Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4664 results found
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Distribute non-uniform objects equally
Would love to have a function that would arrange/distribute different non-uniform objects evenly within a prescribed area. This would be similar to how the current horizontal and vertical "distribute spacing" works but across a two dimensional area rather than just one dimension. The spacing should based on the edge of each object, not from the bounding box.
This function would be valuable for:
-creating unique patterns
-quickly arranging objects for a layout involving many individual objects
-maximizing space for printing/die cutting individual custom pieces such as stickersUser defined parameters could include:
-apply to selected objects
-fit within artboard
-fit within custom shape
-uniformly scale objects to fit area
-overlap objects when necessary
-expand beyond border when necessary
-rotate objects
-rotation limit (degrees)
-minimum space between object edges
-outside edge of objects (ragged/aligned)
-optical spacing (more space between large objects, less between smaller objects)Would love to have a function that would arrange/distribute different non-uniform objects evenly within a prescribed area. This would be similar to how the current horizontal and vertical "distribute spacing" works but across a two dimensional area rather than just one dimension. The spacing should based on the edge of each object, not from the bounding box.
This function would be valuable for:
-creating unique patterns
-quickly arranging objects for a layout involving many individual objects
-maximizing space for printing/die cutting individual custom pieces such as stickersUser defined parameters could include:
-apply to selected objects
-fit within artboard
-fit…2 votes -
Separate rasterization of text and non-text features in imported pdf
Hello,
would it be possible to implement a pdf import feature where text is maintained as vector text, but the other compartments are rasterized to make large files generated from Analysis software (e.g. heatmap) better to handle.
Thank you
Johannes2 votes -
Make the Free Transform tool respect the pattern-transformation hotkey.
With every other transformation tool in Illustrator, you can hold down the `/~ key to affect just the pattern applied to the shape - the Rotate, Scale, and Shear tools, dragging it around with one of the Selection arrows, bumping it around with the arrow keys.
But not with the Free Transform tool. The Free Transform tool doesn't know about this switch that every other tool has. Probably because it was implemented long after the others, and nobody involved in it knew about this behavior.
Today I got to explain this to yet another a new user who wanted to be able to transform patterns, and I'm really tired of telling them about this exception. Can we please get "hold the backtick key while using the Free Transform tool to transform an object's pattern" put into the queue?
With every other transformation tool in Illustrator, you can hold down the `/~ key to affect just the pattern applied to the shape - the Rotate, Scale, and Shear tools, dragging it around with one of the Selection arrows, bumping it around with the arrow keys.
But not with the Free Transform tool. The Free Transform tool doesn't know about this switch that every other tool has. Probably because it was implemented long after the others, and nobody involved in it knew about this behavior.
Today I got to explain this to yet another a new user who wanted to…
2 votes -
Show length of path
Need to know the exact length of paths, Paths at angles, can't tell length when need to change all, no way to adjust by length. Seems like a basic thing but can't find it anywhere.
2 votes -
Content of Library assets do not show in Outline Mode
The content (paths, type, etc.) of Library assets do not shot in Outline Mode (CMD+Y).
This makes them difficult/impossible to work with precisely or in complicated artwork.
2 votes -
Make Smart Guides work with Library assets
Precise work with Library assets is difficult/impossible because it's treated differently by Smart Guides/snapping than normal artwork.
- Object Highlighting only shows a Library asset's edge/container, not its contents
- Anchor/Path Labels are not displayed on placed Library assets
- It's not possible to grab/move placed Library assets based on its content's paths or anchors, making it impossible to place precisely
2 votes -
Make Smart Guides work consistently with Symbols
Precise work with Symbols is difficult/impossible because it's treated differently by Smart Guides than normal artwork.
- Anchor/Path Labels are not displayed on Symbol-ized artwork
- It's not possible to grab Symbol-ized artwork by a path segment (only anchors) making precise alignment impossible
2 votes -
Character and paragraph options should be deployed more easily in Properties and remain if desired
Hello,
I work in the printing house, and we make labels, our main software in this environment is Illustrator, it lacks a lot of things which are very useful in InDesign or Photoshop and winch cannot be found in Illustrator.
Among these missing I find that the property panel should be improved, for example as for InDesign, the character and paragraph options should be deployed more easily and remain if desired without having to deploy the menu each time you use it.
It also lacks the overprint object option.Sorry I am French and I have google translate translate.
Thank you
cordiallyHello,
I work in the printing house, and we make labels, our main software in this environment is Illustrator, it lacks a lot of things which are very useful in InDesign or Photoshop and winch cannot be found in Illustrator.
Among these missing I find that the property panel should be improved, for example as for InDesign, the character and paragraph options should be deployed more easily and remain if desired without having to deploy the menu each time you use it.
It also lacks the overprint object option.Sorry I am French and I have google translate translate.
Thank…
2 votes -
More smoothing with Pencil tool, like it used to do
I want ex pencil tool back.
Ex pencil tool was that retouching the line by pencil tools can make the line smooth. Now, even the setting is the most smooth, retouching can not make the line smooth...
It was really easy way to make the line smooth without pushing option button to use smoother.2 votes -
Set exact dimensions to one object in a group that affects the entire group.
Example: I have 3 squares. 2 large ones and one small one overlapping the two. (see picture)
The task is to set the small red square to exactly 140 x 140 mm without losing the proportions in size or position to the blue or green box.
I want an exact scale up where the end result is that the red square is 140 mm x 140 mm.
I can use rulers, but the small square doesn't snap since it isn't touching the bounding box. Using this I can eyeball it and get a result like 140.062 x 140.062 mm. I need it to be 140 x 140 mm flat. And this method takes time, dragging the size back and forth since the middle square isn’t centered.
Same issue if I were to draw a 140 x 140 mm square and try to match the red one to it. It will snap in one corner of the drawn 140 x 140 mm square guide, but move away from that corner when scaled.
In this example I can of course calculate the increase to 140% and scale accordingly. Works great for this simple example, but it is much more tedious when I want to scale a text for instance or objects with uneven numbers, where I need a stack height to be e.g. 100 mm tall. Here the text often is something like 14.532 mm to start and I have to calculate 100/14.532 = scale up of 688,1365%. Just takes a lot of time.
And for items that needs scaling in two directions I need to make two separate calculations (if I wanted the new dimensions of the square to be e.g 140 x 190 mm)
What I propose is a tool/possibility to use the same technique as when aligning object, combined with the properties tab.
1. I select all 3 objects using shift or simply dragging the selection box over
them.
2. I then click the red box again without holding shift, making it an indicated selection (like when aligning objects)
3. I open up the properties tab. Either the W x H is then changed to show the dimensions of the red box, or a new input area opens up so both the entire groups outer dimensions is shown as well as the dimensions of the red square.
4. I proceed to enter my desired values in the input boxes, setting the new dimensions for the red square
5. The program scales the entire group according to the new set dimensions of the red square.Example: I have 3 squares. 2 large ones and one small one overlapping the two. (see picture)
The task is to set the small red square to exactly 140 x 140 mm without losing the proportions in size or position to the blue or green box.
I want an exact scale up where the end result is that the red square is 140 mm x 140 mm.
I can use rulers, but the small square doesn't snap since it isn't touching the bounding box. Using this I can eyeball it and get a result like 140.062 x 140.062 mm. I…2 votes -
Drag a layer onto the Library panel
After converting an image to outlines with Image Trace then expanding it I wanted to drag this onto the library... it did not let me.
I would assume the same functionality as copy and paste into Photoshop when when I drag it on the library it would ask if i want it to be smart object, or bitmap etc..
2 votes -
Unlock individual items
Please add the ability to unlock individual items (instead of having to unlock all, then relock all but the one you need). We've been working around this for years, so when I noticed it was available in XD, I thought I'd ask for it to available in Illustrator
2 votesIllustrator allows to unlock individual objects on canvas, if you enable 'Select and Unlock object on Canvas' option in Preferences, Selection & Anchor Display section.
Also, you can right click on the spot that has your locked object, choose Unlock and then this item by its name, without enabling that option.
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presets for pen pressure
hi
as we have in photoshop a lot of presets, i would love it if you can make presets options on illustrator for tools with pen pressure/tilt etc.
like in blob brush tool options (and maybe to save my own presets as well)thank you
2 votes -
Pan and zoom on multiple artboard at once
Hi,
I am wondering if there is a way to locate and zoom all open windows at the same time in illustrator. Like in compare window in Lightroom. When you zoom and pan over the image, it helps you compare and spot the difference. I am in packaging and sometimes i am using the same diecut and artwork, but different product. i would love to pan and zoom over the artworks on multiple windows to compare and spot the difference.
Jonathan
2 votes -
Save 'Find and Replace' searches
Have an option to save input searches in the Find and Replace box. Then make it possible to load those searches when needed.
This would prevent entering the same searches day in and day out.
2 votes -
AI 2021: Can't see previous path outline while transforming
It took me awhile to be sure I was remembering this right (even though I have over two decades of experience with AI), but I feel sure of it now: the ability to see the present state of a path while you are dragging or transforming it has disappeared. This is a major problem — I have always relied on that path to, for example, shrink something in one dimension while not affecting any other.
I looked through the Preferences and View options carefully, I don't think I'm just missing it. I guess maybe the AI team thought they were helping us by simplifying the interface? If so, it should be our option, not a blanket decision by them. Or maybe it got dropped by accident, it wouldn't be the first time.
Any thoughts here? Am I missing something?
It took me awhile to be sure I was remembering this right (even though I have over two decades of experience with AI), but I feel sure of it now: the ability to see the present state of a path while you are dragging or transforming it has disappeared. This is a major problem — I have always relied on that path to, for example, shrink something in one dimension while not affecting any other.
I looked through the Preferences and View options carefully, I don't think I'm just missing it. I guess maybe the AI team thought they were helping…
2 votes -
Add a "meniscus" or converging corner type, or rather, the ability to flip corner rounding
It would be really handy to have a corner type whereby the selected points "converge" forward, rather than backwards. While thinking about this, I also thought it would be really handy to have "LEFT/RIGHT" arrow keys be able to "flip" corner rounding in and out, in addition to the "UP/DOWN" switching corner types.
Just saying, this would be a really cool product feature for many people, and probably not too hard to implement!
2 votes -
Clicking on a "Corner" type before dragging corner nodes should stick to the selected corner type
For text, when you open the Character menu and change an option, it "sticks" for when you type text the next time-- if this reverted back to default every time, it would become infuriating for sure.
With the corner widget menu, shouldn't the menu buttons "stick" to a certain corner type for the next corner you select? I know you can use the arrow keys to go through the corner types each time you select a corner (which is useful) but for some workflows it is cumbersome.
2 votes -
Allow for graphics placed from CC Library to be expanded and converted to curves
Right now, when you place a vector from the CC Library, you can't use it as if it were a vector created on the spot. This hinders speed of creation and prevents 2 crucial things:
- You can't change colors of the vector without editing the original CC item
- You can't use it with pathfinder for a print job for example (imagine you want to cut a shape out of PVC or something). Right now, to do this, you must double click the library item, copy and paste it on your document.
Altough it might not seem much work, if, for example, we're working with a placeholder icon and we have a bunch of them, the benefit of the CC Library is obvious, as you can place the icon in all the places you need them, tweak/change the icon and it will automatically be updated in all instances. And in this case, if you are going to do a print-job that requires cutting that shape, you need to go replace those icons one by one, with the double-click, copy-paste method.
I don't think i'm alone when i say this could really help going from a good use of CC Library to great!
Thanks
Right now, when you place a vector from the CC Library, you can't use it as if it were a vector created on the spot. This hinders speed of creation and prevents 2 crucial things:
- You can't change colors of the vector without editing the original CC item
- You can't use it with pathfinder for a print job for example (imagine you want to cut a shape out of PVC or something). Right now, to do this, you must double click the library item, copy and paste it on your document.
Altough it might not seem much work, if, for…
2 votesYou can drag an asset with the Alt/Opt key held to embed it instead of placing.
However, please note a PDF-copy of an asset is used, and not the original artwork you had imported into a Library, which means the embedded copy can have extra clipping masks and expanded effects.
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3D Extrude & Bevel shouldn't have a depth and rotation by default
I think it's annoying that every object that I want to apply a 3d effect to already has a 50 pt extrude depth and axis rotation by default + preview option checked.
Sometimes it takes forever to render the preview for something I don't even want, but the preview is checked by default so it immidiatly starts rendering when I open the effect window.
Would be great to open the Extrude & Bevel window with zeros in every field, saves a lot of time, especially when working with complex objects.2 votes
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