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Error: Can't move the objects. The requested transformation would make some objects fall completely off the drawing area.

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I just updated to illustrator 2017, and now I'm having problems.

1. Drew line illustration with pen tool. Select All. Hit upward arrow. Get error message that says: "Can't move the objects. The requested transformation would make some objects fall completely off the drawing area."

2. Select All.. zoom all the way out to check the whole gray area for stray anchor points. Nothing showing.

3. Forum says to Clear Guides. I check and Clear Guides is grayed out.

4. I check to make sure no anchor points are on the edge of the artboard, though I can't imagine that would cause an issue. I move all anchor points inward. Still get error.

5. Select All and try to paste on new artboard in new window. Still get same error.

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SundayGladiatorCorrect answer

Legend

Ha! Solved..

Turns out I had these 'invisible' boxes that I needed to delete, in addition to the Stray Points.

Then I used the direct selection tool to marquee all the elements on the page I needed to move. Group it. Now I can move it, copy it, paste it, et al.

Direct selection tool is your friend. 🙂

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PenandPringle

Participant

Thank you that worked!

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OdairFaleco

Participant

Thank you so much! I strugle with this idiot problem for ages.

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susank4440614

Participating Frequently

In Excel, a chart was isolated onto a sheet, and converted to PDF. Same problem when I opened the PDF (from AI) and tried to copy/paste (or do anything with it). Why? Some of the chart elements were the maximum height of the artboard.

Solution: Select - Object - Clipping Masks. Then Object - Clipping Mask - Release. Then edit, delete, or redraw the offending shapes.

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Benada

Participant

I just had the same problem but I know why it happened to me. I was in isolation mode and added a guide line from the ruler. After I went out of the isolation mode, I unlocked the guide then with direct selection I deleted the guideline. when I tried to move the object I got the same error as yours.

WHAT I DID TO FIX IT:

- I unlocked all layers and objects.

- then I cleared the guides.

I managed to move the objects again. I hope this helps.

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jobro1

Known Participant

I came to this page because I was having the same issue.

Have you tried upping the artboard size? Like going from from 8.5 x 11 to 17 x 22?

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Monika Gause

Community Expert

jobro1 schrieb
I came to this page because I was having the same issue.
Have you tried upping the artboard size? Like going from from 8.5 x 11 to 17 x 22?

Drawing area = document size.

Increasing the artboard size won't have any influence on this.

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keewangjones

Participant

Yes, See if you have any hidden guides. Clear guides even if you can't visually find them. Try again to rearrange artboards.

Deeper Dive Explanation: One theory.

Guides are completely vertical or horizontal of the interface without an "end". So part of that guide is living on the artboard and the other parts are not. Hence, why the error says "some objects may fall completely off the drawing area". The guides are already off the drawing area. If you know where your guides are you will need to lock/clear them so that it does not affect the artboard during rearrangement. The rearrangement action is going to take whatever design that is living on the artboard and move it with the artboard. Be careful, because if you do have artwork that extends over the dimensions of the artboard, Illustrator will just lay it on top of another artboard and it can get confusing. Stay within the boundaries of your artboard. Also if the artwork is outside of the artboard and you try to move that artboard manually, the artwork will not follow the artboard. It will only move elements inside the boundaries of the artboard. Happy Rearranging!

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gregorys84221955

Participant

Thank You!! that worked!!

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Vitaliy Dovzhenko

Participant

Try to ungroup all parts of the object you wanna move some times and then select the object again (by "V"), groupe them and then you can move! Try it!

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