and Scoring Paths.
This type of thing has been requested since 2009, it would drastically improve my workflow without the need to learn complicated workarounds (which may not even work) in javascript or some other automation method.
Attached is a sample showing the type of file I need to work with.
I work in print, and need to set up files daily for print which are separated into layers for grouping purposes. One of these purposes is for our automated cutting machines. In order for these to work, I need to keep the cutting and scoring paths on individual, specifically-named layers. When setting up many files at once I would like to automate the saving of print files, proof files, and cutting files.
To do this I really need Actions which support things like selecting Layers by Name (similar to selecting objects by attribute description, a feature I already use in…
7 votes -
Please support for CAD functions
Pleased support CAD functions natively in illustrator like CADtools or CAD-COMPO, I consider that these functions are very important.
7 votes -
Stop with the survey
Please stop making the **** survey strip popup. I think I’ve had to close it at least 20 times over the past three months. It really irks me and makes me a little upset every time - it is really distracting.
7 votes -
Correct direction of the object rotate function
When rotating objects in a positive angle direction, objects SHOULD rotate CLOCKWISE
When rotating objects in a negative angle direction, they SHOULD rotate COUNTER CLOCKWISEIllustrator seems to be BACKWARDS from all other programs I have ever used...
7 votes -
Transforming 3D effects
For 3D effects such as 'Extrude and Bevel', 'Revolve' and 'Rotate', transformation behaviour is incomplete. For instance:
Scale Strokes and Effects doesn't cause the extrude depth to scale.
Flipping the object only flips the path and not the 3D effect.
Both these things should transform as expected...
7 votes -
Glitchy remove behaviour in Color Groups in Recolor artwork
There are a lot of problems when I removing color set in Color Groups.
First - list jumps into the end, if I remove first element for example or any from the top. Also - Backspace or Del keys not works, I can't remove using them. From video you can see that there are a lot of colors and I want be able to select multiple of them with just a mouse.Thats just typical and simple UX from NSListView ... you know? Why you didn't implemented all that behaviour?
7 votes -
An ability to control the assumed resolution for placed PNG files
Raster images brought into Illustrator always seem to appear at 72 ppi, and are scaled too large relative to an artboard with 300 ppi raster effects. There is no way to set images to appear at the desired resolution, instead requiring you to manually adjust their size with the transform tools.
A 300 pixel wide PNG appears on the artboard scaled 4.17 inches/105.8 mm wide. It's too big and blurry if you print it. You have to down-size it manually with the transform tools... awkward.
The desired behaviour is for raster images to appear scaled on the artboard at an appropriate size relative to their own resolution and the document raster effect settings.
A 300 pixel wide PNG should appear on a 300 ppi artboard at a scale of 1 inch/25.4 mm.
Raster images brought into Illustrator always seem to appear at 72 ppi, and are scaled too large relative to an artboard with 300 ppi raster effects. There is no way to set images to appear at the desired resolution, instead requiring you to manually adjust their size with the transform tools.
A 300 pixel wide PNG appears on the artboard scaled 4.17 inches/105.8 mm wide. It's too big and blurry if you print it. You have to down-size it manually with the transform tools... awkward.
The desired behaviour is for raster images to appear scaled on the artboard at an…
7 votes -
Since you're not maintaining Illustrator, open-source it.
Year after year, we ask for simple but glaring deficiencies to be fixed. But NOTHING is fixed.
Top example: There's no way to force Illustrator to select ONLY the objects that are FULLY ENCLOSED by the selection rectangle. I don't know of any other vector-art program that lacks this feature, and some even use it by default.
Yes, we've reported this problem. Yes, we voted for the feature request. Year after year after year.
I bought Affinity Designer because I consider Illustrator unusable with this defect. And that's after years of running Corel Draw in a VM to, again, avoid the ridiculous tediousness of trying to use Illustrator without a proper selection mode.
Year after year, we ask for simple but glaring deficiencies to be fixed. But NOTHING is fixed.
Top example: There's no way to force Illustrator to select ONLY the objects that are FULLY ENCLOSED by the selection rectangle. I don't know of any other vector-art program that lacks this feature, and some even use it by default.
Yes, we've reported this problem. Yes, we voted for the feature request. Year after year after year.
I bought Affinity Designer because I consider Illustrator unusable with this defect. And that's after years of running Corel Draw in a VM to, again, avoid…
7 votes
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