what do you hate about your software?

[Bobby H]

Just tried the "size letters" thing in Flexi out of curiosity. Here is what I got. WTF? I typed in the letter and clicked 2" in the letter size drop down. The letters are no where near 2".

Again, Flexi is sizing the letter according to the typeface's actual capital height, not the overall size of the letters. The true capital height is determined by the typeface's built-in distance between the baseline and ascent line. That is the TRUE capital height of the letter -the standard on which sign making programs use to specify letter height. The overall size of the letter forms is different than the actual capital height.

The glyphs in that script go way above the ascent line and way below the baseline. That creates overall letter sizes that are bigger (and widely different) than the 2" value.

 

[signmeup]

The glyphs in that script go way above the ascent line and way below the baseline. That creates overall letter sizes that are bigger (and widely different) than the 2" value.

So... barring exceptions like A&S Snapper... dedicated sign software works better. Got it.

Now we are definitely into "who gives a rats a$$" on this thread. It was a very interesting thread until this silly font stuff came up. Hopefully it will get back on track and I'll learn a few more nice little tricks.

 

[signmeup]

Here's one...

How do I get Illustrator to open up with a new page all ready to go? Right now it opens with a blank grey area and I have click new from the drop down and then decide what size page etc. I want. I always want it to be 8.5 x 11 with the biggest artboard possible.

 

[signswi]

You really have to stop thinking in Pages for Illustrator. You're unclear in what you are requesting -- how can an artboard be both 8.5x11 and as large as possible?

Also why are you doing so much 8.5x11 work in Illustrator? If you're using it for lots of letter sized page layout you really should learn InDesign...

 

[signmeup]

You really have to stop thinking in Pages for Illustrator. You're unclear in what you are requesting -- how can an artboard be both 8.5x11 and as large as possible?

Also why are you doing so much 8.5x11 work in Illustrator? If you're using it for lots of letter sized page layout you really should learn InDesign...

I don't want the artboard and page the same size. I want the artboard 225 x 225 and the page 8.5 x 11. I just posted up random numbers. The real question was can Illustrator open up all ready to go. For most stuff I do the listed setup will work fine. I would rather change it the odd time I need to rather than choose every time I open the program.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

My "artboard" is 225 no matter what size page I specify in the beginning. Keep zooming out. When I zoom out to about 4% I can see the small page area and the full usable space of 225 around it. Though I am not sure why that is so important to you

 

[The Vector Doctor]

I don't want the artboard and page the same size. I want the artboard 225 x 225 and the page 8.5 x 11. I just posted up random numbers. The real question was can Illustrator open up all ready to go. For most stuff I do the listed setup will work fine. I would rather change it the odd time I need to rather than choose every time I open the program.

No 2 signs/layouts are the same. One job I might need it to be 8.5x11 the next 18x24, and 36x48 and so on. Unless I did every job exactly the same size, then I could see needing it to open up ready to go, but why? I would prefer to always specify the doc/page size every time I start a new job. I think that is the problem with doing the opposite. Someone designs a banner on their 8.5x11 page and then later say, make it all fit on a 12foot long x 2 foot high and suddenly their layout does not work

 

[signmeup]

I just thought it would be nice if I clicked the button to open the program and it just opened, ready to go.

I pretty much never change the page size... I almost never draw on it either. It's just there. It helps me find the middle of the drawing area I suppose.

I really seldom need the page at all. Every once in a while I'll print a quote or proof out but that's about all I ever use the page for. 8.5 x 11 works great for that.

 

[Custom_Grafx]

Placing a multi page PDF into Ai.

I would love to have the option of importing a page range, instead of only one page at a time, and to be anal, if that multi page place could automatically tile the pages and not put them on top of each other.

I use CS4... has this changed in CS5/5.5?

Current work around, is to open said multi page in acrobat pro, "split document" so I get 1 file per page (great feature by the way)... then I open that folder, select all the files and drag n drop into Ai.

This puts them all stack on top of each other.

Work around for pulling them apart uniformly - move the top most file to the left or right, then select all and do a distribute evenly among selection.

This all works, but geez it would be nice if they just had a multipage import option on that place dialogue!!!!

 

[signswi]

Wait are you guys calling the artboard a page and the pasteboard an artboard? In Illustrator the artboard is an area with a defined size, shows as a black line filled with white, outside of that is light grey, that's the pasteboard. You can have up to 100 artboards of any size on a pasteboard. There's no such thing as a page in Illustrator.

 

[signmeup]

Wait are you guys calling the artboard a page and the pasteboard an artboard? In Illustrator the artboard is an area with a defined size, shows as a black line filled with white, outside of that is light grey, that's the pasteboard. You can have up to 100 artboards of any size on a pasteboard. There's no such thing as a page in Illustrator.

There's pages in my copy of AI. That's why I find it confusing. Why do I need an artboard if I have a page? Why do I need a page if I have an artboard?
Here's a screen grab of what pops up when you hold the cursor over the edge of the page.

 

[signswi]

Must be pre-multiple artboards, CS3 or older? Illustrator is so much better in CS4+ that I forget about the era before it.

 

[signmeup]

Nope it's CS4. It's called a page in the help files when you type "page" too.
Maybe you aren't quite as clever as you thought? :Big Laugh

 

[The Vector Doctor]

There's pages in my copy of AI. That's why I find it confusing. Why do I need an artboard if I have a page? Why do I need a page if I have an artboard?
Here's a screen grab of what pops up when you hold the cursor over the edge of the page.

The page is considered the printable area. Let's say someone orders a 24x18 sign. You lay it out on the 24x18 "page" or whatever you want to call it to make sure it all fits properly. The "artboard" or area around it is the area that can contain other shapes or junk if you will. I have seen alternate logos/art dragged out here. Or unused shapes. This can also be considered the bleed area. Anything outside of the page/document does not print and is cropped out

 

[signmeup]

The page is considered the printable area. Let's say someone orders a 24x18 sign. You lay it out on the 24x18 "page" or whatever you want to call it to make sure it all fits properly. The "artboard" or area around it is the area that can contain other shapes or junk if you will. I have seen alternate logos/art dragged out here. Or unused shapes. This can also be considered the bleed area. Anything outside of the page/document does not print and is cropped out

That's how I figured it. What's the grey area for? I can draw stuff on that and it won't print either.

I have a feeling that knowing what these three separate areas are and are for is critical to understanding the work flow to this software... something that eludes me so far.
I really need to come to terms with this thing because I'm needing to use it more and more lately.(Illustrator)

(And thanks for your patience)

 

[The Vector Doctor]

That's how I figured it. What's the grey area for?

non printing area, cropped out area

 

[signmeup]

non printing area, cropped out area

So... the artboard is the same as the grey area? Why do I need two areas that don't print? Actually, I can have up to 100 artboards. They must be for something important. Sorry to be such an idiot but the help files just confuse me more.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

So... the artboard is the same as the grey area? Why do I need two areas that don't print? Actually, I can have up to 100 artboards. They must be for something important. Sorry to be such an idiot but the help files just confuse me more.

Huh? What 2 areas don't print? Only the area outside the white (bounded by the thin black line) won't print. For those of you that are confused... earlier versions of Illustrator are not gray but rather white. Only differentiated by the thin black line that shows the size of the page/doc size specified when starting a new document

 

[signmeup]

Here's what I see. The "page" is the little, tiny square black outline, the "artboard" is the white square and the "grey area" is... the grey area. I can draw on any of them. The coloured rectangles are stuff I drew.
Only stuff on the "page" will print.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

That's how I figured it. What's the grey area for? I can draw stuff on that and it won't print either.

I have a feeling that knowing what these three separate areas are and are for is critical to understanding the work flow to this software... something that eludes me so far.
I really need to come to terms with this thing because I'm needing to use it more and more lately.(Illustrator)

(And thanks for your patience)

I am not sure about the confusion. The last time I used corel draw (v10) there was also a non printing area. The page/doc/sign area was represented by a white box with a black outline and drop shadow(for effect and to appear like a sheet of paper I guess). This is no different in Illustrator. Anything outside of this area gets cropped off in the print preview box