Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4767 results found
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Allow new Smooth command (not the tool) to be a live effect also
New Smooth is quite handy to deal with rugged shapes. But it is also introduces the new 'dialog-less' approach, when we are basically given a dialog that auto-commits on dropping a selection. Once it is dropped, the change is applied. We will get accustomed to that.
But imagine I smoothed something, then get distracted, and returned to the smoothed path a while after. To undo and reapply this I’d have to go back in History (at least we finally have it).
What if we can apply this as an effect to an object, rather than a immediate filter? It means we can later go back to settings and change the value, and Expand Appearance of it when needed.
Both approaches are usable, so please add it as an effect also.
New Smooth is quite handy to deal with rugged shapes. But it is also introduces the new 'dialog-less' approach, when we are basically given a dialog that auto-commits on dropping a selection. Once it is dropped, the change is applied. We will get accustomed to that.
But imagine I smoothed something, then get distracted, and returned to the smoothed path a while after. To undo and reapply this I’d have to go back in History (at least we finally have it).
What if we can apply this as an effect to an object, rather than a immediate filter? It means…
10 votes -
Don’t drop the current character selection in text when I switch between documents
If you select a portion of a text in Illustrator and switch to a different app and back — the selection stays in place.
But if I switch between Illustrator documents/tabs — the selection gets lost. This makes editing of two or more documents at the same time very inconvenient, effectively loosing my data about the selection made.10 votes -
Option to allow to group a single group, making it nested
Sometimes we need to group a group. For example, for complex appearances, to nest graphics styles.
But Illustrator does not allow that — and in most cases it’s a proper cautious behavior. But perhaps it can be toggled somewhere?So far we have two workarounds for this.
1. Create a dummy object, select both it and the group you want to 'wrap', group them together, delete the dummy object.
2. Use a script 'Add Group Anyway': https://onthehead.com/ais/group003/ (it also can pull children form different groups into a new one — which is a thing we want too).10 votes -
Move 'Show The Home Screen...' and 'Use Legacy File New...' options to Preferences > User Interface section
These two options are not 'general', they relate to specific UI choices.
10 votes -
Create a shortcut to toggle between 2 different tools (e.g. brush & ink)
Would be nice to have a keyboard shortcut to toggle between 2 tools (e.g. brush and ink) I'm working on an illustration and would be so much faster if I could have just one key to toggle between both tools. This is possible in Photoshop. I don't understand why isn't possible in Adobe Illustrator :(
10 votes -
Make Increase / decrease font size hotkeys to respect chosen Font Height Options
Font Height Options are amazing.
It’s almost a perfect feature to my taste... but when I hit Font Size Step Up / Down or Point Size Up / Down (Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + ./, and Alt/Opt + Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + ./,) — Illustrator adds the chosen Size/Leading value (from Preferences > Type) to the Em Box size anyway, and not the x-height or the Cap height I chose to work with.So, say, with chosen step 0.5 mm and x-height 15 mm I get 15.267 mm instead of 15.5 mm as the next size up, or 16.335 mm instead of 17.5 mm.
Not cool.Font Height Options are amazing.
It’s almost a perfect feature to my taste... but when I hit Font Size Step Up / Down or Point Size Up / Down (Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + ./, and Alt/Opt + Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + ./,) — Illustrator adds the chosen Size/Leading value (from Preferences > Type) to the Em Box size anyway, and not the x-height or the Cap height I chose to work with.So, say, with chosen step 0.5 mm and x-height 15 mm I get 15.267 mm instead of 15.5 mm as the next size up, or 16.335 mm instead…
10 votes -
Create new documents with a 'Plus' button or a double-click in the document tabs area
Document Tabs is a well-known paradigm, thanks to browsers.
Since many of us spend a lot of time with browsers, we expect the same functionality form tabs’ headers in Illustrator.One of them is a middle-click to close a tab (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/38150188-add-middle-click-to-close-document), another is remember opened tabs on relaunch (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/44819065-launch-illustrator-with-the-same-opened-documents).
There are others.But the most prominent one is the Plus button to the right (in LTR world) of the last tab, which creates a new document.
Sure, one can hit Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+N, or go File > New, but sometimes we are lazy, and the other hand is used to hold the head or a cup of tea.
Accessibility and consistency are great.BTW, Corel Draw already has it.
And if you want to make a step further — do the same with a double-click in that area as well. It’s like a super long button (when you have little tabs opened).
Document Tabs is a well-known paradigm, thanks to browsers.
Since many of us spend a lot of time with browsers, we expect the same functionality form tabs’ headers in Illustrator.One of them is a middle-click to close a tab (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/38150188-add-middle-click-to-close-document), another is remember opened tabs on relaunch (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/44819065-launch-illustrator-with-the-same-opened-documents).
There are others.But the most prominent one is the Plus button to the right (in LTR world) of the last tab, which creates a new document.
Sure, one can hit Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+N, or go File > New, but sometimes we are lazy, and the other hand is…
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 -
Hitting Alt+Down does not open dropdown lists
I expect Alt+Down to drop down focused lists with options inside, like Font Family / Style, Stroke Weight, etc.
Sure, I understand it might conflict with duplicating, but in fact no, since Ai does not duplicate when a field is focused anyway. At the same time, it’s a common and expected behaviour in other applications.
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 -
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 votesAi now offers these Plus buttons when Artboard tool is picked.
They work differently than in Ps, nudging the viewport to make the new artboard centered, unlike in Ps, — and it requires to reposition the pointer to the new button’s position to continue adding artboard.
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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.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 -
Make Global Edit work with parts of compound shapes
When you use Direct/Group Selection tool and select a part of compound shape, that you know exist on canvas, you expect Global Edit to see them too and allow you to edit these copies simultaneously — but no, Illustrator does not recognize them.
Please finish Global Edit, it is not complete.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 -
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 -
graph type preview checkbox
It would be nice to add a Preview checkbox to the Panel that you get when using Object > Graph > Type… , Object > Graph > Design… , Object > Graph > Colum… and Object > Graph > Marker…
After 35years this should be possible.
Thank you!10 votes -
Prevent astronomic file size when using multiple copies of the same embedded image
Allow copies of the same embedded image to have one source and not just copy when duplicating these images. Copy only when a change is made to a copy of the embedded image. I like to make multiple versions of some artwork that may contain a raster image embedded and when i copy that artwork it makes another copy of that unchanged embedded image along with the copied vectors, causing a significant increase in file size when that raster image is still the same. I could use linking but file management gets harder with absolute links. Either use the same info in the file for copies of images or allow relative paths of links.
Allow copies of the same embedded image to have one source and not just copy when duplicating these images. Copy only when a change is made to a copy of the embedded image. I like to make multiple versions of some artwork that may contain a raster image embedded and when i copy that artwork it makes another copy of that unchanged embedded image along with the copied vectors, causing a significant increase in file size when that raster image is still the same. I could use linking but file management gets harder with absolute links. Either use the same…
10 votes -
No ability to add Hex code in Swatch colours
I don't understand why this has not yet been implemented in the 30 years Illustrator is active. What could've taken me 2 minutes to do, took me 10 minutes, and had to go the long way around of opening Colour Options, try to memorise the RGB values, and then go back into Swatch Options, and then add in the values.
Please can you add the Hex Code field in the Swatch Colour options, so that we can just paste the code to get the RGB values? And also let those updated swatches automatically update the gradients that are applied to objects.
Thanks
I don't understand why this has not yet been implemented in the 30 years Illustrator is active. What could've taken me 2 minutes to do, took me 10 minutes, and had to go the long way around of opening Colour Options, try to memorise the RGB values, and then go back into Swatch Options, and then add in the values.
Please can you add the Hex Code field in the Swatch Colour options, so that we can just paste the code to get the RGB values? And also let those updated swatches automatically update the gradients that are applied to…
10 votesThe HEX field is now displayed in the New Swatch dialog (no matter which Color Mode is chosen there), so it’s possible to enter the code immediately.
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