How do you get Illy to open with a large drawing area?

[signmeup]

I just got CS4 and I must be dim but I can't figure out how to make it open up like Corel does with a giant area to work in without setting up an "art panel" for everything. I can find a place to set the size of the art panel but it craps out at 227.54". Can someone steer me to the appropriate settings please?

 

[signmeup]

And where are the #$@#&* help files?! I click help and I end up on a website with video tutorials? .......anyone?

 

[SebastienL]

227" x 227" is the maximum in Illy. If you have to design bigger than this, then you have to work at scale and rescale at final size in your rip.
Don't know about the help files. I'm still in CS3.

 

[signmeup]

Thanks Sebastien. Looks like I made a mistake. I bought Illy to tranfer files to from Corel so I could send them to the printers. If I have a rip I don't know where it is or how to use it. I don't think I want to send files that are the wrong size and ask him to resize them.
Anyone know where the help files are?

 

[Vinylman]

Signmeup:

What are you creating that is larger than 227" in either direction?

If you want to use Illustrator { my personal design program of choice} Just draw it in a comfortable "scale" size {like 1/4 scale} then tell the producer of the work, to enlarge it by 400%, and your work will be exactly as you want it. the only caveat to this method is that you MUST remember if you are using screen tints, or jpg images in scale, that you MUST allow for the enlargement factor. IE. if you want something printed with a finished DPI of 150 DPI, you must create it at 600DPI at 1/4 scale. Then when it is enlarged to 400% at the time of production it will print out at 150DPI. I hope that is clear.

I have been using Illustrator for 15 years, and have ALWAYS worked at 10% of finished size, saved, and output at 1000% enlargement. Hits the mark, EVERY TIME. Just chose a "scale" that you always work in, and inform who ever is producing the finished artwork what percentage of enlargement you expect.

 

[signmeup]

Not a whole lot at that size. The extended van I did last week was longer than 227" though. I just got used to drawing all over the screen at full scale in Corel. I always have multiple versions of designs on the screen so I can look at the differences in colours, fonts, etc. I also use photos at full size when I do vehicle designs so I know the graphics will fit when I cut them.

I guess I just got used to an unlimited drawing size in my CAD days and I can't really figure out the advantage of a limited drawing size. Seems to me like messing with dpi and % and scale drawings is inviting mistakes for no real reason. Anyway, if that's how it works then I can deal with that.

So do you know where the help files are?

 

[Service Sign Co]

The help files in cs3 are F1

 

[OldPaint]

gee, and corel draw allows you to set a page on screen up to 150 FEET X 150 FEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
and illy is supposed to be its equal??????i think not.........................

 

[Fred Weiss]

I don't have CS4 ... I have CS2 and clicking on the Help Menu > "Application Name" Help or using the keyboard shortcut of F1, brings up an offline help program that is installed on my system.

If you are only getting an online version with CS4, then Adobe has either changed the system for delivering help (which I doubt) or you have failed to install the local help files.

 

[signmeup]

Thanks guys. Pressin F1 gets the internet site. The files are in a pdf on the site where I found this:

"Search For Help box
Use the Search For Help box on the right side of the Application bar to search for Help topics and online content. If you have an active Internet connection, you can access all content on the Community Help website. If you search for Help without an active Internet connection, search results are limited to Help content that is included with Illustrator.
1 In the search box, type the name of the item on which you want to search (such as a feature, application, or tool).
2 Press Enter.
All topics available from the Community Help center appear in a separate browser window."

Checking this out now.

 

[signmeup]

Sure enough. If you turn off your internet connection it opens a help file in Internet Explorer. Quite weird. Most of the help topics in it refer you to internet links to more detailed help.
Anyway....the drawing size appears to be limited to 227" x 227" and you are instructed to use pecentages to specify how big the printer (or, I presume, plotter)should make your project.

 

[signmeup]

gee, and corel draw allows you to set a page on screen up to 150 FEET X 150 FEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
and illy is supposed to be its equal??????i think not.........................

Now let's not start any of that!

In my CAD program I can draw the earth full scale if I choose to and all I have to do is open the program and start drawing. No setting up nuttin'.....just click new file and have at it.

Illy has some pretty neat looking tools in it but it's going to take a bit of study to be able to use them is all.

 

[Vinylman]

gee, and corel draw allows you to set a page on screen up to 150 FEET X 150 FEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
and illy is supposed to be its equal??????i think not.........................

Hey OP;

How big is your printer?

How big is your plotter?
Like to see you handle the vinyl roll that would cut you a sign 150' wide ))))))

So even if Corel has a bigger page size, it becomes a mute point when your out put is limited to your plotter/printer size isn't it?

So yours is bigger than mine. SO WHAT, if you can't manage it what good is it? ))))))))))))))

 

[signmeup]

"So even if Corel has a bigger page size, it becomes a mute point when your out put is limited to your plotter/printer size isn't it?"

No it isn't a mute point.....
It doesn't matter to me how big my plotter is...... I always have multiple versions of designs on the screen so I can look at the differences in colours, fonts, etc. I also use photos at full size when I do vehicle designs or building signs so I know the graphics will fit when I cut them. The drawing I'm working on for a customers van is 670" wide for example. I have 3 versions of his van at full size spread over the screen.

I'm sure that it will become apparent why Adobe limits the drawing size as I get deeper into learning the program but I must admit, it's a total mystery to me so far.

I'm also having trouble finding the "zoom all" button. Oh, and the little box that tells you how big an object is when you select the object....

 

[OldPaint]

Hey OP;

How big is your printer?

How big is your plotter?
Like to see you handle the vinyl roll that would cut you a sign 150' wide ))))))

So even if Corel has a bigger page size, it becomes a mute point when your out put is limited to your plotter/printer size isn't it?

So yours is bigger than mine. SO WHAT, if you can't manage it what good is it? ))))))))))))))

you forget..........I CAN PAINT.....so i really dont need the computer.....))))))
and ive run patterns to PAINT.....off a 20 INCH WIDE plotter, that was bill board sized 16 ft tall X 30 ft long
OUTA COREL!!!!
of course i taped en together...............

 

[johnnysigns]

We rip pdfs from corel all day that go straight through our rip and out to the printer.

 

[dbenec]

...the little box that tells you how big an object is when you select the object.... go under window to transform palette. keep in mind this will show the dimension of the center of your outer most stroke unless you expand the stroke.

you can (on a mac) cmd-zero and zoom to page size, no matter what the page size is. on the pc it maybe control-zero.

your best option - since you have cs4 you should be able to use 'multiple artboards'. this is a new feature in cs4 - which you could put one colored version of your art on each and view all at once (i think each is still limited to 227 though). http://www.layersmagazine.com/illustrator-cs4-artboards.html

 

[Service Sign Co]

http://www.lynda.com/home/ViewCourses.aspx?lpk0=393
Heres some getting started stuff

 

[Vinylman]

No it isn't a mute point.....
It doesn't matter to me how big my plotter is...... I always have multiple versions of designs on the screen so I can look at the differences in colours, fonts, etc. I also use photos at full size when I do vehicle designs or building signs so I know the graphics will fit when I cut them. The drawing I'm working on for a customers van is 670" wide for example. I have 3 versions of his van at full size spread over the screen.

I'm sure that it will become apparent why Adobe limits the drawing size as I get deeper into learning the program but I must admit, it's a total mystery to me so far.

I'm also having trouble finding the "zoom all" button. Oh, and the little box that tells you how big an object is when you select the object....

Am I understanding that you have a monitor that is over 2010" wide?:ROFLMAO:

How tall is it??:ROFLMAO:

Just pulling your leg a little!

The point I have been advancing to you is that we still need to be able to fit our illustrations on to the monitor that we work on, or configure the out put to what ever printer/plotter combo we have.

Therefore working "in scale" is just a matter of deciding what "scale" you are comfortable working in, and setting that as your standard. After a few work throughs it becomes second nature just like the current way you work.

Kind of like using 1/4"- ft. in CAD drawing, which you indicated you are familiar with.

 

[signmeup]

your best option - since you have cs4 you should be able to use 'multiple artboards'. this is a new feature in cs4 - which you could put one colored version of your art on each and view all at once (i think each is still limited to 227 though).

Thanks dbenec.....it turns out I can have up to 100 "art boards" at 227" x 227"....... I would rather have one art board at 11350"x 11350" square(100 x 227" artboards taped together). Like I said, I'm sure there is an advantage to having all these little artboards, I just haven't figured out what it is yet. The help files seem very cumbersome at this point but I'm sure I'll get more adept at using them over time too.