Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4757 results found
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Arrange selection in Grid
I would like to be able to select multiple objects.. for example 50 circles. and hit a button to arrange these objects in a Regular Grid of rows and columns. where I can set the QTY per row and column and its spacing and it would move the objects into a grid formation. also the option for a hexagon or Honeycomb grid. would save a lot of time from doing it manually
8 votes -
Leading / Line Height calculator (more Auto options)
Illustrator now offers 120% as the default leading value.
Changing it requires you to go to Justification dialog within the Character panel.
The setting is global for the document.
Changing the default value for all new documents requires editing [Normal Paragraph Style] in proper Document Profile (and default ones are reset every time Ai updates).Typography often requires more variety than just a value relative to font size.
In real projects we have to calculate leading / line height based on line width, x-height... and also background, color, the font itself.While Ai hardly can do it all on its own (and it shouldn’t even try), having a way to quickly calculate a suitable leading / line height of an area type based on container’s dimension and the font size.
Super wide lines (relative to font height) require more vertical space to help the eye to find the next line.
Ultra short lines can have 100% or even smaller values.
Obviously we don’t need these to be adjusted all the time we change the size of a container, and we don’t need it for each container in a document — unless we choose it. This should work as an option and a one-time operation.
Illustrator now offers 120% as the default leading value.
Changing it requires you to go to Justification dialog within the Character panel.
The setting is global for the document.
Changing the default value for all new documents requires editing [Normal Paragraph Style] in proper Document Profile (and default ones are reset every time Ai updates).Typography often requires more variety than just a value relative to font size.
In real projects we have to calculate leading / line height based on line width, x-height... and also background, color, the font itself.While Ai hardly can do it all on its…
8 votes -
Holding Control key and clicking on a New Layer icon should create a new layer below, as in Photoshop
Originally mentioned by Mohammed Amjed Khan Abro here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/41107321
Layers Panel.
Holding or pressing the Control key and clicking on a new layer icon in Photoshop to creates a new layer below all the layers if no layer is selected, if a layer is selected then you do the same action will create a new layer below the selected layer which really makes sense.
The same thing would be very comfortable in Illustrator if that feature would be added in the Layers and Appearance Panel.8 votes -
Make Illustrator inform users about the live shape nature of the path used for area type and provide associated controls for it
Currently, when we use a live rectangle as a path for an area type, it secretly stays live shape inside, and it allows us to scale the object with the round corners honored. If we round corners for a rectangle-looking path (not live shape), corners will get stretched.
However, there is no way to distinguish these two cases with UI, or to convert a rectangular path used for the area type into live rectangle shape, or to have shape-sepcific controls.
Please refer to the discussion in comments for the details.
This request is based on the original declined bug report below. Full text is given below.
Area type rounded corners distort when resizing.
Is it possible to make the corners remain live so they don't distort? See attached image.Currently, when we use a live rectangle as a path for an area type, it secretly stays live shape inside, and it allows us to scale the object with the round corners honored. If we round corners for a rectangle-looking path (not live shape), corners will get stretched.
However, there is no way to distinguish these two cases with UI, or to convert a rectangular path used for the area type into live rectangle shape, or to have shape-sepcific controls.
Please refer to the discussion in comments for the details.
This request is based on the original declined bug report…
8 votes -
Please add an ability to align points using the Align panel
Please add an ability to align individual points using the Align panel. This has always been an option, but it seems to have been removed.
8 votes -
Add an option to allow to snap to and by linked art, a similar one to Snap to Glyphs option
Could it be possible to get some help to align to a graphic imported? Something like "Snap to Glyph"?
It could help a lot to work precisely, without "embedding" the placed artwork...Originally by Jean-Michel Le Goff
8 votes -
Add an option to customize the strikethrough or underlined text
How is it possible that there are still no options to customize the strikethrough or underlined text???
On the internet I found posts and requests dating back even 10 years ago??? O.O8 votes -
True customizable drawing 'angles' for all tools when using SHIFT key (for Pen, Pencil, Brush, Move)
This is severely lacking in Illustrator and has been developed by Affinity Designer with workarounds (that do not work in a suitably fluid way) by Astute Graphics for Illustrator.
Best case scenario something is implemented like Affinity Designer in which 'constraint angles' are replaced by ‘Grid and Snapping Axis’ you are able to set and save presets of angle settings.
These axis are set and then can be activated as a constraint on your current tool by holding shift.
Smart guides provides this in a VERY limited way right now, the UI is very rudimentary for a setting that is so important.
These settings need to be centralized in one place, not hidden!
This is severely lacking in Illustrator and has been developed by Affinity Designer with workarounds (that do not work in a suitably fluid way) by Astute Graphics for Illustrator.
Best case scenario something is implemented like Affinity Designer in which 'constraint angles' are replaced by ‘Grid and Snapping Axis’ you are able to set and save presets of angle settings.
These axis are set and then can be activated as a constraint on your current tool by holding shift.
Smart guides provides this in a VERY limited way right now, the UI is very rudimentary for a setting that is…
8 votes -
An ability to create custom bevel profiles for 3D and Materials Extrude
We can create our own profiles for now Classic Extrude, by modifying the Bevels.ai — located here:
Mac: /Applications/Adobe Illustrator [version]/Support Files/Resources/[locale]
Win: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator [version]\Support Files\Required\Resources[locale]But changing the file does nothing to customize bevels for the modern 3D!
They seem to be hardcoded.
Please, make the same file to be recognized by the modern 3D, or perhaps come up with some better way, that does not require to modify a red-only file and restarting Ai — for both 3D methods.8 votes -
Make Shadow bounds for 3D and Materials to auto-match the actual shadow bounds
Please eliminate the shadow bounds for 3D objects, or make it infinite, or at least something more generous than 400%: 4000% perhaps? 40,000%
8 votes -
Dimension Tool Ungroup to edit
To be able to ungroup the dimension, created with the dimension tool so it can be edited. The only way I have found how to edit it is expand appearance. And that duplicates it a number of times so you need to delete the duplicates first.
8 votesRecent builds offer a native way to hide units in live dimensions, so there is no need to expand these to hide them manually or use the Find and Replace hack anymore
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Image trace on multiple objects at once
Image Trace option should work on multiple objects at once.
8 votes -
Generate Proper Filenames and Layer Names Instead of Untitled-1 and Layer-1
We need Generate Name button for saving a file depending on its content, format and target project folder. Also layers could be named properly.
Also it seems obvious that, besides generating a new name, the system could also use information from the document's presets, such as the document type (e.g., web, phone, book, etc.), document size (e.g., A4, 291x210mm, 1920x1080px, etc.), and colour and bit depth (e.g., CMYK, RGB, LAB, 8-bit, 16-bit, etc.).
8 votes -
Rotate with arrow keys. Hold R to turn nudge in to rotate.
I love being able to nudge the selected object with the arrow keys, I want a modifyer key that allows rotation in the same way. example: R key + arrow key rotates. Left and right arrows might be one degree increments. Up/ down could be 15 degree - which quickly gets people to the super common angles 30, 45, 60
8 votes -
Add menu items and tools to custom panels
I find I frequently got to Menu/Object/Path/Offset Path or Menu/Object/Path/Outline Stroke along with Envelope distort and Expand.
It would be great to have these functions available as Clickable Tools that I could add to a Toolbar.
8 votes -
Treat all objects as filled for selection tools (like in Corel Draw)
Corel Draw has an option, 'Treat all objects as filled', which allows select objects with no fills with just a click inside. While it’s 'not the Ai way' — this can be useful in some cases.
Just make sure it works properly in the Outline view( that is does not get applied at all).8 votes -
Make Layers show which operation a compound shape uses, like 'Compound Shape (Subtract)'
Compound shapes have 4 different modes, and sometimes it’s important to be able to see which one is used when you work with the resulting shapes in Layers — especially if you nest shapes in several layers.. But at the moment Illustrator just display all of them as just 'Compound Shape'.
Compare these two structures:
Compound Shape
...> Compound Shape
......> Rectangle
......> Ellipse
...> Compound Shape
......> Rectangle
......> EllipseCompound Shape (Unite)
...> Compound Shape (Subtract)
......> Rectangle
......> Ellipse
...> Compound Shape (Intersect)
......> Rectangle
......> EllipseDon’t you agree the one at the bottom is easier to navigate, when you need to make a change?
Compound shapes have 4 different modes, and sometimes it’s important to be able to see which one is used when you work with the resulting shapes in Layers — especially if you nest shapes in several layers.. But at the moment Illustrator just display all of them as just 'Compound Shape'.
Compare these two structures:
Compound Shape
...> Compound Shape
......> Rectangle
......> Ellipse
...> Compound Shape
......> Rectangle
......> EllipseCompound Shape (Unite)
...> Compound Shape (Subtract)
......> Rectangle
......> Ellipse
...> Compound Shape (Intersect)
......> Rectangle
......> EllipseDon’t you agree the one at the bottom is easier…
8 votes -
[UXP, ExtendScript] API access to Link Info
Idea: to provide simple script API access to placed image information as displayed in the Link Info section of the Links Panel. Especially pixel dimensions, PPI, scale and rotation. Currently there are no simple ways to get this information via script.
Note: if too late for ExtendScript, please consider this while implementing UXP.
I posted this here because this information is something I have wanted for my own scripts, and we get quite a few questions about this on the user forum, too, so it seems like a considerable lack at the moment.
8 votes -
As introduced in Photoshop the Warp option for Cylinder should be in illustrator
It will be much easier to use the warp on a cylinder in vector art, it was introduced in Photoshop. If I’m working on a design in Adobe illustrator and want to warp some text or a label on a bottle
why not stay in vector art, instead of using photoshop?8 votesThere is a way to do the same exact distortion in Illustrator, using a free MeshTormentor plugin (please see the full instruction in the comments).
However, an easier native way to do it is still welcome (as the general improvements over mesh distortion capabilities) — so please keep voting for this if you want it to happen.
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Add performance scripting options
Currently the options to increase scripting performance are limited. Please add ...
- the ability to process documents without openingen them visually. The documents should remain hidden during processing
- an option to disable screen redraw
- an option to minimize the application windowThese scripting options would be useful ...
8 votes
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