Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
- or
4656 results found
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More precision with the Knife Tool
I'd like to see more adjustment options for the knife tool. Something like the pencil tools option of Tolerances: Fidelity and Smoothness. It sure would help with more precision when I cut and ink my manga characters. Rather than go in after I make a cut and have to move a lot of anchor points and handles around by hand to get the precision I was after in the first place.
I hope you can understand what I'm texting about here and I hope you take this issue up and include it in a future feature update. Oh yea, and also if it would be possible to make it where we can set a hotkey option to the knife and scissor tool as well. Thanks for your time and a great program.
I'd like to see more adjustment options for the knife tool. Something like the pencil tools option of Tolerances: Fidelity and Smoothness. It sure would help with more precision when I cut and ink my manga characters. Rather than go in after I make a cut and have to move a lot of anchor points and handles around by hand to get the precision I was after in the first place.
I hope you can understand what I'm texting about here and I hope you take this issue up and include it in a future feature update. Oh yea, and…
17 votes -
More details on "an error occurred while processing the appearance of an object".
When you start doing complicated work with a lot of effects, you start getting the above-mentioned dialogue. It is incredibly unhelpful: which of the several thousand objects in my illustration is causing problems? What layer is the offending object on? Where in the appearance stack did things go awry? Maybe I'd like to find out which object caused this - how about a button to select the offending object, unlocking whatever containing objects may be locked?
To make an analogy for the programmers: imagine if your compiler just said "some errors happened while compiling your project", and didn't even tell you which file had the offending code, never mind the line number or the type of error you made. Give us poor artists better diagnostics to figure out what the heck's going on, please.
When you start doing complicated work with a lot of effects, you start getting the above-mentioned dialogue. It is incredibly unhelpful: which of the several thousand objects in my illustration is causing problems? What layer is the offending object on? Where in the appearance stack did things go awry? Maybe I'd like to find out which object caused this - how about a button to select the offending object, unlocking whatever containing objects may be locked?
To make an analogy for the programmers: imagine if your compiler just said "some errors happened while compiling your project", and didn't even tell…
17 votes -
Remember Pathfinder Options across sessions
Currently, the Pathfinder Options are not remembered across Illustrator sessions. This can be tested with the following steps.
- Launch Illustrator.
- Via the Pathfinder panel, use the flyout menu to open Pathfinder Options.
- Set the precision to anything other than 0.028 pt.
- Quit and relaunch Illustrator.
- Reopen the Pathfinder Options. The precision has been set back to 0.028 pt.
It would also be good if the Pathfinder Options were able to be recorded as an action. It seems like a bug that they can not now — recording an action for it appears to work, and there is a Pathfinder Options item, but the action does nothing.
Currently, the Pathfinder Options are not remembered across Illustrator sessions. This can be tested with the following steps.
- Launch Illustrator.
- Via the Pathfinder panel, use the flyout menu to open Pathfinder Options.
- Set the precision to anything other than 0.028 pt.
- Quit and relaunch Illustrator.
- Reopen the Pathfinder Options. The precision has been set back to 0.028 pt.
It would also be good if the Pathfinder Options were able to be recorded as an action. It seems like a bug that they can not now — recording an action for it appears to work, and there is a Pathfinder Options…
17 votes -
Touch Workspace Eraser
Drawing in the touch workspace is not usable without an eraser. A Simple undo is not enough. Try to undo something you drew 5 minutes ago without undoing the stuff you like and you'll see what I mean.
17 votes -
Drag and drop artwork between documents in same place
Photoshop allows to drag-n-drop artwork between documents in same place, when you hold Shift.
In Illustrator, no matter what you hold, artwork would be dropped where cursor is pointed, with no respect to original X,Y coordinates.
I desperately need this!Quite often I have to copy artwork, containing huge raster images, from one document to another. I need them to be placed in same place, snapped on grid, but AI just drops it. The only way to keep coordinates — is to copy/paste in front/place, which takes an EON to do with my big raster images.
17 votes -
Add ability to set grid settings while creating new document
First of all — I'm speaking about adding this feature to OLD New dialogue window, because new fancy one is a disaster.
I create new documents with a vision in mind, what will I do and what grid would I use. I'd like to have an ability to set it with defining size of a document.
Next, most new users have no idea about grids and don't understand, why use it. More of it, even intermediate users don't have a clue, and I have to deal with a lot of designs, made by these average designers. All of them can't skip new document dialogue window, and if grid settings would be there, I would less deal with documents created in metric units with a grid set in inches and stuff designed by eye, all with gaps and holes, like attached picture shows. I'm idealist, I know, but still hope people will educate and do less bad design.
First of all — I'm speaking about adding this feature to OLD New dialogue window, because new fancy one is a disaster.
I create new documents with a vision in mind, what will I do and what grid would I use. I'd like to have an ability to set it with defining size of a document.
Next, most new users have no idea about grids and don't understand, why use it. More of it, even intermediate users don't have a clue, and I have to deal with a lot of designs, made by these average designers. All of them can't…
17 votes -
Add ability to use fractional values for resolution everywhere
AI is used worldwide. Despite PostScript, based on points, based on inch, being de-facto a standard for most users, many people use metric system.
English inch, as you know, equals exactly 2.54cm.
This gives us, metric users, mantra for translating PPI into PPCM: 254ppi=100ppcmBut if we need lower value, such as 10 or 20 or 30 ppcm (working in scale with huge designs, such as ad bus wraps), we can't use it, because AI doesn't allow to enter fractional values anywhere inside! We can't use 50.8, 25.4, 76.2, Ai would round it to 51, 25, 76.
This will give us wrong result exporting rasters.That's why, until this change (fractional values) is made, we, metric people, won't have much benefit of large artboards' support you are thinking to implement.
Please, add support for fractional values for resolution everywhere.AI is used worldwide. Despite PostScript, based on points, based on inch, being de-facto a standard for most users, many people use metric system.
English inch, as you know, equals exactly 2.54cm.
This gives us, metric users, mantra for translating PPI into PPCM: 254ppi=100ppcmBut if we need lower value, such as 10 or 20 or 30 ppcm (working in scale with huge designs, such as ad bus wraps), we can't use it, because AI doesn't allow to enter fractional values anywhere inside! We can't use 50.8, 25.4, 76.2, Ai would round it to 51, 25, 76.
This will give…17 votes -
Converting variable fonts and color fonts when saving
Periodic saving is a natural part of design work. Now when I periodically save I get to watch the 'wait bar' slowly slide by while it converts variable fonts and color fonts to objects. I DON'T even have any of those on my computer.
- Illustrator 22.0.1
- See above
- Shouldn't have to wait to convert something that doesn't need converting.
- See above.
- I don't have a file to upload. It happens on all files.
17 votesI am happy to share that we have fixed this bug in our latest release – 27.3.1 which is available worldwide now.
Going forward, our goal is to fix as many top User-Voice bugs as possible and as frequently as possible. Given the nature of the fixes, some of the bugs will take a longer time to fix, but we are on it.
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. Keep it coming!
Ankit Goyal
Illustrator Team
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Make it so I can edit an embedded image
Make it so I can edit an embedded image in photoshop and save back to Illustrator like editing an image in Acrobat Pro
17 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 :)17 votes -
Custom templates / presets should not be stored in the application folder
Custom templates, etc. should not have to be stored in the application folder... which means I'm throwing away user-generated documents when I upgrade the app.
17 votes -
Duplicate Layers with sequential numbering rather than "copy"
When you duplicate a layer it would be much better if, rather than the XXXX copy suffix the duplicate layer was numbered. And preferably numbered XXX_0001 (or a format one could specify in the Preferences). This would make working with layers much much easier - especially when working with After Effects.
17 votes -
Ability to move Color Groups in Recolor artwork
I just want a simple drag and sort option for Color Groups.
When I goto "Recolor Artwork" I have a lot of color groups there and I just want to drag any with the mouse, thats so simple!Currently they are not moveable at all!
17 votes -
Export from Libraries
Sometimes clients ask for icons and other assets to be delivered separately. If we could export items from the library or drag directly from the library to the asset export window it would be fantastic!
17 votes -
Aligning to a certain object
The Align tools in all Adobe programs is a wonderful feature. However, in Illustrator when you Align objects it changes the position of ALL of them. In other programs, it tends to be the last object you select takes the dominant position - aligning all others to it. In Illustrator it doesn't seem to matter the order you select, it just aligns it to the nearest center point (thus moving ALL the objects). The Lock feature doesn't help as you cannot select a locked object to align with/to.
17 votesYou can align to an object you choose to be the key one.. Click the object you want to use as a key the second time and Ai will use a bolder edge to highlight it.
More details here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miVLI8rwO1o https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/moving-aligning-distributing-objects.html
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Dimension tool style presets
The dimension tool gives alot of style options for the arrow size, line thickness, offsets, etc. It would be great to save presets that could be switched from a dropdown list in the dimension tool options dialog.
16 votesAdding presets for the Dimension Tool is in the plans.
Thanks for logging the request anyway. Upvote it still if you find it useful.
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Mark starting points and directions for paths
We know nothing about where a closed path starts and which direction it has.
We can cheat it and apply an arrowhead or a brush to see that, but perhaps you just should mark the first points of paths with something else than a square? Like a triangle?
Come on, look at Corel Draw, look at Affinity Designer!16 votes -
Select items in Layers in sync with objects on canvas
We have to work with a strange legacy dichotomy when making a selection in Layers is NOT equal to making a selection on canvas and vice versa.
No other vector application does it like this:
XD, Affinity Designer, Corel Draw, Figma, Xara, Inkscape...Other apps which have layered structures don’t do this also:
Photoshop, Blender, 3DS Max...InDesign and Illustrator are lonely black sheep in the flock of apps.
We need a mode (as an option) to be able to sync both selection methods.
Clicking an object on canvas should highlight the name of it in Layers.
Clicking a name of an object in Layers should select this object on canvas.Extended reading:
These two selections are like the dark matter and the normal matter — they don’t influence each other and can’t be converted into one another.
Here is the request about it: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/32505679When an object is selected on canvas, Layers does not get expanded to display it, and we have to click the tiny button to see it in the document structure.
Here is the request about it: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/39104935Yeah, we can wrap it an an action and spend a precious F-keys to robotically press it after each selection, which is twice dumb, because an action which has only one operation in it is a bad action. Every command in Illustrator should be assignable to a hotkey.
Here is the request about it: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/31609237And also we have three places to click in Layers to select an object:
1. Names, largest and most easy to click areas — clicking does nothing to select objects though
2. Target buttons, small circles, which are in fact just indicators for the custom appearance applied — clicking them both targets and selects an object, all their children (except locked and hidden), and it’s the only way to select objects on canvas via the panel. Also it support selecting ranges with Shift held — after we begged for it for 3 years (here is the request about it: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/19196674-select-more-than-one-layer-at-once).
3. Selection markers, which are indicators too, but again can be used as buttons... but without the ability to select ranges with Shift. In fact, Shift here works as Ctrl/Cmd should, and Ctrl/Cmd does nothing. I have no hypothesis why. Markers can be displayed as small and large, meaning partial (some children are selected) and full selection (all children selected).You can read about these columns here: https://helpx.adobe.com/in/illustrator/using/layers.html
Note that this article says nothing about the dichotomy.Finally, I can see why the current approach can be useful. This allows us to put some objects in an existing group, to reorder, to move to another layer, to switch visibility or lock in mass — via a stupid dialog... without messing up with what is selected on canvas.
Is it worth the hustle though? This can be done with a context menu for Layers panel (here is the request about it: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/31956982-contextual-menu-with-layers-palette-same-as-phot) with 'Lock selection', 'Hide selection', 'Isolate selection' (for objects from different groups, here is the request about it: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/31540384-isolate-selected-objects-without-having-to-group-t), Copy, Group/Ungroup, etc.
We have to work with a strange legacy dichotomy when making a selection in Layers is NOT equal to making a selection on canvas and vice versa.
No other vector application does it like this:
XD, Affinity Designer, Corel Draw, Figma, Xara, Inkscape...Other apps which have layered structures don’t do this also:
Photoshop, Blender, 3DS Max...InDesign and Illustrator are lonely black sheep in the flock of apps.
We need a mode (as an option) to be able to sync both selection methods.
Clicking an object on canvas should highlight the name of it in Layers.
Clicking a name…16 votes -
Temporarily disable snapping while dragging objects or anchor points
Currently when you move objects or anchor points while you have Snap to Point and/or Smart Guides turned on it is necessary to stop what you're doing and switch them off then switch them back on again when you've finished moving.
This is very disruptive to workflow. Productivity would be significantly increased if there was a modifier key set to disable all snapping while moving an object or anchor.
Obviously all modifier keys and combinations are currently used up for use before clicking an object or starting a process. However the control key (similar to its function in Photoshop) or a combination could surely be set to only perform this function if the object is already in motion, being dragged.
Currently when you move objects or anchor points while you have Snap to Point and/or Smart Guides turned on it is necessary to stop what you're doing and switch them off then switch them back on again when you've finished moving.
This is very disruptive to workflow. Productivity would be significantly increased if there was a modifier key set to disable all snapping while moving an object or anchor.
Obviously all modifier keys and combinations are currently used up for use before clicking an object or starting a process. However the control key (similar to its function in Photoshop) or…
16 votes -
Different Customizable Shape Gradient Constraints
Much like the flexibility of the radial gradient feature, it would be incredibly helpful to have a similar tool to make gradients, but one that does not constrain you to a circle or ellipse. Yes, AI provides the freeform gradient tool and the gradient mesh tool, but these are often a little finicky and time consuming to use. One can also use the blend tool to attempt a freeform gradient. All of these are far too complicated for creating such simple gradients. I propose that a customizable shape gradient tool is implemented. Like the other gradient tools, one would create the shape, then apply the gradient fill. However, for each gradient stop, you could create and move a dotted gradient boundary. The color would radiate from the first custom shaped stop to a custom shaped second stop. Here is an example of what I mean: (please excuse the rushed illustration)
Much like the flexibility of the radial gradient feature, it would be incredibly helpful to have a similar tool to make gradients, but one that does not constrain you to a circle or ellipse. Yes, AI provides the freeform gradient tool and the gradient mesh tool, but these are often a little finicky and time consuming to use. One can also use the blend tool to attempt a freeform gradient. All of these are far too complicated for creating such simple gradients. I propose that a customizable shape gradient tool is implemented. Like the other gradient tools,…
16 votes
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