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Participant
December 20, 2018
Answered

Two artboards created when one specified

  • December 20, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 2300 views

I got CS5 many years ago.   when I was using it to make a text object recently  I selected a Film and Video preset (1920x1080) with 1 art board and I noticed that two artboards were created (one 1920x1080 and the second 14400 square).  I've seen where this had been discussed before, but I was wondering if this was a bug or there was some specific reason for this behavior.

When I created a print document, and selected 1 artboard, only one was created .  Since I wanted to import this document into After Effects, when I saved the project (with both Artboards), AE imported the document at the 1920x1080 size with an alpha channel.   This implies to me that the large second Artboard has really no effect on my workflow. 

Still though, every once in a while, I find myself accidentally moving to AB2 which I wouldn't know unless I had the Artboard window open.

Is the second Artboard still created in CC and is there any reason not just to delete it?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Doug A Roberts

    I never use the film & video doc profile and never noticed, but it does indeed have a second, huge artboard. Bizarre!

    I guess it was an error when it was created. There is no reason not to delete it. In fact, delete it, and then save over the original document profile and you will never see it again.

    2 replies

    Doug A Roberts
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    December 20, 2018

    Actually it seems to generate a new one even if you do that. Not sure why that would happen. This is the only other reference I can find:

    Unwanted multiple artboards in new Illustrator file

    Participant
    December 20, 2018

    Thanks so much.  I was leafing through my favorite Ae book and I found this obscure paragraph which also was reproduced at the bottom of this link

    https://www.provideocoalition.com/cmg_hidden_gems_chapter_38_import_and_interpret/ .

    I don't understand what they're saying with regard to the number of layers in Artboard 1, but I think it's interesting that they knew about this behavior back then.    I think I'll follow your advice and just delete the second artboard when I first create the document so I won't have to worry about jumping back and forth during editing.

    I like this preset, because it has the green guides.

    Doug A Roberts
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    December 20, 2018

    I see... so this artboard behaviour is specifically for After Effects integration?

    Illustrator also includes a set of film and video document profiles. An advantage of using these presets in CS5 is that if you create a new Illustrator file using one of the Video and Film presets, in addition to creating Artboard 01 at the appropriate size, it also creates a second artboard that is much larger (14,400 x 14,400 to be exact). Provided you import your file into After Effects as a Composition (and you have at least two layers), any imagery that falls outside Artboard 01 isn’t cropped off or lost – it will reside outside the composition frame, ready to be animated onto the stage.

    If the file was created without using a CS5 preset (or in a previous version), simply create a second artboard at 14,400 x 14,400 – this magic size will trigger After Effects to behave the same way.

    I wonder then how one could create a document profile that behaved this way (automatically generating a second artboard) or turn it off in an existing profile.

    Doug A Roberts
    Community Expert
    Doug A RobertsCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    December 20, 2018

    I never use the film & video doc profile and never noticed, but it does indeed have a second, huge artboard. Bizarre!

    I guess it was an error when it was created. There is no reason not to delete it. In fact, delete it, and then save over the original document profile and you will never see it again.