This content has been marked as final.
Show 63 replies
-
1. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Wade S Zimmerman Aug 1, 2007 10:46 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)I'll start I would like to see paste into and multiple pages. I am not a FreeHand user but these are features I have become to understand and desire. -
2. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Scott Falkner Aug 1, 2007 11:09 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)One more grab bag of feature requests that will be a sate of time. Excellent. -
3. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Ken_Nielsen) Aug 1, 2007 2:27 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Actually, just take Freehand, leave it as it is, rename it as Illustrator and just add the 'save to PDF' feature.
That's all I ask.
Illustrator has the advantage of being integrated into the CS3 package. All of that compatiblity between programs is something else that needs to be ascertained, but as far as features go, the 1.) 'advanced search and replace' which takes in named graphics, fonts styles, way too much to list here, and 2.) 'Typographic controls,' are some of the top things I value in Freehand.
I fully hope that (the Adobe Illustrator team) Illustrator will make a serious move to incorporate EVERY feature possible from Freehand.
Better than me listing 15 pages of features. Just do it all.
Ken -
4. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Centromedia.Com) Aug 3, 2007 12:13 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)As Ken said, first of all the search and replace functions.
Then, obviously, the possibility to export the embedded images -
5. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Roman_Seer) Aug 3, 2007 12:48 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)yes, search and replace function is great in Freehand.
Another function that I want to see in Illustrator - copy object and past to the same coordinates. -
6. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Scox78 Aug 3, 2007 3:34 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)How about the join function in FH. You can select multiple paths and the join function will join all of them at once. In AI you can only select 2 point at a time. -
7. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Larry G. Schneider Aug 3, 2007 8:05 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Roman,
Select an object, Cmd-C, Cmd-F or Cmd-B to place it in front or back of the selected object. -
8. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(John_Kallios) Aug 3, 2007 7:01 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)>>Select an object, Cmd-C, Cmd-F or Cmd-B to place it in front or back of the selected object
In addition to this, you can copy an object as mentioned, select another object either lower or higher in the stacking order and Cmd-F or Cmb-B and that object will still be placed in its coordinates but will also be above or below the newly selected object in the stacking order.
Cmd-F place in front
Cmd-B place in back -
9. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(emil) Aug 4, 2007 2:56 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)1. Paste inside - not useless Illustrator clipping mask.
2. Find and replace graphic.
3. Copy/paste attributes.
4. Extract embedded pictures.
5. Collect for output inside Illustrator. Now you must use Art Files -File Collection for Adobe Illustrator Documents.
6. Guides pallete from Freehand.
7. Multiple pages - but I think it is very hard to implement - reason is compatibility. .ai is pretty close to .eps format - and in eps you cant have more than one page.
But you can still add my first 6 suggestions. :)
And I must tell - im very satisfied with CS3 "Add Used Colors" option in swatches. Thats is same as in freehand from version, I think, 5.5 (name all colors). -
10. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(John_Kallios) Aug 4, 2007 5:52 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)>> .ai is pretty close to .eps format - and in eps you cant have more than one page.
Not since version 9. Now it can be loosely said it is close to pdf format. -
11. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Richard Haseltine Aug 5, 2007 2:44 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)> 1. Paste inside - not useless Illustrator clipping mask.
Why is the clipping mask useless? What is so wonderful about paste inside, which overwrites the clipboard data and requires extra steps 9select contents, copy/cut, select container, paste vs select contents and mask, make mask). With CS3 they've fixed the alignment issue which did make masks problematic, so I don't get what the benefit is claimed to b. I can see it would have the advantage of familiarity for Freehand and page layout software users, but then masks have that for existing AI users and image-manipulation software users. -
12. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Scott Falkner Aug 5, 2007 8:46 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Paste Inside is far more intuitive than Illustrator's clipping masks, which can get really confusing when multiple masked areas overlap or when a mask contains another mask. masked contents are editable, but only if you want to, otherwise you select the mask, which is what I want to do more often. Masked art is hidden where it falls outside the mask, even in outline view, a long, Long, LONG requested feature for Illustrator.
Oh, look what I did. Validated this useless thread. -
13. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Michael_H._Davenport) Aug 6, 2007 9:39 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)"With CS3 they've fixed the alignment issue which did make masks problematic, so I don't get what the benefit is claimed to b..."
They may have fixed the alignment issue in CS3, but they failed to fix the related transformation issue. By that I mean if I want to place a clipping-path object at a particular location by it's x and y coordinates, Illustrator still references the masked object, not just the mask itself, as it should. Then there's also the annoying accidental selection by hidden areas problem.
Correcting alignment was a step in the right direction, but it was still just a lame half-fix, IMO.
Mike D.
PS - I agree the thread title and concept is wrong... -
14. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Berco_Mayer) Aug 13, 2007 4:32 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)i would like to see:
Drag select only selects objects that are fully inside the selection, instead of selecting everything that is touched by the drag rectangle.
Very useful if you need to select small objects inside a piece of artwork without selecting the bigger bits, i hope this can also be added to the lasso tool, its not very useful as it is now.
if possible make this an option in preferences so users can switch between the AI and Freehand method.
Paste inside instead of masking.
The fact that you can still select invisible objects outside of the mask is simply primitive.
Align masked objects to their masks instead of the content (like Freehand does).
Freehand guides.
I love guides that actually let you snap artwork to them.
The settings for snap to in Illustrator don't seem to have any effect at all as far as I can see.
The "Smart guides" are just plain confusing and distracting.
Selecting and arranging opjects below or above the current object with shortcut keys.
Works much faster then the current dropdown menu, especially if you have a lot of stacked objects.
I'm working with CS2 at the moment, so if any of the above is already integrated in CS3 i apologise. -
15. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Lisa_Starr) Aug 14, 2007 9:42 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Please add a command to toggle point type and area type. It's really a bummer to cut and paste imported text. -
16. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Nini Tjäder Aug 14, 2007 1:21 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Feels like I've been asking for that for a long time... (the toggling between point and area type). -
17. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(steve1w) Aug 15, 2007 11:09 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Why doesn't Illustrator give you two options to move things with arrows like you can in Freehand? I can set two increments: one for the arrows and one for the arrows with the shift key held down. -
18. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Scott Falkner Aug 15, 2007 11:25 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Shift = 10x normal move. -
19. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Wade S Zimmerman Aug 18, 2007 3:20 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Clipping mask are not useless and paste into is very useful.
There is no reason why there cannot be both! There could however be an improvement to the clipping mask feature to m=be similar to the one that After Effects has which allows you to use you drawing tools as either art creation or as making shape creation.
Very coooool! -
20. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Lyle_Schulz) Aug 19, 2007 8:14 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)I have used Illustrator 10, but nothing newer.
I am (was) a Freehand user, and have never switched to Illustrator because I need multiple pages on one pasteboard, and the ability to set up custom scales (ie. 2' = 1").
Have either of these things been added to Ill CS3? They should be. -
21. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Wade S Zimmerman Aug 22, 2007 12:32 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)The scale would be also good. -
22. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(gbruner) Sep 10, 2007 12:37 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)I understand a lot of things just take getting used to, so I'll be as unbiased as I can.
- We only need one selection tool. Implement command keys to change the behavior of the tool. All those clicks to change selection tools... totally unnecessary. The same thing with the pen tool. All in one with key commands.
- Multiple pages, of course. Just make it an option, or available, so that those who don't want or need it, don't have to use it.
- When deleting a point in a path, make the delete key not break that path, just delete the point. Having to change tools, again, is counter intuitive.
- When I want to place images, I would love the ability to select several images in one step, rather than having to reopen the dialog box for each image.
- Make a transform tool, like in Photoshop, and a right-click menu to change that tool's behaviors (sheer- which should be "skew" as in Photoshop, scale, rotate, reflect) on the fly.
- Gradient color handling. I just don't get it. When I select an end of the gradient (in the pallet) and use the eyedropper to select a color, it gives it the attributes of what I'm trying to pick colors out of. Is there an attribute eyedropper and a regular eyedropper? Sure would be nice.
- Illustrator pallets should behave the same as Photoshop's. I like the collapsible pallets in Photoshop, a great space saver.
What I DO like about Illustrator:
- The type tool. I like the options to be able to type in a shape, on a path, whatever, very handy.
- The live trace and color, brilliant.
- The gradient mesh and envelope distortions are second to none. -
23. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(ChrisAWood) Sep 10, 2007 6:41 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)1) Multiple pages with Master pages
2) Page x,y zero points stay with the page when resizing page
3) Artwork stays with the page when resizing page
4) Single pen tool for creating/editing paths & points, modifier keys change its mode ditto selection tool.
5) Hide objects outside bounds of clipping mask when selected.
6) A contextual object palette. Illustrator makes me hunt around several palettes for information. Freehand has the majority of options in one place.
7) Make grouped items look grouped
8) Ability to turn off the 'keep clipboard data for other applications' message
9) Export embedded Images
10) Larger path control point
11) Find and Replace
12) Option to open a default page size, no need to ask what size/mode I want first. -
24. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
NotInUse Sep 10, 2007 11:38 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)>1) Multiple pages with Master pages
Get Indesign.
>2) Page x,y zero points stay with the page when resizing page
>3) Artwork stays with the page when resizing page
Agree.
>4) Single pen tool for creating/editing paths & points, modifier keys change its mode ditto selection tool.
Turn on Auto Add/Delete in the prefs.. then it is a single pen tool with the control key (Mac) to use the convert tool.
>5) Hide objects outside bounds of clipping mask when selected.
Agreed.
>6) A contextual object palette. Illustrator makes me hunt around several palettes for information. Freehand has the majority of options in one place.
Need more explanation.. Haven't used Freehand in a decade+
>7) Make grouped items look grouped
How?
> Ability to turn off the 'keep clipboard data for other applications' message
I never see this. Not sure why you are.
>9) Export embedded Images
Agree. But you can save as PDF and use Acrobat to do this.
>10) Larger path control point
Addressed in CS3.
>11) Find and Replace
Edit > Find & Replace (it's there)
>12) Option to open a default page size, no need to ask what size/mode I want first.
If you open a new document, set things how you want them, every subsequent opening of a new document will be set to that until you change it. With CS3 you can also create new document templates to cover this.
My wish... Ex-Freehand users that read help files. -
25. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(gbruner) Sep 11, 2007 8:46 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)- My wish... Ex-Freehand users that read help files.
Bear with us. We've just had our favorite program yanked from beneath us and migration is painful. I search, and ask veteran Illustrator users before I post. Some things are named differently in Illustrator than they are in Freehand. It's hard to know what to ask, or what to look for.
Thanks for your tips and help. -
26. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
NotInUse Sep 11, 2007 9:26 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)I should have put a :) in that earlier post. Sorry. -
27. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(ChrisAWood) Sep 11, 2007 8:15 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)1) Multiple pages with Master pages
Get Indesign.
Indesign is a page layout application, not strong in vector art. Switching applications involves many extra keystrokes, mouse clicks and dollars to achieve what could be done in one application.
4) Single pen tool for creating/editing paths & points, modifier keys change its mode ditto selection tool.
Turn on Auto Add/Delete in the prefs.. then it is a single pen tool with the control key (Mac) to use the convert tool.
Point taken, the pen tool works very similar to Freehands and my comment doesn't belong here, however it seems redundant to have 4 separate tools when one gives a more consolidated user experience. As I admirably demonstrated not everyone takes the time to read and fully understand what the help menu's say, they pick the most obvious solution to immediately solve problem and stay with it.
6) A contextual object palette. Illustrator makes me hunt around several palettes for information. Freehand has the majority of options in one place.
Need more explanation.. Haven't used Freehand in a decade+
I guess its the equivalent of Microsofts Ribbon toolbars, though I must say better executed. Lets say I select the text in a text box; in one tab in one palette I can see the options for Character & Paragraph, stroke & colours. If I select the Text Box itself I view all the options for Transform, Fill, Stroke, Gradient, Attributes, Transparency & Colour selection. Sounds crowded and overstuffed but its not.
7) Make grouped items look grouped
How?
Draw a dozen different objects on a page, group half of them. Now cmd A to select all objects on the page. Can you tell which items belong to a group and which items are individual? Nearly all the programs I have ever used on both PC & Mac make grouped items look like a single entity (e.g. Filemaker, MS access, MS word, QuarkXpress). It something that Illustrator does differently and from my perspective not as well.
8) Ability to turn off the 'keep clipboard data for other applications' message
I never see this. Not sure why you are.
When I quit Illustrator I always get this annoying dialog. Really a minor issue that bugs me. In other applications this kind of thing is handled by a preference that says 'Save Clipboard information on Quitting: | Yes | No | Ask |
9) Export embedded Images
Agree. But you can save as PDF and use Acrobat to do this.
Acrobat is another program, extra clicks, extra keystrokes and extra dollars to achieve the same result.
10) Larger path control point
Addressed in CS3.
Excellent
11) Find and Replace
Edit > Find & Replace (it's there)
Illustrators Find and Replace is limited to text. Freehands works with graphics as well. The equivalent in Illustrator is Select Same then change the attributes, but in my opinion doesn't work as efficiently.
12) Option to open a default page size, no need to ask what size/mode I want first.
If you open a new document, set things how you want them, every subsequent opening of a new document will be set to that until you change it. With CS3 you can also create new document templates to cover this.
If the same settings are always used it becomes redundant to present a list of options on opening a new document. A minor irritant that is done away with by pressing Enter but it bugs me none the less.
Illustrator really could be improved for all users by taking certain ideas from Freehand, just as Freehand would have done well to take its pick of features from Illustrator. -
28. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Lisa_Basanese) Sep 13, 2007 6:22 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Mostly I use/prefer Illustrator but there are some features in Freehand I would really like to have in AI.
1. The find and replace menus-
Text: I like that the window shows the text that has been found.
Graphics: In particular the find and replace path shape would be very helpful.
2. When objects are ungrouped they are returned to the layers that they were on before being grouped.
3. If you delete a point in the middle of a path, the point is removed but the path is not broken.
4. The knife tool can cut linework as well as fills.
5. It would be fabulous to have the option to either move objects onto a new layer by clicking on the layer name like in FH or by using the Illustrator method of dragging the little squares. Most of the time I prefer the AI way because layers don't change accidently, but there are several occasions when I wish I could switch to the FH method especially when I am moving items from multiple layers onto a new layer, or when the layer list is really long.
6. Open paths don't show fills. -
29. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Ricardo_Pineda) Sep 17, 2007 10:43 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)1. Extract embedded images is one of the features we really need to integrate to illustrator, I'd like to hear what's the current solution some of you have about this, other than plug-ins acquisition.
2. Clipping mask are really great in Illustrator because they are more flexible than FH's, but there's something that it'd really be great to extract from FH and that is, for example: In FH when you select a paste inside object you select both, the content and the actual clipping path, but the size and coordinates the properties panel display are the clipping path's one, illustrator does the opposite you select both but it displays the coordinates and size of everything also it's a little annoying when you see the outlines representing the content in the clipping mask, that's an ability that it'd be great to integrate to illustrator flexible Illustrator's clipping mask. -
30. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(John_Kallios) Sep 17, 2007 5:45 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)>>2) Page x,y zero points stay with the page when resizing page 3) Artwork stays with the page when resizing page
NO, definitely not. Keep the 0,0 coordinate behavior exactly as it is now. -
31. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Ginger_Muenster) Sep 20, 2007 8:04 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)We used to be able to Package for the printer all the fonts and images into one folder, Illustrator doesn't seem to have carried this over.
InDesign has it so I am surprised that Illustrator doesn't.
Using CS3
G5 PPC 1.6 GHz
Thanks -
32. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Wade S Zimmerman Sep 20, 2007 11:13 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)>NO, definitely not. Keep the 0,0 coordinate behavior exactly as it is now.
No this behavior is a limit that many user will not relate to and do not. On the other hand some prepress people would prefer this behavior.
Quite frankly I do not like an application to tell me how my document should be resized.
What to clearly a user definable point of reference is in order when resizing.
Do you want it to resize a centered, from the bottom right or left etc. -
33. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(ThePixelDoc) Sep 23, 2007 4:37 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)I'm curious as to how seriously Adobe takes these suggestions?
More than a few, such as the hiding of objects outside of a Clipping Mask, or proper visualization of groups, by also hiding the points and edges within a group automatically. These small features are so glaringly "missing" from Illustrator, that it's practically unusable for people in a production environment wanting to make the switch... which of course is necessary for many of the great feature's that Illustrator has to offer, and Freehand never will have because of it's discontinuation.
I have some 100+ colleagues, associates, clients, and employees that are all having the same problems making the "Big Switch", and many who are holding off due to their employees revolting against the idea because of the above, as well as the other suggestions in this thread.
So... how hard is it to add these few changes? How long would/will it take? The changes would only make Illustrator better, and isn't that the idea/goal here? -
34. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(ThePixelDoc) Sep 23, 2007 4:46 AM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)As an addition too what I previously wrote, why is this even so hard to do?
While I'm not a programmer, I do assume that much of the code necessary is either within a standing Adobe program, or of course within FreeHand, which Adobe owns the source code to now. No patent issues etc. And we are definitely not talking about trying to program a feature like Live Paint or something, which I can only imagine took years and 1000's of programmer hours.
Again... just "curious minds want to know". -
35. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Wes_Rand) Oct 17, 2007 3:19 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)A lot of good suggestions here. I really miss Graphic Find & Replace in Illustrator, find the proliferation of palettes confusing (a main, contextual palette would help a lot (the control palette is a good start but expansion of it would make it more useful. Perhaps addressed in CS3 which we don't have yet?) and would like to have the clipping path mask off the clipped artwork ... or at least have that as an option. Oh, and better guide controls, ability to extract embedded bitmaps, conversion of text from point to area and back and autoexpanding text boxes.
I also find some usability problems that I would like to see addressed:
I would like to be able to hilite an object by its fill if it has one. Being required to find the precise edge of an object -- especially when it is hidden by the stroke -- an unnecessary step. Relatedly, when I have an object hilited I would like to be able to move it by clicking anywhere in the hilited object and not be required to, again, find the precise edge of the object.
If I hilite a text box and then click in that text box with the text tool assume I mean to edit text in that text box and not the one that might be invisibly overlaying part of it. And build in some leeway when hiliting text in a text box. Hunting for that precise pixel at the end of the last line in the text box is another unnecessary obstacle (I usually end up deleting several, newly-created text boxes each time I attempt this.)
Also bring in some of Freehand's color functions. Name All Colors and Delete Unused Colors are useful.
I find that the layers palette in Illustrator to be an overload of information involving too much scrolling to find what I want.
Did I mention Graphic Find & Replace?
Thanks! -
36. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Jim_Monson) Oct 17, 2007 7:54 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Just found your question, Wade. Many thanks for asking since it is very encouraging to know that Adobe is aware of Freehand (FH) users' frustrations, beyond the usual learning curve challenge. Many CS3 Illustrator (AI) features are terrific and not available in FH, but the frustration of seeing FH's many intuitive options disappear from our desk top is difficult. I'd hardily amen the words of Ken Nielsen: ... 'incorporate EVERY feature possible from Freehand.' I am quickly improving my ability to exploit AI's advantages but still get frustrated that many of FH options are not available in AI. Here are a few and will try to add others later:
PAGE SIZE TOOL: I cannot change the page size with FH's page tool. To get a page size to fit new art work I have to guess and run the risk of something not being open and not adjusting if I move my work. This is important to keep the white border from appearing in exports, although I have found that making a Clipping Path can solve this. Why not have the FH option, however, of diagonally dragging the corner of the page and fit it the size of the page to the art work?
PEN TOOL DRAWING: The pen tool does not have an option that automatically makes beautifully curved lines (which always and exactly fit the complex map borders I draw), and simply by holding down Option in FH while clicking the pen tool (dragging out in AI is nice sometimes, but I had to buy a Big Wacom tablet to do what FH does naturally).
OPEN/CLOSED PATH: I always knew in FH if my path was 'closed' or 'open.' I know fill does not depend upon this in AI but in my work to know this is very important.
SWATCH BOX: In AI I have to remember the short cut or travel around my 30" screen to change between stroke and fill. In FH it was right in the color palette where it should be. As in the case of layers below, my choice of viewing swatches (small list) does not stick and I have to choose again every time I reopen AI. Have you thought of layers for swatches for those of us who have many?
GRAPHIC STYLES: I thought AI had a 'Redefine' option in the Graphic Style but can't find it. Since AI does not allow the editing of a graphic style in the Style palette, I have to make a new style and toss the old one. FH has both of the possibilities (redefine and editing).
PASTE INSIDE/CUT CONTENTS: Paste Inside, etc. was great in FH. I understand how it works in AI but to have the old FH option, and edit inside (hold down Option) were so easy.
LAYERS: AI's great layer/sub layer/sub layer organization is especially exciting for me since my 300-400 layers in FH can be nicely 'compacted.' This has vast potential and already I cannot live without it. However, you should demonstrate how good it is to new users rather than simply imply 'you'll get used to it.' I have tons of docs with tons of layers (maps and charts).
COMPRESS ALL SUBLAYERS NEEDED: I have my layers collapsed so that my palette is very easy to use, *but* when I close the doc and bring it up again they are all open again and I have to go through and close them. Make them 'stick' so they open the way we close them, and 2) put in a way to deal with sub layers so that we can make all of a certain set of sub layers visible/invisible or locked/unlocked without affecting other layers. Yes, I can drag my mouse down the list, but when I have 600 map city names in their individual sub layers that is a bit much.
A BIT OF TROUBLESHOOTING: A graphic style fill would not change (disappear) although fill color was nothing. I even use 'Break Link to Graphic Style' and tried again. Something is wrong since the stroke changes color if I choose it manually or via a style, but the fill remains the same (one of my styles = 50% red) although I change it many all or via the Graphic Style palette. Thus it appears the the fill is stuck in one mode, or rather two since it will change color or change to gradient, but it will not disappear and always default to the 50% red. I tried quitting the program and bringing it up again, and also rebooting. No change. Finally, after long hours I tried putting the graphic on a new layer and it was okay. Thus, it appears that something can be 'caught' on a layer, in this case the fill color, or rather the fact that I could not get rid of the fill color, no matter what it was. I do have 310 layers in THE doc, most as sub layers under main layers.
Must add that AI's Opacity, Layers, and other features are terrific. I finally have gotten over my reaction in the move from FH to AI, especially since CS3 version sped up the very slow CS2 version. Again, do everything you can to get all of FH features into AI. FH is a tremendous program which relatively few people knew of and exploited. If Adobe wants to create another real success story, follow Ken Nielsen's advice (as you are doing with your question, Wade.) -
37. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
Scott Falkner Oct 23, 2007 12:44 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)> GRAPHIC STYLES: I thought AI had a 'Redefine' option in the Graphic Style but can't find it. Since AI does not allow the editing of a graphic style in the Style palette, I have to make a new style and toss the old one. FH has both of the possibilities (redefine and editing).
The feature is stupidly hidden in the Appearance palette, but Bog knows why. You can also Option-drag the swatch from the Appearance palette onto the style's swatch in the Graphic Style palette. -
38. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
(Jim_Monson) Oct 24, 2007 12:05 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Eureka, Scott, and many thanks. I should have looked there since in the past I've found items gathered there not found elsewhere. It does seem much more natural to have it in the Graphic Styles options. -
39. Re: Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator
NotInUse Oct 24, 2007 5:07 PM (in response to Wade S Zimmerman)Jim, this is what I was eluding to in the other request. No chip on my shoulder. Just need to weed out the myriad of Freehand requests that are really a matter of lack of experience, that's all. This is why it's imperative to explain how functionality would differ than current AI functionality, not just state "make it like Freehand."



