Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4362 results found
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Shape Distribution Tool
A tool you can use with selected objects, that would distribute those objects, in layer order, around the outline of the designated shape, most likely a circle/oval, square/rectangle, triangle, star, or custom shape.
This would be a great layout assistant for placing, scaling, and rotating different kinds of objects at once. A time-saving and more accurate way to create many types of layouts.With this tool, you could:
- distribute different types of objects (shapes, text, symbols, etc) around a shape
- scale the shape and objects independently
- auto orient rotation to the center or the line segment in the shape
- perhaps even move the objects along the shape pathA tool you can use with selected objects, that would distribute those objects, in layer order, around the outline of the designated shape, most likely a circle/oval, square/rectangle, triangle, star, or custom shape.
This would be a great layout assistant for placing, scaling, and rotating different kinds of objects at once. A time-saving and more accurate way to create many types of layouts.With this tool, you could:
- distribute different types of objects (shapes, text, symbols, etc) around a shape
- scale the shape and objects independently
- auto orient rotation to the center or the line segment in…5 votes -
UNSAVED DOCUMENT ASTERISK - *
Sometimes we need to know if we changed a document, or if something moved without us realizing it. And the only way to know is to look at that tiny asterisk next to the document file name to see if it was modified.
My idea is to make that asterisk a little bit bigger, so people can easily spot it. I am attaching a screenshot with a rough concept.
2 votes -
Relative paths for linked assets
An option to use relative paths for linked assets. Because links use absolute paths, simply moving the folder your artwork is in will break the links unless the links are in the same folder. For example:
c:\artwork\project-1234\layout.ai
c:\artwork\project-1234\assets\logo.jpg
c:\artwork\standard-title-block.aiIf logo.jpg and standard-title-block.ai are both linked to inside of layout.ai, renaming the project folder will break the links. Moving the project folder will break the links.
Instead of storing the link paths absolutely, store them relatively. This way at least renaming the folder will preserve both links and moving the folder will only break links that point to file outside of the project directory structure.
An option to use relative paths for linked assets. Because links use absolute paths, simply moving the folder your artwork is in will break the links unless the links are in the same folder. For example:
c:\artwork\project-1234\layout.ai
c:\artwork\project-1234\assets\logo.jpg
c:\artwork\standard-title-block.aiIf logo.jpg and standard-title-block.ai are both linked to inside of layout.ai, renaming the project folder will break the links. Moving the project folder will break the links.
Instead of storing the link paths absolutely, store them relatively. This way at least renaming the folder will preserve both links and moving the folder will only break links that point to file outside…
78 votesWith Beta build 28.5.66 Illustrator starts to store the relative paths of all placed objects along with the original (full) path. In that way, if a linked file is not found in the original (full) path, it can be resolved via the relative path thus brings the interpretability between win and mac etc.
Please try and see if this build does it correctly and behaves in the way you expect it to when dealing with paths for links.
Comment back in any way!
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Ability to record the "Make Pixel Perfect" action
Please add a feature to the AI Action to able to record "Object > Make Pixel Perfect". It's needed when I prepare bitmap assets for HTML5 Advertising in Animate CC
1 vote -
Allow users to set direction for X and Y axes
Several versions ago Adobe decided to flip Y-axis, so origin now is placed TOP-left instead of BOTTOM-left, as it was before.
They say it was done for compatibility with Photoshop and InDesign, which both have y-axis going down.I think that breaking people's workflow, deciding only ONE direction is right, was wrong.
InDesign is a publishing software, it works with a flow. I don't know anybody who reads from bottom to up (RTL — yes). When you move an object there, you don't move it up, you move it backwards
Photoshop is raster graphics editor, it works with a readable grid of pixels, which are written from top left (we see it every time when images load slow in browsers). Using Photoshop since version 5 I never experienced any trouble with axis going down, because it just never mattered! I retouch photos mostly. People, who uses it for drawing web-design (!) are still OK, because web pages go down. Anyway, PS even hasn't precise move dialogue controls.
And of course, the fact y-axises go one direction, is just a coincidence (when there is only two variants for y-axis to go — it's highly occasional) — because these two programs care for different fields.But Illustrator is about vectors.
Y-axis goes up in Cartesian coordinate system.
We move objects up meaning up here.
It was a consistency for the sake of consistency.
It was convenient for devs and not end users.
It was a mistake to do.
Adobe should have asked users to vote about denying common sense.
And Adobe should never ever ever had not given users ability to flip it.In fact, there IS a way to make y-axis to go down, as it was before: you have to manually set flags in prefs file:
/isRulerIn4thQuad 0
/isRulerOriginTopLeft 0BUT it causes Move dialogue to be broken (I also have this bug reported). And since there is such an ability and I can flip it in Prefs file — I will fight for an ability to work fully (the worse thing Adobe can do now — is to kill this opportunity).
I don't ask for ruler origin to be changed to bottom left by DEFAULT, NO, Adobe already had given us an opportunity to change this by editing flags! The ideal outcome would be just a switch in Preferences within AI (and a bugfix for Move dialogue that is set upon existing and approved behaviour).
I know quite a lot of highly valuable people from Adobe forums who still votes for y-axis go up:
CarlosCanto (he even wrote a script to undo your unexpected making, https://forums.adobe.com/message/3859338)
JETalmage (you should have seen this post back in 2009! https://forums.adobe.com/thread/497089)
Jacob Bugge and all other people who agree with them in comments.Nobody among my colleagues I know personally likes this. And only two of them having spoken about it at forums. Imagine how many just cry silently.
Xara allows to flip axes.
Canvas allows to.
Inkscape seems to be able too.
Affinity can't, but YET.Please.
Several versions ago Adobe decided to flip Y-axis, so origin now is placed TOP-left instead of BOTTOM-left, as it was before.
They say it was done for compatibility with Photoshop and InDesign, which both have y-axis going down.I think that breaking people's workflow, deciding only ONE direction is right, was wrong.
InDesign is a publishing software, it works with a flow. I don't know anybody who reads from bottom to up (RTL — yes). When you move an object there, you don't move it up, you move it backwards
Photoshop is raster graphics editor, it works with a readable…
51 votes -
Turn off effects in outline mode
I never really understood why effects are loaded in the background in outline mode. Why is it necessary to load an effect when you don't even see it? I thought the purpose of outline mode was for when the artwork have become heavy and takes longer time to load. The usual reason why my artwork becomes so heavy is because of all the effects I use. I wish I could switch to outline mode for quick edits instead of having to wait for the effect to load every time I do a tiny adjustment. Effects should be turned off in outline mode and turned back on when you return to preview mode.
I never really understood why effects are loaded in the background in outline mode. Why is it necessary to load an effect when you don't even see it? I thought the purpose of outline mode was for when the artwork have become heavy and takes longer time to load. The usual reason why my artwork becomes so heavy is because of all the effects I use. I wish I could switch to outline mode for quick edits instead of having to wait for the effect to load every time I do a tiny adjustment. Effects should be turned off in…
5 votes -
Please add options for text cursor so it can be viewed
Why is the cursor so thin that it can not be viewed? Make it thicker as you zoom out or add an option to change it or it's color.
2 votes -
In multi-column text box, Page Break command does not work
When I make a Area Type Text Box with Many Columns Page Break [return key] does not work.
2 votes -
A View Only Capability after free trial ends
It's basically a "view only" section for students after their trial has expired who have already created items in Illustrator and have to double check something or just review what they've already created esp. those who may not be able to afford the full version of Illustrator.
It'd be nice to have a "view only" section after students' free trials expire. Example: some softwares have a "read only" section where students can't edit work, but they can at least view it.
2 votes -
Autosave ON Visual indicator
A visual indicator in the application frame that Auto Save is still activated/on. When dealing with complex files auto save is turned off, and stays off. A visual indicator that it is no longer on would be helpful when working in a new file that it needs to be turned back on.
3 votes -
Navigator and Artboard bug
Navigator doesn't move around and there are two "23" in Artboards. The number artboard 22 doesn't even appear
2 votes -
Smart Guides and Snap To Grid mutually exclusive - please support both
"Smart Guides" and "Snap to Grid" are currently mutually exclusive which is very troublesome. I don't see the immediate connection, even if I want to have my objects snap to a grid I'd still liket to use Smart Guides, especially for creating Squares, Circles and the like.
7 votes -
Adobe Draw
I use the Adobe Draw app daily in unison with Illustrator and Photoshop. It would be hugely helpful if this app allowed for brush edge softness to be altered (much like in Photoshop.)
I use this app for hand lettering and iconography sketching in Illustrator, but mostly for Digital Painting in Photoshop. Brush versatility and customization is vital.
4 votes -
It would be great to have a densitometer
Similar to Indesign, to read the tints with the numbers in the separations palette. Currently when building we need to pop it into Indesign to take a reading, especially if there is transparency.
4 votes -
Preview Checkbox defaults to On rather than Off
I'm not sure if there is a reason for this, but for the 12 years I've been using Illustrator, the effects checkbox always defaults to "Off" and every time I make an edit to an effect, I have to switch it to "On". It never remembers my setting and there is no way to make it default to On. Either would be acceptable.
Many thanks for everything.
97 votesHi Everyone,
All the effect checkboxes have now been set to ON by default, and are sticky (meaning that if you disable preview, on next launch of Illustrator preview will remain disabled). This functionality now is available in our latest release build – 24.1.1 for Win and 24.1 for Mac which is available worldwide now.
What’s new in 24.1: https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/whats-new.html
You can update to the latest release using Creative Cloud desktop App: https://helpx.adobe.com/in/creative-cloud/help/creative-cloud-updates.html
Thank you for all the feedback.
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Variable Fonts in Paragraph/Character Styles
This may well be planned already, but I would love to be able to edit variable font axes inside the paragraph style dialogue. This would be very valuable in keeping things consistent.
2 votes -
The "new update" popup message is gross
A. Add a "don't show this again" checkbox because I don't want to be reminded later nor do I want to update on anything but my own terms.
B. Add a space between the period and "Know more..."
C. Choose a different call to action that isn't "Know more" because what?
D. Actually just don't show popups for anything. I pay you to draw vector lines and that's about it.
8 votes -
Ai File icon turned upside down
Hi. I have updated the ai to version cc 2018 and all the icons of my files in ai format turned upside down. It makes me feel annoyed even it does not hinder me from opening and working on the files. May i know how this can be fixed?
Thank you.
1 vote -
Identify and name color swatches with human-readable names
There is a very handy tool in Yandex.ru search engine, named 'Колдунщик' (literally 'Sorcererer', with triple 'er').
The way it works with colors is briefly described there (in Russian):
https://yandex.ru/blog/company/94762What it does is binds color names with color values. Some are quite standard, 'light blue', some are familiar, like 'bordeaux' (but every man think of different shade or even tone, speaking of it), some are very uncommon, like 'The color of the thigh of a frightened nymph' (it is a real color — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisse_de_Nymphe).
What if AI could name colors in a same way, when swatch is created (working in pair with a value method)?
For example, I create swatch HSV 39-29-100 and AI offers variants for naming it: 'C=0 M=11 Y=35 K=0' or 'Peach' or 'C=0 M=11 Y=35 K=0 Peach' or 'Peach C=0 M=11 Y=35 K=0'.There is a very handy tool in Yandex.ru search engine, named 'Колдунщик' (literally 'Sorcererer', with triple 'er').
The way it works with colors is briefly described there (in Russian):
https://yandex.ru/blog/company/94762What it does is binds color names with color values. Some are quite standard, 'light blue', some are familiar, like 'bordeaux' (but every man think of different shade or even tone, speaking of it), some are very uncommon, like 'The color of the thigh of a frightened nymph' (it is a real color — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisse_de_Nymphe).
What if AI could name colors in a same way, when swatch is created…
21 votes -
Add numerical control over light sources in 3D Extrude & Bevel Effect Options
When applying and tweaking 3D Extrude & Bevel Effect, user has to manipulate light by precise mouse twitching over the small sphere.
It should be at least twice as big to provide fine control (I won't note this as separate request), but there should also be numerical fields to control the lights' position over sphere — angle, elevation, choose any.Also, why Depth and Height values there are immune to document Units settings? 56.96pt is nonsense to me, while 20mm makes sense.
19 votes
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