Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4546 results found
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Layer freezing
When doing very complicated artwork, sometimes Illustrator's live preview starts to become impossibly slow. Distorted dense fill patterns, lots of art brushes full of translucent shapes, complicated high-res bitmap effects… I can do some stunning things with these but I’m reluctant to use them, because I need to have fast response time in my drawing tool.
Currently, layers can be locked, or unlocked. I would like to have a third mode: 'frozen', where the layer is locked, and a bitmap of the entire layer is cached. This bitmap is then used for rendering the preview, until such time as the layer is unfrozen.
I imagine this being invoked by shift- or control-clicking on the layer's visibility eye in the layers palette; the eye would be replaced by a snowflake or some other indication of it being 'frozen'.
Frozen bitmaps are not saved along with the rest of the file; they’re regenerated when you load it.
(This idea shamelessly swiped from the late lamented Expression, which let me play around with natural media effects at workable speed back around 2005.)
When doing very complicated artwork, sometimes Illustrator's live preview starts to become impossibly slow. Distorted dense fill patterns, lots of art brushes full of translucent shapes, complicated high-res bitmap effects… I can do some stunning things with these but I’m reluctant to use them, because I need to have fast response time in my drawing tool.
Currently, layers can be locked, or unlocked. I would like to have a third mode: 'frozen', where the layer is locked, and a bitmap of the entire layer is cached. This bitmap is then used for rendering the preview, until such time as the…
5 votes -
Consider End handles
In illustrator we can to adjust start and end point handles in open path, but it have not much sense. What about to consider this handles to adjust shape of the object fill. Not on strait line like usual, but in way like we want. By the way, if we decide to close the path, Ai should make it in that way too.
So, we doesn't need two objects with stroke and shape separately, it will be one object with adjustable end handles.5 votes -
SQUARE blob brush would be great
The blob brush is a really great tool for an illustrator like me, but it would be so much more versatile if Illustrator would made available a SQUARE brush next to the round brush.
(CC Animate provides both round and square brushes and it is just great.)
It would allow us to easily draw by hand things with square angles like windows, buildings etc.
A square brush also makes it possible to draw in a woodcut style.
You would even make me happier if it would be possible to stretch and/or rotate the (both round and square) blob brush.Attached an example of a woodcut-style typography handwritten in CC Animate with a square brush (with pressure sensitive tablet pen).
Thank you!
The blob brush is a really great tool for an illustrator like me, but it would be so much more versatile if Illustrator would made available a SQUARE brush next to the round brush.
(CC Animate provides both round and square brushes and it is just great.)
It would allow us to easily draw by hand things with square angles like windows, buildings etc.
A square brush also makes it possible to draw in a woodcut style.
You would even make me happier if it would be possible to stretch and/or rotate the (both round and square) blob brush.Attached…
5 votes -
Select same fill colour selects text with same fill colour too. Tricky I know
When I hit select same colour and there is any live text box with multiple colours in it it does not select the text. Would be really handy if it did.
5 votes -
Pressure Sensitivity added to Pencil Tool
Variable width strokes are great! What would be even better would be to have variable strokes simply by drawing them in with a pressure sensitive device.
5 votes -
Allow the app to send projects to Sketch
If I want to outline a drawing in Illustrator Draw but color it in Photoshop Sketch, right now I have to save it to the creative cloud as PSD. There should be an option where I can open the full project in Sketch app, in both apps where in Photoshop Sketch I can choose to either import a project from Illustrator Draw, or while in Draw I can export a project to Photoshop Sketch.
5 votes -
Pinch to zoom for Illustrator while the free transform tool is active.
When I have something selected and I activate the Free transform tool, pinch to zoom no longer works, this is my primary method of navigation. This block forces me to go back to the selection tool and then zoom in and then return to the free transform tool then I had. I don't like that it's very inconvenient. I am on a laptop and have the latest version of Illustrator installed.
5 votes -
A lock for the current style (stroke weight, fill, color), but tool specific
When I need to adjust a filled object and then return to say, the pen tool. I first have to reset the color and stroke before I can go back to my line work. I would love it if there were simply a lock for this on the pallet so that while drawing I can lock it to a certain color, fill, and stroke weight/style. Perhaps a simple lock on the tool pallet under color. Gray out lock icon over color when I turn the pen tool back on would be a good indicator. So it is attached to that tool only, but easily unlocked when finished.
When I need to adjust a filled object and then return to say, the pen tool. I first have to reset the color and stroke before I can go back to my line work. I would love it if there were simply a lock for this on the pallet so that while drawing I can lock it to a certain color, fill, and stroke weight/style. Perhaps a simple lock on the tool pallet under color. Gray out lock icon over color when I turn the pen tool back on would be a good indicator. So it is attached…
5 votes -
Assets Export - add "Find" option by asset name
I'm looking for just option to filter assets at Asset Panel. It's easy to select some assets, for example I have objects names "ground_xx.png" and I want just export them now, so I can type in filter "ground" and it will be filtered from all other my assets, and yes, better to add option select filtered.
5 votes -
Keyboard Bindings
I would appreciate being able to bind the ESC key to any shortcut I want, such as deselect. I use Full Screen with Menu Bar all the time and out of Photoshop habit, hit ESC to deselect. But every time, it boots me from full screen. I hate it.
Can you give us some love?
5 votes -
Change arrow cursor back to how it used to be.
I would VERY much like to be able to change the arrow cursor style back to how it was prior to the most recent update. I do not like the arrows no longer having a handle; perhaps I'm irrational, but it's really throwing me and disrupting my workflow.
5 votes -
Export quality for EMF or WMF
When exporting to emf or wmf formats to get editable vectors into PowerPoint the details in curves or small marks get all messed up. For example the details of a registered trade mark on a logo will be distorted or the curve of a letter o will become choppy. This is a huge issue for us and I'm hoping quality settings like the options provided for exporting and svg would fix the issue.
Thank You
5 votes -
4 votes
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Knobs.
Just more knobs. There should be a knob next to every input that takes an angle value. The Scribble effect has one. The Gradient palette doesn't. The Transform palette has one but it could use another one along with a couple of text input boxes as an option to move an object a specified distance along a particular angle instead of moving it in X and Y. The angle value in the transform section of Properties doesn't have a knob. Scatter brush options have two horizontal sliders and no knobs. Put a knob next to each of those sliders.
Go through the entire UI and look for angle inputs that don't have knobs and give them knobs. And make this knob an easy-to-use component if it isn't one already. Astute's Phantasm Halftone plugin has an angle input with no knob. Make it trivial for them to fix this.
Also there's a bunch of feature requests for varying versions of "you can drag a number input and/or the arrows next to it and drag to change the value". Pick one of those. Make every input box work this way.
Thee's also a pattern where you click on a down-arrow next to a number input and a menu or slider drops down out of it. Sometimes you can drag and hold to go down it - stroke weight's fine for instance. Sometimes you can't - the opacity input box's dropdown gets you a slider, and you have to lift your stylus and click somewhere on the bar. It used to let you just click to bring up the slider, drag to a point on the bar, and release. It should still be doing that but this got lost in the UI rebuild like a decade ago and never came back. Find all of those dropdowns and fix that.
Just more knobs. There should be a knob next to every input that takes an angle value. The Scribble effect has one. The Gradient palette doesn't. The Transform palette has one but it could use another one along with a couple of text input boxes as an option to move an object a specified distance along a particular angle instead of moving it in X and Y. The angle value in the transform section of Properties doesn't have a knob. Scatter brush options have two horizontal sliders and no knobs. Put a knob next to each of those sliders…
4 votes -
Local saves with Version control
We need an option to create a project file that cannot be saved over. The reason for this is that when working with a client who has many options, we sometimes need to step back in time or recover older versions from unexpected changes.
Similar to an Illustrator template file (.ait), we could have a format like .aiv or .aivi. This way, when I save flyer.aiv, every save will generate a backup file flyer-250204817.ai next to the current file.
It would also be useful to have an option in a settings pane to save a backup every other save and retain backups for a maximum of three days or up to ten saves. Whatever option we choose should control the local .aiv file.
I do store files on my local nas server, where every save gets a snapshot. However, when working on my local system (laptop), I don’t have that function, nor do I always have Wi-Fi. This means working in Adobe Cloud is not an option.
Please provide an option so we do not loose our work or we have the option to recover from edits we desided were not what we want.
https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/save-localy-with-version-control/m-p/15132526#M434461We need an option to create a project file that cannot be saved over. The reason for this is that when working with a client who has many options, we sometimes need to step back in time or recover older versions from unexpected changes.
Similar to an Illustrator template file (.ait), we could have a format like .aiv or .aivi. This way, when I save flyer.aiv, every save will generate a backup file flyer-250204817.ai next to the current file.
It would also be useful to have an option in a settings pane to save a backup every other save…
4 votes -
Panelize Blend Options, Offset Path, etc.
In pre-2020 Illustrator versions, the Path -> Simplify tool was a window. Post 2020, it got changed into a live panel which, when opened, doesn't halt the focus and lets you change settings while you move around the artboard with the Hand tool or Zoom in or such.
It is sadly the only "classic" Object tool that got this treatment. Other tools, especially Blend Options, Offset Path, Envelope Distort with Warp, etc. would benefit greatly from similar panelisation. It's not a great user experience that I can't zoom or pan while I'm trying to offset my path.4 votes -
Add a 'Single Midpoint Anchor' Tool in Illustrator
Request: Add a tool or command that allows users to add a single anchor point precisely at the midpoint of any selected path segment without affecting the entire shape.
Why It’s Needed: Illustrator currently lacks an intuitive way to place an anchor point exactly between two existing anchor points. The "Add Anchor Points" command applies to all segments, and the Smart Guides often fail to indicate an accurate midpoint. Manually calculating coordinates is impractical.
Suggested Implementation:
A new "Add Midpoint Anchor" option in Object > Path that works on a single segment.
A modified behavior in the Pen Tool (P) or Add Anchor Point Tool (+) that automatically snaps to the true midpoint of a selected path segment.
A shortcut key (e.g., Shift + Click with the Add Anchor Point Tool) that forces an anchor to be placed at the segment’s exact center.
This is a basic function that would streamline workflows for designers working with precise vector geometry. Other software, such as Affinity Designer, already offers this feature.
Request: Add a tool or command that allows users to add a single anchor point precisely at the midpoint of any selected path segment without affecting the entire shape.
Why It’s Needed: Illustrator currently lacks an intuitive way to place an anchor point exactly between two existing anchor points. The "Add Anchor Points" command applies to all segments, and the Smart Guides often fail to indicate an accurate midpoint. Manually calculating coordinates is impractical.
Suggested Implementation:
A new "Add Midpoint Anchor" option in Object > Path that works on a single segment.
A modified behavior in the Pen Tool (P)…
4 votes -
Move items inside/outside hidden and locked layers.
I want to move items in and out of locked and/or hidden layers.
I use the lock and hidden options to not accendently modify them on the canvas, but I do neet to rearrange them in the layers, or need a copy of an item.4 votes -
Allow Illustrator to remain in native file mode after saving to PDF
Currently, saving a PDF from Illustrator keeps the saved PDF open in Illustrator. If you edit the file that is still open, you're editing the PDF and not the native Illustrator file. It is difficult to see that you're working in PDF other than just remembering that Illustrator does this (when other Adobe apps do not), and/or to look at the extension on the file tab.
Feature request is to change this function so that Illustrator remains open in the same Illustrator file format instead of switching to working in the saved PDF via Illustrator. This would be similar to InDesign's function of saving PDF, where saving a PDF just saves a PDF copy out of InDesign, and you remain in the native InDesign file. Thanks!
Currently, saving a PDF from Illustrator keeps the saved PDF open in Illustrator. If you edit the file that is still open, you're editing the PDF and not the native Illustrator file. It is difficult to see that you're working in PDF other than just remembering that Illustrator does this (when other Adobe apps do not), and/or to look at the extension on the file tab.
Feature request is to change this function so that Illustrator remains open in the same Illustrator file format instead of switching to working in the saved PDF via Illustrator. This would be similar to…
4 votes -
Add a quick way to toggle the alignment of a stoke (Center, Inside, Outside): with Opt/Alt-click and/or a hotkey
There are many modes, states, values in Ai that require precise clicking in a tiny button or a field to toggle or change. We need faster ways to access these.
A keyboard shortcut to quickly toggle how the current stroke is aligned would be nice to have... for those who prefer clicking, Opt/Alt could be added to avoid precise aiming, just to loop through the modes.
4 votes
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