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Overview Article on CS3
- Thread starter Fred Weiss
- Start date
While it looks like IllustratorCS3 is finally getting more anchor point editing tools, the stuff shown in the CreativePro article and aboard the Adobe website isn't clear on whether we'll finally have functions like anchor point alignment and a few other technical drawing oriented transforms long resident in CorelDRAW and to a slightly lesser extent in Freehand.
I'll very likely order the CS3 Design Premium upgrade anyway. The collective improvements to Photoshop and InDesign along with highly improved integration between FlashCS3 and IllustratorCS3 make the package too good to resist. May have to wait awhile for updating the Production Studio suite I have at work.
I'll very likely order the CS3 Design Premium upgrade anyway. The collective improvements to Photoshop and InDesign along with highly improved integration between FlashCS3 and IllustratorCS3 make the package too good to resist. May have to wait awhile for updating the Production Studio suite I have at work.
bigbly
New Member
Cool, looks like they dropped Golive and are just running with Dreamweaver now.
Nice timing, I need to update my website and although I have Golive installed would prefer to use Dreamweaver..
A must have for me, I do lots of print for pay and need the latest Illlustrator/Indesign versions.
Nice timing, I need to update my website and although I have Golive installed would prefer to use Dreamweaver..
A must have for me, I do lots of print for pay and need the latest Illlustrator/Indesign versions.
Rick
Certified Enneadecagon Designer
....but Illustrator has anchor point alignment.....has had if for a looooong time.
I like the erase tool. This upgrade will be slightly painfull for me because I plan on upgrading my computer too. I may wait around for CadTools to come out for CS3 before I upgrade but have not decided yet. I haven't even loaded my CS2.3 yet.
I like the erase tool. This upgrade will be slightly painfull for me because I plan on upgrading my computer too. I may wait around for CadTools to come out for CS3 before I upgrade but have not decided yet. I haven't even loaded my CS2.3 yet.
Rick, I've been using Illustrator for quite a long time. Please show me exactly where you can select more than one anchor point and apply an alignment function on them. If you're actually aligning control points are you sure you're not using some sort of plug-in...or CorelDRAW?
Lots of people have been griping about the lack of point alignment in Illustrator over at the Adobe forums for a long time. If anchor point alignment was already in Illustrator, I think some of the forum participants working at Adobe would have pointed out that function's existence.
Lots of people have been griping about the lack of point alignment in Illustrator over at the Adobe forums for a long time. If anchor point alignment was already in Illustrator, I think some of the forum participants working at Adobe would have pointed out that function's existence.
Rick
Certified Enneadecagon Designer
Interesting that no one on the Adobe site has figured it out unless I am misunderstanding you.....
You select the nodes you want aligned with the "direct selection tool" then go to "Object">"Path">"Average" (or option/command-J on a Mac) a window will pop up and you can select "Horizontal", "Vertical" or "Both" hit "OK" and Bobs yer Uncle....I can't remember when Illustrator could not do this.
You select the nodes you want aligned with the "direct selection tool" then go to "Object">"Path">"Average" (or option/command-J on a Mac) a window will pop up and you can select "Horizontal", "Vertical" or "Both" hit "OK" and Bobs yer Uncle....I can't remember when Illustrator could not do this.
FatCat
New Member
Well, I'm glad CS3 is finally here. I held off upgrading my CS suite to CS2 just because I didn't see much benefit from doing so. Also, now that CS3 is written to take advantage of the new Intel Macs I'll have to upgrade my DP G5 tower to something newer. Maybe that 24" imac I've been eye-balling.
The Vector Doctor
Chief Bezier Manipulator
Yes I use it all the time, very helpful when redrawing a logo and you want, let's say, all the points along the baseline or tops of letters to be consistent.
Tony Teveris
New Member
From beta notes
Minimum System Requirements
Apple Macintosh
PowerPC G4 or G5, or multicore Intel processor
Operating System Mac OS X v 10.4.8
System RAM 512 MB – 1 GB recommended
Monitor Resolution 1024 x 768
Available Hard-disk space 2.5 GB
PostScript Printer Adobe PostScript Level 2 & 3
Microsoft Windows Intel® Pentium® 4, Intel Centrino®, Intel
Core™ Duo (or compatible) processor
Windows XP (SP2), Windows Vista
512 MB – 1 GB recommended
Monitor Resolution 1024 x 768
Available Hard-disk space 2.0 GB
PostScript Printer Adobe PostScript Level 2 & 3
Minimum System Requirements
Apple Macintosh
PowerPC G4 or G5, or multicore Intel processor
Operating System Mac OS X v 10.4.8
System RAM 512 MB – 1 GB recommended
Monitor Resolution 1024 x 768
Available Hard-disk space 2.5 GB
PostScript Printer Adobe PostScript Level 2 & 3
Microsoft Windows Intel® Pentium® 4, Intel Centrino®, Intel
Core™ Duo (or compatible) processor
Windows XP (SP2), Windows Vista
512 MB – 1 GB recommended
Monitor Resolution 1024 x 768
Available Hard-disk space 2.0 GB
PostScript Printer Adobe PostScript Level 2 & 3
Illustrator's "Average" function is a kludge. Pretty worthless.
First of all, it's annoyingly buried in the "Object" drop-down menu and on a fly-out from that (along with a lot of other functions that might be better represented on a context sensitive tool bar).
The Average function does not allow the user really any control at all on where the anchor points will end up being aligned. The result is just "averaged" in the middle at some random place along whatever axis was chosen.
By comparison, you can shift+click individual control points on an object in CorelDRAW. The last node selected with the shape tool will remain locked into position. When using a node alignment function any other nodes that are selected will be aligned to the last one clicked, for a far more predictable, far more controlled result.
On top of that, it is often difficult just to get Illustrator's direct selection tool to only select the anchor points you want to have aligned. Very often, it over selects a bunch of other parts in the path and gives the user a bunch of aligned garbage, so you get to undo and repeat the stupid procedure until the filter does something that sort of seems correct.
A couple versions ago, Adobe FINALLY added an object lock metaphor to object alignment functions. Their solution is still a bit odd (you have to click the one object you want stationary one more time before hitting an alignment button, instead of the lock simply referencing the first or last object clicked like Flexi and Corel does). Up until then, its alignment functions were just as random as that average function (and just as good at getting me to fire up CorelDRAW to complete a certain task).
Illustrator and Freehand have both often been described as being more "elegant" than CorelDRAW. There's nothing elegant at all in having to fight with software to get it to do something pretty simple. My only interest is completing artwork. I have no loyalty to any application in getting that job done. But I think Illustrator is long overdue for improving its basic functions. IMHO, it has been getting sidetracked by parroting features from Photoshop, InDesign, ImageReady, etc.
I'm hoping IllustratorCS3 will have something far better with respect to anchor point selection and alignment. The current, long-standing implementation stinks.
First of all, it's annoyingly buried in the "Object" drop-down menu and on a fly-out from that (along with a lot of other functions that might be better represented on a context sensitive tool bar).
The Average function does not allow the user really any control at all on where the anchor points will end up being aligned. The result is just "averaged" in the middle at some random place along whatever axis was chosen.
By comparison, you can shift+click individual control points on an object in CorelDRAW. The last node selected with the shape tool will remain locked into position. When using a node alignment function any other nodes that are selected will be aligned to the last one clicked, for a far more predictable, far more controlled result.
On top of that, it is often difficult just to get Illustrator's direct selection tool to only select the anchor points you want to have aligned. Very often, it over selects a bunch of other parts in the path and gives the user a bunch of aligned garbage, so you get to undo and repeat the stupid procedure until the filter does something that sort of seems correct.
A couple versions ago, Adobe FINALLY added an object lock metaphor to object alignment functions. Their solution is still a bit odd (you have to click the one object you want stationary one more time before hitting an alignment button, instead of the lock simply referencing the first or last object clicked like Flexi and Corel does). Up until then, its alignment functions were just as random as that average function (and just as good at getting me to fire up CorelDRAW to complete a certain task).
Illustrator and Freehand have both often been described as being more "elegant" than CorelDRAW. There's nothing elegant at all in having to fight with software to get it to do something pretty simple. My only interest is completing artwork. I have no loyalty to any application in getting that job done. But I think Illustrator is long overdue for improving its basic functions. IMHO, it has been getting sidetracked by parroting features from Photoshop, InDesign, ImageReady, etc.
I'm hoping IllustratorCS3 will have something far better with respect to anchor point selection and alignment. The current, long-standing implementation stinks.
Last edited:
If you want more editing features in illustrator you should get the Betterhandles plugin. www.nineblock.com it's only $27
- Select multiple handles, and collectively move, extend, rotate, or retract them
- Extend or retract handles without changing their angles
- Edit points numerically: anchor, in handle, out handle
- Convert multiple points from corner to smooth or vice versa
- Automatically extend new handles on multiple points
- Intuitively reshape path segments, optionally constraining handle directions
- Use slow-drag to divide the cursor movement for extremely precise moves
- Equalize a point's handles
- See all the handles on a path while editing it
- Split a path at one or more points
- Delete one or more points and close the path around them
- See when the cursor is over a handle, point, or path — without having to use Smart Guides.
Replicator
New Member
More interested in Photoshop CS3 . . . Thought the FULL release was due out on the 27th . . . Man I'm Bummed out !
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
I downloaded this yesterday and was amazed at the shortsightedness of the demo which allows you about five minutes to use the plugin before it disables itself and requires you to close Illustrator and relaunch it. While the product adds some interesting features, the demo was a turnoff.
A bunch of the questions I had about CS3 were answered in Mordy Golding's Real World Illustrator video podcast about the CS3 release.
http://rwillustrator.blogspot.com/
http://www.creativeprofessional.org/podcasts/rwip_0307.mp4
Alignment functions do now include anchor points. A number of other enhancements have been made in how anchor points and direction handles are displayed.
There is a LOT of much tighter integration going on between Illustrator and Flash, arguably even more that existed between Freehand and Flash. You can edit symbols more easily in Illustrator. Flash has dumped the rather crude vector engine (that resulted in objects often having lots more points) to using Illustrator's vectors.
That looks like a pretty decent plug-in, despite the really lame, time-restricted demo. Being able to numerically edit handle length, angle & position along with lots of other stuff looks very useful. It would be very good to have in designing things like fonts. However, I'm hesitant to purchase that plug-in until I can find out if it will work with IllustratorCS3.
http://rwillustrator.blogspot.com/
http://www.creativeprofessional.org/podcasts/rwip_0307.mp4
Alignment functions do now include anchor points. A number of other enhancements have been made in how anchor points and direction handles are displayed.
There is a LOT of much tighter integration going on between Illustrator and Flash, arguably even more that existed between Freehand and Flash. You can edit symbols more easily in Illustrator. Flash has dumped the rather crude vector engine (that resulted in objects often having lots more points) to using Illustrator's vectors.
That looks like a pretty decent plug-in, despite the really lame, time-restricted demo. Being able to numerically edit handle length, angle & position along with lots of other stuff looks very useful. It would be very good to have in designing things like fonts. However, I'm hesitant to purchase that plug-in until I can find out if it will work with IllustratorCS3.
Replicator
New Member
Talked to Adobe on the phone yesterday . . . The Official full releases are set for
end of April to the first week of May . . . WooHoo !
end of April to the first week of May . . . WooHoo !
Techman
New Member
Yes its cheap but after spending more than $400 bux for an upgrade its almost a slap in the face that a plugin has to be purchased to fix something that shouldn't even be there..
Also CS3 is goona be a very high priced upgrade into vista. Check the prices before you leap. You may be very surprised at the size of the check you will need. Personally I am out of buying any more software for a long time because of the high costs of future upgrades.
Long live Corel draw and cocut pro.
All of the Adobe CS3 applications will run under WinXP Pro. There's no need to buy a new computer system with Vista pre-loaded or install Vista on an existing machine.
Further, a lot of the code in IllustratorCS3 has been rebuilt and optimized so the application will actually run faster than IllustratorCS2 did.
The upgrade price for IllustratorCS3 is $199 (MSRP) for people who currently use Illustrator 10, CS or CS2. That seems to imply those with earlier versions have to pay more or just buy a "full" version. Adobe has tried this in the past, but relented and given most Illustrator users the standard upgrade price regardless of their previous version. Users of older versions will probably have to call Adobe customer service for special instructions to get the activation to work.
The various Creative Suite packages have different, tiered pricing that applies to whatever current application or suite you currently have.
Creative Suite 2.3 owners (which features Dreamweaver 8 and Acrobat 8) pay $440 MSRP for the CS3 Design Premium package.
Most previous suite owners will pay $599 MSRP to get the CS3 Design Premium package. Those suites include:
Adobe Creative Suite Premium or Standard
Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium or Standard
Macromedia Studio 8, MX 2004 or MX
Owners of a single application from a limited list of Adobe and Macromedia applications can get $200 off the full $1799 price for Adobe CS3 Design Premium.
One thing I'm going to have to think about is the situation with my current software licenses. I'm a registered owner of both Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium and Macromedia Studio 8. I'm definitely going to upgrade my existing CS2 Premium license to CS3 Design Premium. But I'll need to make up my mind regarding the direction I'll take with the Studio 8 package. I can use that to upgrade it to another full time CS3 license, either by going with the CS3 Web Premium package for $499, CS3 Design Premium for $599 or the HUGE CS3 Master Collection package for $1999. The big one has a full price of $2499. Adobe will allow a registered owner of both CS2 Premium and Studio 8 to combine the two for a Master Collection upgrade price of $1399. However, I'm currently running my CS2 Premium suite on a Dell notebook. I don't have the hard disc space for something nearly as massive as that Master Collection package. I have Adobe Production Studio Premium on my office desktop computer, and that one takes more than 20GB of disc space. Choices, choices, choices.
Further, a lot of the code in IllustratorCS3 has been rebuilt and optimized so the application will actually run faster than IllustratorCS2 did.
The upgrade price for IllustratorCS3 is $199 (MSRP) for people who currently use Illustrator 10, CS or CS2. That seems to imply those with earlier versions have to pay more or just buy a "full" version. Adobe has tried this in the past, but relented and given most Illustrator users the standard upgrade price regardless of their previous version. Users of older versions will probably have to call Adobe customer service for special instructions to get the activation to work.
The various Creative Suite packages have different, tiered pricing that applies to whatever current application or suite you currently have.
Creative Suite 2.3 owners (which features Dreamweaver 8 and Acrobat 8) pay $440 MSRP for the CS3 Design Premium package.
Most previous suite owners will pay $599 MSRP to get the CS3 Design Premium package. Those suites include:
Adobe Creative Suite Premium or Standard
Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium or Standard
Macromedia Studio 8, MX 2004 or MX
Owners of a single application from a limited list of Adobe and Macromedia applications can get $200 off the full $1799 price for Adobe CS3 Design Premium.
One thing I'm going to have to think about is the situation with my current software licenses. I'm a registered owner of both Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium and Macromedia Studio 8. I'm definitely going to upgrade my existing CS2 Premium license to CS3 Design Premium. But I'll need to make up my mind regarding the direction I'll take with the Studio 8 package. I can use that to upgrade it to another full time CS3 license, either by going with the CS3 Web Premium package for $499, CS3 Design Premium for $599 or the HUGE CS3 Master Collection package for $1999. The big one has a full price of $2499. Adobe will allow a registered owner of both CS2 Premium and Studio 8 to combine the two for a Master Collection upgrade price of $1399. However, I'm currently running my CS2 Premium suite on a Dell notebook. I don't have the hard disc space for something nearly as massive as that Master Collection package. I have Adobe Production Studio Premium on my office desktop computer, and that one takes more than 20GB of disc space. Choices, choices, choices.
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
As I read it though, and I own a license for CS2 Premium, for $599 I can upgrade to the CS3 Design premium package and I will pickup Dreamweaver and Flash along with the extended version of Photoshop. Since i have never upgraded my Dreamweaver from the version 4 MX that I have and have never bought a license for Flash, that seems well worth it to me.
Am I reading it wrong?
Am I reading it wrong?
It's an even better value than Creative Suite 2 Premium, which was already very impressive.
The decision to go between either the Web Premium and Design Premium package is a little tricky. The Web Premium suite has Fireworks and Contribute as exclusives. The Design Premium package has InDesign as an exclusive, but its upgrade costs $100 more. Of course, I believe InDesign is a very powerful page layout application, as well as a good companion to Illustrator since Illustrator doesn't support multi-page documents.
Both CS3 Web Premium and CS3 Design Premium feature Acrobat 8 Professional.
The decision to go between either the Web Premium and Design Premium package is a little tricky. The Web Premium suite has Fireworks and Contribute as exclusives. The Design Premium package has InDesign as an exclusive, but its upgrade costs $100 more. Of course, I believe InDesign is a very powerful page layout application, as well as a good companion to Illustrator since Illustrator doesn't support multi-page documents.
Both CS3 Web Premium and CS3 Design Premium feature Acrobat 8 Professional.