Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
- or
365 results found
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Layer clipping mask (a bit like a paste-inside on steroids!)
I'd like to be able to convert a shape into a layer clipping mask which would then allow sub-layers to be created/converted so that they only remain visible within in the shape's boundary and would subsequently honour any sub-layer effects applied therein.
Why?
Well at the moment I have to expand any paths with effects applied to layers so that any effect is captured inside the clipping mask. This results in a destructive edit to my artwork and file duplication so that I can revert to the previous editable state when I need to make any changes.
Background:
I…1 voteAs Scott Falkner says in comments, you can clip a whole layer if you select a path you want to use as a mask, then open the Layers panel and select Make Clipping Mask from the flyout menu.
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Created Intertwine zones are invisible both on canvas and in Layers and can’t be really edited and repositioned
When we try to edit an already created Intertwine object, we don’t edit it actually, it’s more like we create another one instead.
There is no way to fix a mistake rather than undo (if it’s an imminent one), or disassemble it completely (if it’s an old one), we can’t reposition zones, scale them, attach to the particular segment or point (like with the #ProjectMagenticType from 2022 MAX), we can't delete one or change the order of segments in an existing one.
We can’t even see which zones do we already have, even when we create them still for the…11 votes -
For complex artboard setups: Artboard groups, folders, labels, hide/show toggles and other enhancements to the Artboards window
Currently the Artboards window lists all artboards in a single numbered list. The only customization available for the list is the ability to renumber the artboards. A helpful enhancement to consider: Add the ability to organize artboards list into nested groups and folders. For more complex situations, features like color coding with custom labels, and tags and filters could be helpful. To help de-clutter complex overlapping artboards, it would be helpful to be able to toggle the view on and off for artboards similar to how layers can be shown or hidden.
45 votes -
Create an Ungroup ALL feature on layer(s).
It would extremely useful being able to select the artwork on the layer and clicking an ungroup all option This would speed up prepress production especially when there are multiple grouped objects on a layer.
48 votes -
Allow tool bar to be fixed horizontally on either top or bottom
Now that the properties has been finally set in the right panel, I love it! This allows me to have the layers set in the left panel. Next step, It would be nice to have the ability to set the tool bar above or below horizontally.
16 votes -
give users the option to copy layers, and NOT have them renamed.
currently, Character Animator REQUIRES multiple layer hierarchies that use the exact same naming convention.
When I duplicate a perfectly good Layer Hierarchy, every damned single layer in it, Gets renamed. This creates Hours of tedious work for me that is incredibly stupid.
I want a set of options in the preferences to dictate exactly how Illustrator behaves when it duplicates a Layer/Layer Hierarchy.
I want to be able to change the string used.
I want to be able to set it to use a numbering system (number, step, padding)
I want to be able to turn it the **** off.…
1 vote -
Adding more brushes to the touch workspace...
I would like to be able to change my brush style while I'm working in the touch workspace. I can go into the essentials workspace and it reverts back to a simple brush when you change back to the touch workspace. It's extremely frustrating. Other programs can use other brushes and change layers, so it makes using Illustrator for drawing very difficult.
28 votes -
Selecting layer selects artboard
I have been given an icons file that has 100+ icons, each on a separate artboards.
I can search (finally) for the item in Layers and select it, but it is not selecting or locating the artboard at the same time.
An alternative to this would be to have a search function on artboards.
2 votes -
Shortcut to toggle visibility of a certain layer with guides or a template
More often than not I use a Guide layer on top of my canvas on multiply, to see the guides and what I'm doing at the same time. With a shortcut there would be no need to open the Layers panel and click the visibility button to preview what I'm doing. There could be a special type of layer that could be hidden on export and have this feature or the shortcut could ask to specify the layer to hide/make visible.
4 votes -
Better handling huge images in clipboard
When I cut huge images, AI literally puts them in clipboard and it takes minutes to complete and sometimes crashes AI.
But I usually do this only to immediately paste them in front/back of other objects, to make desired order.
AI don't have commands in Layers palette like 'Move in front/back of selected objects', so this is almost the only way to achieve this.
Dragging selected objects (including images) within Layers palette is very incovinient, because I don't know exactly where targeted object is located there (but I can clearly see it on page).
I also can cut image from…21 votes -
Auto-trace PSDs separately by group/layer
Transfer/convert Photoshop documents via auto-trace to illustrator vector shapes while retaining general group/layer hierarchy. Any shape layers in PSD should be converted to Illustrator shapes.
Example: Sketch a new puppet for Character Animator in Photoshop, open the PSD in Illustrator, use auto-trace to convert each layer separately, maintaining relative group/layer hierarchy. Clean up vector paths, use Illustrator puppet in Character Animator at any scale.
2 votes -
I would like to see the output of the subject created by the generated AI with each part layered by part.
I would like the subject created by the generated AI to be output with parts divided into layers by part (right eye) (left eye) (outline) (eyebrows), etc.
This is because I want the puppet to move immediately in Adobe Character Animatror.4 votes -
Export artboards from illustrator to a single, multi- artboard photoshop file
Export an illustrator file (with multiple artboards and layers) to photoshop (as a single, multi- artboard psd file).
Currently illustrator exports multiple, separate.psd files.
You then need to copy and paste from individual files into a multi- artboard .psd file.If the above idea is integrated, it would make bringing screen layouts into into xd for prototyping UIs much easier.
23 votes -
Script for Data Merge from excel into Illustrator
I am looking for a way to import excel data into specific layers in Adobe Illustrator CC 2017.
Essentially to have the excel data tables to link to different artboards and be able to be updated each time the file is opened or as needed. Assuming this would be some kind of script so one could just run the script again or a data merge process (similar to what is available in indesign.
Thanks in advance!
42 votes -
Artboard background color needs to be user-assignable
We need to be able to change artboard background color.
Working on pure white is straining on the eyes and it's rarely appropriate for non-print projects (99% of my work). Having to draw colored rectangles, lock them or put them on separate layers, and then manage them when we resize or duplicate artboards is painful and tedious.
Let's have an icon for it next to the artboard name (in the Artboard palette) where we can choose a swatch (including transparent).
Let's support changing multiple artboard colors at once with multi-selection.
Thank you!
85 votesIllustrator allows option to Simulate Color Paper, whereby user can pick any color as the background. (This is accessible from File -> Document Setup)
Does this help solve the described concerns?
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Easy setting of layer's opacity and 'Target Selected'
Some users still find confusing setting opacity to whole layer.
When they change opacity value in Transparency palette with no art selected, it does nothing or (if 'New Art has Basic Appearance' is unticked in Appearance palette options) applied to new objects.The way transparency is set for a layer in AI is not that obvious, compared to Photoshop's way, and require from user knowledge of working with appearance.
I propose this:
1. Make a shortcut for 'Target Current Layer' command, which is not anywhere now (or even 'Target Selected', which will target current layer, if nothing is selected)
2.…25 votes -
Embedding Linked Illustrator content should embed the native content instead of the PDF version.
When you place a Linked Illustrator object (from a file or from a CC Library) and later decide to Embed it, you actually embed the PDF content of the linked file. This results in many groups, clipping masks, reduced editability (no Appearance effects, Symbols, Brushes) and loss of layers.
The optimal editable way would be to embed the native objects instead of the PDF version, similar to Copy and Paste with the Paste Remembers Layers option turned on.7 votes -
Hotkeys for next/previous appearance item
Appearance is great but can be better.
To select a fill below current one you have to open palette and click the item you want to change. If there would be a hotkeys for selecting next appearance item above/below (like Photoshop has for navigating Layers) this would boost keyboard freaks like me.15 votes -
Keyboard shortcut to duplicate a layer and its content or an object
Please consider creating a keyboard shortcut that will duplicate a selected layer and its content, as in PsCC, for example.
In PsCC one can duplicate a selected layer and its contents by using either of two keyboard shortcuts: 1) 'Ctrl+J' -or- 2) 'Alt+(any up/down/left/right arrow)'.
In either case, the duplicated layer+content will appear above the selected layer.
Thank you.
33 votes -
Make Layers Panel Options global (not per document) and keep it after relaunch
The default row size is far too small on a 5K screen. I set my row size to be at least 50px, but I have to do this every time I start a new doc. It would be nice if defaults could be set in preferences.
4 votes
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