Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4372 results found
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Brush Groups
I would like to be able to select several brushes in the Brush palette, then press a 'make brush group' button on the palette.
I would then be able to choose this brush group as if it were a brush. Drawing with this brush group would choose a different brush in the group at random for every new path I created.
I might have a 'brush group options' dialogue box wherein I could choose the relative frequencies of the different brushes in the group, switch it between random choice and cycling between brushes in order, give it a name, and... whatever other features seem to need to be in there once it starts taking shape, really.
Ideally, I would be able to have a brush in multiple groups. I would also be able to have brushes of different types in one group - if I wanted to mix an art brush with a scatter brush, for instance, I could.
And ideally, altering the brush group would alter existing paths drawn using the brush group. This might be a choice similar to how changing the settings of a brush that's in use asks if you want to apply the changes to all existing paths that use it.
I've been dabbling with a more 'natural media' look in Illustrator. For my purposes, art brushes seem to be working best, but I'll often start to notice the same repeated features of an art brush sticking out of my drawings. If I could make, say, ten "dry brush" brushes, and have Illustrator constantly swapping between them, this would make the illusion of real media a lot easier to keep up.
Similarly, I use a lot of scatter brushes for things like trees or grass. It would be useful to be able to have several different 'leaf' scatter brushes and just scribble in a few overlapping strokes that automatically pick between them.
I would also be able to create Graphic Styles that call for the use of a brush group on a stroke instead of a single brush.
I would like to be able to select several brushes in the Brush palette, then press a 'make brush group' button on the palette.
I would then be able to choose this brush group as if it were a brush. Drawing with this brush group would choose a different brush in the group at random for every new path I created.
I might have a 'brush group options' dialogue box wherein I could choose the relative frequencies of the different brushes in the group, switch it between random choice and cycling between brushes in order, give it a name, and...…
4 votes -
Assignable keyboard shortcuts for EVERYTHING.
In the 'keyboard shortcuts' dialogue, I would like to have a section that contains the flyout menu items and buttons of every palette.
Ideally this would be automatically populated when a palette is created, so that palettes created by 3rd-party plugins would be able to take advantage of this without a new version.
Currently there is an 'other panels' section in the assignable menu commands that lets you assign keystrokes to ten seemingly-arbitrary palette menu items. I'd love to see a ton more choices there. No need for default shortcuts; this is a way for power users to pick exactly which parts of AI they want to have available at the touch of a key insted of digging through menus or palettes.
In the 'keyboard shortcuts' dialogue, I would like to have a section that contains the flyout menu items and buttons of every palette.
Ideally this would be automatically populated when a palette is created, so that palettes created by 3rd-party plugins would be able to take advantage of this without a new version.
Currently there is an 'other panels' section in the assignable menu commands that lets you assign keystrokes to ten seemingly-arbitrary palette menu items. I'd love to see a ton more choices there. No need for default shortcuts; this is a way for power users to pick…
94 votes -
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 -
Crop Tool - Thanks!
Not a request, just wanted to say thanks! I Love, Love Love! the new crop tool. Waited so long & use daily. (Don't worry, I know how to mask.)
1 vote -
Adding multiple artboards at once
Why can't we add several artboard instead of manually adding one by one ?
3 votesAs per the comment, the most accessible way to create multiple artboards is to draw multiple rectangles with required dimensions and positions, followed by the Convert To Artboards command.
There are multiple ways to create several rectangles fast: Transform Again command, an expanded blend, Split into Grid command.
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macOS Fullscreen
Hi, please add macOS fullscreen support.
12 votes -
'Tab' and 'Shift-Tab' to navigate when renaming Assets
Issue:
While renaming assets in the Asset palette there's currently no way to move to the next or previous asset using the keyboard. When there are a large number of assets this makes for a tedious process.Goal:
Allow the renaming of multiple assets without having to use the mouseSuggested Solution:
Utilize 'Tab' / 'Shift-Tab' keys to navigate to the next / previous assets, e.g. how renaming layers works in Photoshop.10 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 -
Anchor point smart delete
Deleting an anchor point by default break up the shape of the stroke.
What about smart delete, that automatically adjust nearest handles to save the shape of the stroke.
I dream about it from the cs3 version :)16 votes -
Allow selecting a clipping mask by its fill
Currently, I need to select clipping masks by their edge, which is tricky. I prefer selecting objects by their fill.
33 votes -
Drag to "bevel" a shape.
I'd like to have a bevel tool.
One for "Below" and one for "On top"
Shown here is the "Below" version, dragged straight and at a 45º angle.78 votes -
Isolate Selected Objects without having to group them
In my work flow, I find I would like to isolate more than one object for something, and not necessarily a whole layer. Currently I have to group two or three objects first to do this. I'd like to see being able to isolate selected objects without having to group them first.
17 votes -
1 vote
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Selection panel - supercharged customisable selection options
- A new Select panel.
*User-defined search permeameters with logical operators, and access to all relevant properties and object types in the document object model. Ability to extend and refine a search by multiple parameters.
*User-defined labels for objects, with which users can create their own custom searches (eg. ”figure”, ”house”, “red team”, “platform” etc.).
This would make me A Happy(er) Bunny.
8 votes -
Custom layer colors, layer 5 yellow is killing me
Can i please change the default layer colors so that layer 5 is not always yellow? I set up files all day long and yellow on white is ******* the eyes, would love to be able to set a default layer color for the first 5 or six new layers. Thank you.
57 votesHi Everyone,
Thanks for the feedback. The color yellow has been removed altogether as a layer color, and has been replaced by Magenta color for Layer 5. This functionality 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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Select > Same > Font (Size/ Style/ Typeface / Size& Style / Size and Typeface)
Extend the select menu items to include options for selecting type variations.
205 votesNow available in the latest release, version 26 (2022) and higher. Please let the team know in the comments if you have any problems with that.
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Add a swatch from a color inside a gradient in Adobe Illustrator
When you are working in a gradient, you may customize your colors inside. However, there's no way to add this new color as a swatch - or even to be given a HEX code. Let's make this more functional!
12 votes -
Make Pathfinder work with groups properly
Allow for the Pathfinder to operate on groups of objects as if the group were one object. Possibly its own pathfinder function.
If I am working with a group it is understood that I want to work with those items as one object. However, when using the pathfinder to minus front, and the object below is part of a group it just deletes the entire group along with the portion of the top object that I wanted to get rid of. When would that be useful? This will also be posted as a bug, because that is how I view this.
Allow for the Pathfinder to operate on groups of objects as if the group were one object. Possibly its own pathfinder function.
If I am working with a group it is understood that I want to work with those items as one object. However, when using the pathfinder to minus front, and the object below is part of a group it just deletes the entire group along with the portion of the top object that I wanted to get rid of. When would that be useful? This will also be posted as a bug, because that is how I view…
50 votes -
Creative Cloud Files appear in Library Panel in Illustrator
Currently folders and files in the Creative Cloud Files folder are local and synchronise with the cloud. They are visible on the website but are separate from Creative Cloud Libraries that we use inside Illustrator. It’s tantalisingly close to being an awesome feature, yet…
Please join them up! Make creative cloud files visible in the libraries panel in Illustrator, and vice versa; and make the libraries available locally.
37 votes -
An ability to permanently move the transformation center (pivot, anchor) when rotating, scaling, etc.
Rotation center point should be able to remain with objects and groups and then used when rotating an object using the bounding box controls.
I want to be able to permanently edit (and reset) an object's (or group's) rotation axis (center point). I want the new rotation axis to apply for subsequent rotation transformations, for example when using the bounding box controls.
Currently, the rotation tool (r) allows you to pick up and move an object's center, and then rotate the object around that point. Great, except that point disappears as soon as you exit the rotation tool, which isn't very helpful.
I'm told Corel Draw had something like this... I can't overstate how much power and efficiency it would add to my workflow. For instance, with figures, It would enable something akin to rigging!
Rotation center point should be able to remain with objects and groups and then used when rotating an object using the bounding box controls.
I want to be able to permanently edit (and reset) an object's (or group's) rotation axis (center point). I want the new rotation axis to apply for subsequent rotation transformations, for example when using the bounding box controls.
Currently, the rotation tool (r) allows you to pick up and move an object's center, and then rotate the object around that point. Great, except that point disappears as soon as you exit the rotation tool, which isn't…
89 votes
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