Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4783 results found
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Isolation mode fading also in Outline mode
Since Outline mode can be (sometimes for me) get displayed with GPU, with antialiasing, I think dimming the art can also be done.
Sure, it should be an option (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/31941823) and work with CPU too.
17 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…17 votes -
Make Isolate Selected Object work with text (point, area, on path)
Ai does not allow to isolate a text object.
We can workaround it by grouping it first, isolating, selecting all and ungrouping — but why execute these many useless operation instead of one?
Please make it possible.17 votes -
英数字に対する和欧文間のアキの基準が欧文の前後で異なる（バージョン不問）
例えば、「第1章」という文字列に対して、数字だけを大きくしたとします。
この際に和欧文間隔は当然適用されるのですが、その（アキの）基準が数字の前後で異なってしまいます。
添付画像をご覧になれば一目瞭然ですが…数字の前は数字の文字サイズを基準にしており、数字の後は後続の文字が基準になっています。
普通のアルファベットの場合は、前後とも直前と直後の文字が基準になっているのは画像の右でお判りいただけるでしょう。
これはずーーーーっと改善されておりませんので、是非ともアルファベット同様な挙動になるように改善をお願いいたします。17 votesIllustrator 製品フィードバックへのご協力ありがとうございます。
ご報告いただきました現象につきまして、再現を確認いたしました。
今後、調査などを行ってまいります。
情報アップデートがありましたら、こちらでご報告いたします。よろしくお願いいたします。
Illustrator チーム
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OpenType features can be set in the Character panel
Currently, OpenType features settings can only be set in the OpenType panel. As a result, the user experience is poor. Being able to set OpenType features in the Character panel will improve the user experience.
17 votes -
File > Rename command
If you saved your file with a typo and want to fix it or to change name in general, you have to save, close, go to the file manager, find the file, rename (and hope Ai has not it locked), open it back (and then have an invalid item in File > Recent).
It would be so much easier to have a dedicated command for it.
17 votes -
Add grep/regex to Find and Replace feature
We really need some kind of grep or pattern matching in the Find and Replace dialogue.
I don't expect it to be InDesign-level functionality, but after all this time even rudimentary grep would be a blessing.
Maybe the Bridge regex could be adapted to Illustrator somehow...
17 votes -
Global Edit in Isolation mode
Global edit is very powerful but not a fully realized feature.
Many things are missing from it (like this one: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-feature-requests/suggestions/35768314-create-symbols-from-global-edit)Another one is that the Global Edit button is completely missing when you are in isolation mode. So instead of entering a group and editing similar objects only in this particular group, we are forced to lock similar objects manually (because GE won’t allow to do it), EXIT the isolation mode, start GE and edit found similar-s with everything else NOT isolated (which obstructs editing).
Let me provide a practical example I am working on. I have several similar staircases. One of them, while being generally the same, has a different step height. I want to isolate this particular staircase (to not interfere with another art in the same layer) and edit only this object’s steps. But Ai forces me to A) lock other staircases, B) lock underlying art. This is very limiting.
BTW, if you have found all you similar-s and want to lock all other objects, except these that you found, — what would you do? Select > Inverse >Lock Selected? Nope, it won’t work, Inverse don’t treat found as selected. Not sure it must, but I can’t see a fast way anyway.
Global edit is very powerful but not a fully realized feature.
Many things are missing from it (like this one: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-feature-requests/suggestions/35768314-create-symbols-from-global-edit)Another one is that the Global Edit button is completely missing when you are in isolation mode. So instead of entering a group and editing similar objects only in this particular group, we are forced to lock similar objects manually (because GE won’t allow to do it), EXIT the isolation mode, start GE and edit found similar-s with everything else NOT isolated (which obstructs editing).
Let me provide a practical example I am working on. I have several…
17 votes -
Please turn the eyedropper into a cursor for multiple text formatting
Indesign allows you to drag over multiple words within a text box, or over various different places to apply a text attribute with the eyedropper tool. ie, the eyedropper when hovered over the text actually becomes like a cursor, so you can just swipe over the text to apply the attribute. Please can Illustrator have this same feature. Otherwise we have to use the cursor to locate the word, then shift+arrow right to highlight it, then click to apply. It's a bit annoying and time-wasting. The eye-dropper turning into a cursor when hovering over text is much more useful.
17 votes -
search and replace layers / artboards
Add a function to batchrename artboards and layer with suffix & prefix.
17 votes -
Expand toolgroup on hover instead of long-click
Holding a mouse button to open a tool group can be not preferred way for some users that have experience in other software packages. It would benefit them and others if Illustrator will provide an option and a delay in Preferences to open these with just a mouse hovering over tools.
17 votes -
Add 'Relink image' in the right click (contextual) menu
would speed up productivity when replacing multiple linked images by allowing users to control-click or right-click on an image to relink files, rather than going to the menu bar every time.
17 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.17 votes -
Allow Global Edit to work with Text, Clip groups, Images, etc.
Would love to see advance global editing. I've noticed that grouped, clip masked and text doesn't work with global editing. This will really speed things up for all adobe illustrator user.
17 votes -
Artboard Dimension Limitation
One of the biggest complaints we hear from our franchisees is the artboard limitation of 227.541". Why is that the limit? Corel doesn't have a limit. Why Adobe? and why such an obscure number? I realize there is a PDF limitation of 200" so that is another issue.
17 votesThe maximal size of an artboard is limited by the canvas, which is limited to a 2^14 = 16384 points (16383, if you count from zero). It equals roughly to 227 inches or 577 millimeters.
Why this value? Because of math and a weighted decision the team had made long ago about storing coordinates, I assume.
Why is this still relevant? Because a lot of other stuff had been built upon this foundation. It’s extremely costly to make changes to this without making everything else crumble.
There is another request, now marked as completed, 'Remove Canvas Limit' — https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/20395555-remove-canvas-size-limit. To make it work, the team added an internal scale factor which allows 10x larger canvas, by removing one decimal space — which makes sense, since a user probably won’t need to deal with ten-thousands when working in tens of meters.
However, this request is still valid — but please give real-world examples of Large Canvas feature is not sufficient for your needs.
The maximal size of an artboard is limited by the canvas, which is limited to a 2^14 = 16384 points (16383, if you count from zero). It equals roughly to 227 inches or 577 millimeters.
Why this value? Because of math and a weighted decision the team had made long ago about storing coordinates, I assume.
Why is this still relevant? Because a lot of other stuff had been built upon this foundation. It’s extremely costly to make changes to this without making everything else crumble.
There is another request, now marked as completed, 'Remove Canvas Limit' — https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/20395555-remove-canvas-size-limit. To make it work, the team added an internal scale factor which allows 10x larger canvas, by removing one decimal space — which makes sense, since a user probably won’t need to deal with ten-thousands when working in tens of meters.
However, this request is still valid — but please…
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Option for Smart guides to ignore objects outside isolation
Sometimes you want to isolate certain objects to not mess with everything else. Unfortunatelly, you can't isolate parts of different groups (but that is the other topic—'making isolation more like 'solo' in AE). But even when you have isolated something, Smart Guides still want to snap to objects other then you want to work with. Sometimes it's fine, yeah, but mostly I want SG to ignore everything else but isolated stuff. Please make a tick somewhere for this.
17 votesThe latest Beta now has a dedicated option for this in Preferences > Smart Guides section, in Limit Snapping area. We can now choose if we want to Snap to Isolated Objects ('...only, when isolated' — the name is not clear at the moment).
This is a WIP feature, and the team desperately needs your feedback on it. Please test it and comment if it works as expected (or not).
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A way to nest objects on artboards
Idea: Take multiple objects, such as multiple copies of a logo or elements and nest them within an artboard, and say how much space you want between objects.
Reason: When it comes to signs or sending a print job to a plotter, sign makers want to maximize the number of objects on a vinyl. Sure we can manually move objects or even use the distribute tool, but this takes too long and sometimes when selecting multiple objects you can not use the distribution tool to distribute both vertical and horizontal at the same time or objects in he middle.
Solution. There are companies out there with plugins, however they are expensive and only work on Windows computers. it would be easier for Illustrator to just have the feature built-in. to use on all platforms.
Sample video of how it works
Idea: Take multiple objects, such as multiple copies of a logo or elements and nest them within an artboard, and say how much space you want between objects.
Reason: When it comes to signs or sending a print job to a plotter, sign makers want to maximize the number of objects on a vinyl. Sure we can manually move objects or even use the distribute tool, but this takes too long and sometimes when selecting multiple objects you can not use the distribution tool to distribute both vertical and horizontal at the same time or objects in he middle.
Solution.…
17 votes -
Don't erase Note in Attributes when image is relinked
I store meta-information about image in Note field in Attributes palette. When I relink images, AI erases Note info. Don't do this. I see relinking as changing path to an image, not replacing image entirely. I need Note to be kept. Now I have to copy note before relinking and paste it back.
17 votes -
Lock Attributes Independently
I would like to be able to lock some attributes of an object but not others. For example, lock an object in place, but keep ability to change its colors. Or lock proportions and colors, but keep ability to move and scale, etc.
17 votes -
Can't select and edit two effects from two separate fills in single appearance
I can't select two effects, applied to different fills in one appearance — AI restricts to select both of them. Therefore, if I have same effect applied to all of my object's fills, I have to edit EACH of them one by one, instead of just Ctrl+click all of them and edit at once.
It means that if I want to change Drop shadow's parameters, scattered across different appearances, no graphic style won't help me. And I already mentioned in separate enquiry that Drop shadow and other color-based effects ignore global swatches.
This is nuts. I waste so much time.A related entry:
Can't edit simultaneously two several selected fills in Appearance
http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/35333755I can't select two effects, applied to different fills in one appearance — AI restricts to select both of them. Therefore, if I have same effect applied to all of my object's fills, I have to edit EACH of them one by one, instead of just Ctrl+click all of them and edit at once.
It means that if I want to change Drop shadow's parameters, scattered across different appearances, no graphic style won't help me. And I already mentioned in separate enquiry that Drop shadow and other color-based effects ignore global swatches.
This is nuts. I waste so much time.…
17 votes
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