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Jean Carlos30478276sjs6
Known Participant
January 6, 2025
Answered

Turning off "Smart Guides" makes selecting objects harder

  • January 6, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 774 views

When I turn "Smart Guides" off, selecting objects becomes harder. I have to click on the precise path to be able to select them. And when I hover the cursor on top of the object, it doesn't get highlighted to indicate that it can be selected. I don't understand the relation of "Smart Guides" to this behaviour, so I believe is either a bug or a oversight. 

 

This is a problem because, with "Smart Guides" on, you can click near a path os object to select it, but with them off, you have to click precisely on the object. And the hover highlight bevaves differently, wich is a bad user experience.

Correct answer Kurt Gold

It's the Object Highlighting and it's indeed related to Smart Guides.

 

In case you only need that option without being interfered by all other smart guide features, you'd have to keep Object Highlighting in the Smart Guides options and turn off all other display options there.

3 replies

Kurt Gold
Community Expert
Kurt GoldCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
January 6, 2025

It's the Object Highlighting and it's indeed related to Smart Guides.

 

In case you only need that option without being interfered by all other smart guide features, you'd have to keep Object Highlighting in the Smart Guides options and turn off all other display options there.

J
Jean Carlos30478276sjs6Author
Known Participant
January 10, 2025

Thank you. That's exacly what I need to do. The highlight is very useful to me, but the alignment snaping is not. This way I can turn them off without losing the highlight.

Jacob Bugge
Community Expert
Jacob BuggeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 6, 2025

Jean Carlos,

 

Your post seems to present a good reason for having and using Smart Guides.

 

If they get overly helpful, it is possible to make them relax more and take care of fewer things (through the settings).

J
Jean Carlos30478276sjs6Author
Known Participant
January 10, 2025

Smart Guides are useful for align objects. I don't see why turning them off makes selection difficult.

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 6, 2025

Did you select in Preferences > Selection & Anchor Display > Object Selection by Path Only?

If so, turn it off.

 

J
Jean Carlos30478276sjs6Author
Known Participant
January 10, 2025

No, I know about this option and it wasn't checked. But the behave of the selection tool when smart guides are off is the same as if this option was checked.

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