Skip to main content
M
mt26
Participant
March 5, 2018
Question

pattern making tool

  • March 5, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 1132 views

Using illustrator CC 2018 (latest) version on a MacBook Pro

Hi- so I'm at my wits end. The artwork is very detailed, large file, I spent all weekend cleaning it up (making the 200+GB file just under 40MB) and illustrator still lags and is so slow (not happening with other projects though so I assume it's the file size, but I don't know how else to retain the editing capabilities I need and reduce the file size) anyway.

Anyway, this art, so adorably placed on a square, like I've done 8432039 times before, and then I use the pattern making tool to edit it a bit, make it perfect, check for hairlines, etc. THIS file- I can take all the artwork and click make pattern, and do absolutely nothing, and then it saves and creates the pattern JUST. FINE.

But, after opening to edit the pattern, and shrinking the box thing (I'm sorry- I'm so amateur!) down to fit the background color square (right- because I have things that overlap so the initial bounding box (or whatever it's called) is too big), and also rearranging things that don't look quite right (by the way, this is like click-move-wait 5-10 seconds for illustrator to catch up which is extremely annoying), and then when it's perfect, I click save and it loads an error message:

"the art contains elements that are invalid for a pattern"

no. all the brush strokes are expanded, this isn't a pattern in a pattern problem, I don't know what is happening. I can save it just fine if I do NOTHING in the pattern making tool.

What is going on? Please help! I'm so frustrated!

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    1 reply

    michelew83603738
    Community Expert
    michelew83603738Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 5, 2018

    It would be helpful if you upload a screenshot of what your pattern is so we can see it. If you can include layers with it expanded, that would be helpful. Also, I find that sometimes there is a memory issues, so I will rename a file that I have cleaned up and sized down and you might find that helps with the hang issue.

    M
    mt26Author
    Participant
    March 6, 2018

    Thank you for this comment. I opened my file to take a screen shot and noticed there was an object behind each grouped element, with no fill and no stroke, and was grouped to itself which is bizarre. Anyway, my file is over 200 MB now, so I think it must have happened when I downloaded the new version of illustrator. I made the whole thing in the 2017 version, cleaned it up, got it under 40 MB and it was still lagging, and after a little bit of google realized I hadn't updated in forever.  Cleaning the file again now, and hoping its the size of the file that's the problem with the pattern making tools. Would love any advice or where these strange objects came from.

    michelew83603738
    Community Expert
    michelew83603738Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 6, 2018

    Again, without seeing a file it is hard to figure out what is happening. However, a rectangle without a fill or stroke, sitting behind everything is a way to define a pattern so that maybe what is going on.

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices