My Illustrator does not allow me to change colors using swatches panel. Help pleas.

[devc99]

Few days ago I started having strange problems with my Illustrator CS5 application. I am using MacBook Pro with Intel Processor.  After major update on the Mac OS  few days ago  I noticed I can not change colors in my drawings using swatches panel. The function on my Illustrator CS5 stopped working.  When I select object and try to change its fill or stroke color using fill and stroke from the options bar above work space,  none of the swatches would work.  The are there how ever nothing hapends when I select them, the color remains the same.The same thing happens if I try to use the swatch panel, I select the object then I try to select new color from swatch but the fill or stroke does not change. I can only change color on my drawings using the color panel but that is not useful for me since I need to get precise colors using approved color swatches ether from pantone library or approved by client.

The other strange thing is my selection tool does not deselect when I click outside on or of the artboard, the object remains selected until I reselect another object or use the keyboard short cut to deselect it.

I have tried various options to resolve the issue from deleting and reseting preference to completely uninstalling and  reinstalling Illustrator CS5. I even installed back my old CS4 version because I had to complete a project  and the same issue is happens there as well. I also reset the application using Time Machine from few months ago when it was working correctly. What happens when I reset or reinstall the app, it works for  about 10 min correctly as it should and and then it reverts to the same problem. I am out of options and do not know what else I could  do to fix this. Right now I am working on my old Mac tower G5 and CS4 where everything works as it is suppose to, but I really need to get this fixed. Can any one help or has solution for my problem? Please.

[Wade_Zimmerman1]

Reset the preferences and repair your permissions it sounds like a permissions problem or a corrupt preference.

You did not happen to have Illustrator running when you updated?

Does not really matter? There should not be this problem.

so for a corrupt preference

1. Quit Illustrator.
2.Go to User/username/Library/Preferences/ Adobe illustrator CS5 Settings and trash the settings folder, the whole folder not just the contents of the folder..
3. Start Illustrator. Illustrator creates a new preferences file.

[devc99]

Thnx for the suggestion but it did not work. I deleted the settings folder and restart the app and still the swatch panel and selection tool did not work. I again uninstalled Illustrator including the preferences and reinstalled it. Even deleted the setings folder again. After opening the app the problem persist, can not use the swatch panel and selection tool does not deselect......

[devc99]

Swatch panel does not work and selection tool does not deselect when clicking outside of artboard area.

[Guest]

I have the same problem, did you ever figure out how to fix your issue?

[Monika Gause]

I was wondering about the "selection tool does not deselect" thing...

Is this happening to you as well, Nick?

There are several threads on modification keys that are mysteriously always down , so you should investigate in this direction

[Guest]

No, I am not having a problem with deselecting. I just can't change the color of the fill or stroke on a path.

[Dek-Mhrd8f]

having exactly the same issue... removing prefs and Illustrator settings file before fixed it but its driving me mad!

[pryor88]

i recently have had the same probems, I tried restarting IL, restarting my machine, and even opening  a new drawing and pasting the artwork over to it with no success. Then I remembered one fall back I always rely on when things seem out of the oridinary on my MacBook Pro. That is resetting the RAM, this is a function I only know on MAC and clears the RAM which can become clogged and deplete performance. To do so restart the machine, as soon as you see the screen come on hold option+command+P+R and hold it until the screen shuts off and turns on again then let go. It worked for me.

source: experience and http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

[bladnman]

cmd-opt-r-p worked for me, for what it's worth   ...

Interesting. So I changed my Keybord settings and it happened again. I have identified that setting CMD-F1 and CMD-F2 as shortcuts caused this. When I set the key to just F1 and F2 it went away. (setting zoom to artboard / zoom actual size)...

I'm not saying these are the issue. But I have been able to repete the scenario over and over by setting and un-setting these keys. Maybe that will help something.

Message was edited by: bladnman

[celine_sa]

hey i m working on my illustrator and i m having many problems with my swatches

for example i use the green phosphorique i don't get this color i get another green

and many colors too it's like illustrator chooses for you the only green color

so please i kind of need help i can show you pictures of that i print screen viewed them.. so anybody who can help... pleaaaaaaaaaase contact me because i m having a project now..

my e mail is celinesalameh@live.com i would be thankful

i even tried to download the illustrator on my friend's computer also i m having this problem ....

[Monika Gause]

Especially bright colors will look differently on printed paper than on screen

[BIGMEECHDOE]

You misspelled "pleas", it should've been please. But, I also can't color on my thang either young man. I wish the best of luck.

[Ryna_Quynh]

Help me, I set the color as below but the result is not, I don't know why. Even I chose the color and then create the shape. I'm using Window 7. Thank you so much

[Larry G. Schneider]

You're applying the gradient fill at the Layer level, not the path as shown by the icon to the right of the layer.

[jeffe2369]

I have started running into this problem with a number of my collateral Illustrator documents.  I am using Illustrator CC 2017 21.1.0 (64-bit).  It will not allow me to modify the color for objects that I have previously created.  There is no warning or error message but it will not save changes made in the color picker for an object.  Has anyone ever resolved this issue?

Thanks

[Monika Gause]

several possible solutions in this thread. Have you tried them all?

[jeffe2369]

Wade's solution above is for CS5 (2010) while I am running CC.  The several other suggestions were for the MAC environment while I am running Windows 10 (64).  Hopefully I don't need to uninstall Illustrator.  Also, what happens to Illustrator if I delete my preference files?  How do I do "cmd-opt-r-p" in Windows Illustrator CC?

Thanks

[Monika Gause]

in that case please create a new theead and describe your issue in detail. What exactly does not work.. what does the layers panel show?

[maep40590993]

Open the "Brushes Palette" and locate the brush you want to edit. Double click on the brush to open the "Settings" menu for that brush. Click the drop-down menu labeled "Colorization" and select the option "Tints." The color of the brush will now be determined by the selected stroke color.

[Srishti Bali]

Locking the 8 years old thread.