Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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- Why is this valuable to you?
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4662 results found
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Restrict Pan to work only Horizontally / Vertically with a Shift modifier
I'd love if there was a key we could hold down to restrict the hand tool to only pan perfectly vertical or horizontal. Would make it easier to develop for web — you could quickly get a sense of how a site would work when the user scrolls.
11 votes -
Ability to export to PSD but retain folders and layers
Ability to export to PSD but retain folders and layers. Critical for taking artwork prepared for Character Animator from Illustrator to Photoshop in order to use tools such as puppet warp to create easy frame by frame animations.
11 votes -
Treat groups as a result of Unite and not Intersect when using as a clipping mask
If we put a group on top of some art, select them together and create a clipping mask from this top group and the art below, usually we won’t see anything, as if it does not work.
We expect Illustrator to treat the group as a result of Unite operation, but actually it is Intersected instead. This is hardly useful. and if we wanted to use an intersection of parts, we’d clip with a compound intersecting shape probably.
Please give us a way a to choose the default treatment for a group used as a clipping mask. I assume it should be an object-level preference, controlled in Attributes panel, to keep it compatible with existing cases.
If we put a group on top of some art, select them together and create a clipping mask from this top group and the art below, usually we won’t see anything, as if it does not work.
We expect Illustrator to treat the group as a result of Unite operation, but actually it is Intersected instead. This is hardly useful. and if we wanted to use an intersection of parts, we’d clip with a compound intersecting shape probably.
Please give us a way a to choose the default treatment for a group used as a clipping mask. I assume it…
10 votes -
Allow to use point-specific controls and functions when all points of a path are selected
There is a limitation in Adobe Illustrator with aligning anchor points.
When using the Direct Selection tool to highlight anchor points on a path the options to align anchor points disappears in the Align palette if all points on a path are selected.
That can be a problem if I'm trying to align two points on a simple two point path. I either have to add additional points or manually align the path using smart guides. It would be really nice if one anchor point could have key object like behavior and stay locked in place. Certain rival vector graphics applications make it pretty easy to align anchor points in this kind of controlled manner.There is a limitation in Adobe Illustrator with aligning anchor points.
When using the Direct Selection tool to highlight anchor points on a path the options to align anchor points disappears in the Align palette if all points on a path are selected.
That can be a problem if I'm trying to align two points on a simple two point path. I either have to add additional points or manually align the path using smart guides. It would be really nice if one anchor point could have key object like behavior and stay locked in place. Certain rival vector graphics…10 votes -
Display artboard captions when exporting artboards
Every time when i have multiple artboards and hit Save As, Ii don't know exactly which artboards i want to include, cause i don't know the specific number.
So i go back out of the save as dialog, pick the Artboard Tool and save again, now able to see which numbers i want to include. I would be less time consumption if it would show the numbers of the artboards always no matter which tool is selected, when there is a save as or export dialog started.10 votes -
Chained dimensions
New Dimension tool is designed to be good-enough, but not be way too complex to setup and use.
One of things we need to be a part of this 'good-enough' set of features it has should be a way to create consequential serialized dimensions, like the image attached demonstrates.
To do that now, we’d have to drag each segment one-by-one, and snap the dimensions line to each other (which in the current build just doesn’t happen even!). This method is generates doubled lines instead of only one, and won’t allow us to move all the dimension lines at once if needed.
Most plugins that allow dimensioning in Illustrator have this feature, including CADtools and BPT-Pro.
New Dimension tool is designed to be good-enough, but not be way too complex to setup and use.
One of things we need to be a part of this 'good-enough' set of features it has should be a way to create consequential serialized dimensions, like the image attached demonstrates.
To do that now, we’d have to drag each segment one-by-one, and snap the dimensions line to each other (which in the current build just doesn’t happen even!). This method is generates doubled lines instead of only one, and won’t allow us to move all the dimension lines at once if…
10 votes -
Isolation tints eyedropper colors from linked assets
When using the eyedropper tool in isolation mode on artwork, the color is taken from the actual artwork even though isolation mode displays it as faded. When doing the same on linked assets, even if they are Illustrator files, the isolation mode fade gets applied to the sampled color. This means that you have to back out of isolation mode and direct-select it to sample the asset, or otherwise have already created a swatch before entering isolation.
I think it would be nicer if Illustrator could treat the sampling of linked assets the same way it does for local artwork - sampling the actual colors instead of the colors after fading is applied.
When using the eyedropper tool in isolation mode on artwork, the color is taken from the actual artwork even though isolation mode displays it as faded. When doing the same on linked assets, even if they are Illustrator files, the isolation mode fade gets applied to the sampled color. This means that you have to back out of isolation mode and direct-select it to sample the asset, or otherwise have already created a swatch before entering isolation.
I think it would be nicer if Illustrator could treat the sampling of linked assets the same way it does for local artwork…
10 votes -
Live Free Distort
I would like to see the "Free Distort" effect be extended to work on the actual object, not going through a tiny dialog box that feels like I'm trying to apply it to a postage stamp. It's really difficult to apply a distorted shape to a larger area when I am guessing if a 1-pixel move of a tiny handle is going to make a difference or not. It would be amazing if four independent handles were on the actual art and allow me to move the corners exactly to the spot I want to place them at. It's a handy tool for the work I'm doing but would make my work much easier if it were more user-friendly. Right now it feels like a feature that is 1994-ish (and yes I was using Illustrator before then - still my favorite app of all time!)
I would like to see the "Free Distort" effect be extended to work on the actual object, not going through a tiny dialog box that feels like I'm trying to apply it to a postage stamp. It's really difficult to apply a distorted shape to a larger area when I am guessing if a 1-pixel move of a tiny handle is going to make a difference or not. It would be amazing if four independent handles were on the actual art and allow me to move the corners exactly to the spot I want to place them at. It's a…
10 votes -
Share for Review Notifications: comments and updates
It would be amazing if a "notification" could be added to the "Share for Review" feature. I am having to update the link and also send an update email to my clients and collabs. Thank you!!
10 votes -
Can't undo Auto bullets
If I undo the bullets (which came automatic after space bar) the letter disappear.
For example: I can't use (-) at front of text with 1 spacebar.
10 votes -
Sort menus alphabetically when Cmd+Opt+Shift / Ctrl+Alt+Shift, like in InDesign
Illustrator has a lot of things put in menus.
The sorting order in some (like View or Object) can be unobvious for new users (and surely some older ones as well).InDesign allows to sort menus temporarily by holding Cmd+Opt+Shift / Ctrl+Alt+Shift while clicking one — make Ai do the same!
An interesting thing is — helpx.adobe.com does not know about it at all. Another sacred technique :/ Terry White figured it out somewhere, but where did he get it from? ...accidentally?
10 votes -
Make a more integrated way to report bugs
Figma allows to report bugs directly from the web app.
You go 'Help > Contact Us > Report a bug'. Then you fill out the form, directly in the app, provide steps, attach files... looks very similar to the approach Ai uses, but more streamlined, with no intermediate steps.
Once it’s done, the dropdown is collapsed, and you are where you were at the moment.To report bugs in Illustrator you have to search for the way.
First one should locate 'Help > Submit Bug/Feature Request'. This redirects you to the browser, to http://www.adobe.com/go/aiWishform/, which can redirect you (with a frightening autogenerated link) here to UserVoice — or kick to adobe.com, if you are lucky enough.
Then you have to register at UserVoice, switch between two windows, make effort...The difference is not that big, but reporting in Figma is a small interruption, while in Illustrator is the whole story.
Figma allows to report bugs directly from the web app.
You go 'Help > Contact Us > Report a bug'. Then you fill out the form, directly in the app, provide steps, attach files... looks very similar to the approach Ai uses, but more streamlined, with no intermediate steps.
Once it’s done, the dropdown is collapsed, and you are where you were at the moment.To report bugs in Illustrator you have to search for the way.
First one should locate 'Help > Submit Bug/Feature Request'. This redirects you to the browser, to http://www.adobe.com/go/aiWishform/, which can redirect you (with…10 votes -
Highlight selected segments
Ai fails at displaying selected segments.
Here, in the GIF, both selections look identical — until I move the partially selected art. Only then I notice that the diagonal segment was selected in the left shape.This is a core and tough problem to solve, but it does not mean it’s OK to have it, because it leads to many errors often enough.
10 votes -
Placing a multi-page PDF
It would be great if we were able to place a multipage PDF instead of each link clicking through the finder window to the same file and going through the PDF pages one at a time again and again to place them in a document.
10 votes -
Add Plus buttons as the sides of a selected artboard to quickly add new artboards
Photoshop displays nice (+) buttons to allow users to add new artboards to any side of a current one.
In Illustrator, Add buttons exist only in Control and Properties, and always add an artboard next in a row.
Not fair.
And if you add these new Add buttons — allow to disable them too. Some will disagree on having extra fluff on canvas.Mockup image by Oleg Krasnov
10 votes -
Assign colors to artboard names in Artboards panel
Assign colors to artboard names in Artboards panel, just like the way we can assign color to layers
10 votes -
Allow assignable shortcut key for "Convert selected anchor points to smooth (and corner)" action
Would like to assign a shortcut key for both "Convert selected anchor points to smooth" and "Convert selected anchor points to corner" actions, similar to pressing available button when an anchor is selected.
10 votes -
Record OK button in Actions
In my action I need to confirm a dialog manually all the time. Can't figure out how to get the robot to click 'OK'.
10 votes -
Alignment options to outside (top, bottom, left, right) of key object
I would really benefit from options to automatically align an object to the outside edge (top/bottom/left/right of its bounding box) of a key object. For example, "Align below" would put the top edge of the bounding box of the repositioned object flush with and below the bottom edge of the bounding box of the key object.
While I can try to achieve the same results by dragging the object around and using smart guides and snapping, that may require a lot of time (and a little luck) when there are several nearby objects that smart guides are being generated from, particularly as some objects appear more likely to be used as the basis of a smart guide than others. This can make the smart guide I want (an outside edge of a given object) hard to "find".
I would really benefit from options to automatically align an object to the outside edge (top/bottom/left/right of its bounding box) of a key object. For example, "Align below" would put the top edge of the bounding box of the repositioned object flush with and below the bottom edge of the bounding box of the key object.
While I can try to achieve the same results by dragging the object around and using smart guides and snapping, that may require a lot of time (and a little luck) when there are several nearby objects that smart guides are being generated from,…
10 votes -
Illustrator (BETA) for Apple Silicon is here!
We are excited to announce the first Beta release of Illustrator running natively on Apple Silicon hardware!
This early version of Illustrator for Apple Silicon offers many of the core features that you've come to rely on for your day-to-day needs. Please give it a try. We would love to hear your feedback.
You can download this Beta through the Creative Cloud Desktop app's Beta Apps section. Look for 25.3.1 version. If you do not see the build, send me your Adobe ID at kotwal at Adobe dot com
10 votes
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