Inspiring

Answered

Align to Key Object not working in Illustrator 2020 (24.2)

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
June 16, 2020
49 replies
42959 views

Why change what has always worked so well?

Trying to vertically/horizontally align objects to separate them equally no longer works the way it has for the last 20 years, so, now what? When I try to align object it is requiring a "key object", this is not helpful at all and please tell me there's a way to re-set this back to a legacy setting?

{Renamed by MOD}

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Srishti Bali

Hi there,

Sorry about this trouble. We've fixed the bug with Align tool in the latest release. Please update Illustrator to v24.2.1 to get this fixed.

Here's a link with more details: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-bugs/suggestions/40681714-align-to-key-o...

Regards,

Srishti

Show previous replies

M

MsOtto

Participant

When selecting several items, the 'top' item now has a bolder bounding box. Is there a way to turn that off?

M

MsOtto

Participant

Bounding box is the wrong term. It is the item box that is bolder.

M

michelen67609106

Participant

Buongiorno,

la paletta allinea e distribuisci gli oggetti non funziona correttamente. Spero che sistemiate in fretta.

grazie.

Good morning,

the palette aligns and distributes objects does not work properly. Hope you settle down quickly.
thanks

M

Melooo

Participant

Confermo, pessimi!

T

TargetmyDesign

Participating Frequently

I just updated the new Illustrator but am highly frustrated with the align tool. It is now requiring an extra step. For example, before I would hold alt and click and drag an object to make a copy. If I dragged it down and to the right, I then would select both objects and click "Vertical Align Top" and then "Horizontal Align Left" and the object I duplicated would go back on top of the original object that it came from. The original object would not move! After the recent update, the original object now moves to the copied one if I do the same exact steps, unless I bring the original object to the front. This is highly annoying as I set-up complex print jobs with multiple plates and I need to align text to cut out for embossing, die-cuts, etc. Why would Illustrator change this and how do I fix it to go back the way it was without having to use the 2019 version?

Doug A Roberts

Community Expert

I think this is related to this bug, introduced in v24.2:

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-bugs/suggestions/40682392-distribute-objects-in-align-palette-aren-t-working

Illustrator selects Align to Key Object in unwanted situations. It's currently 'under review'.

savagequestAuthor

Inspiring

Hello -

Unfortunately, the only workaround is having to uncheck 'Align to Key Object' every time. I've heard Adobe is working on this bug, for some reason the Key Object option keeps sticking once selected the first time.

If you could please upvote this issue and try the workaround shared here... (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-bugs/suggestions/40681714-align-to-key-o...).

Srishti Bali

Community Manager

Hi there,

Sorry about the trouble this issue has caused. It is currently under investigation. I would request that if you could upvote this issue and try the workaround shared here (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-bugs/suggestions/40681714-align-to-key-object-automatic-selection-in-align-p). This way you'll keep getting all the updates related to this issue.

Please stay tuned for updates, and thanks in advance for your patience.

Regards,

Srishti

HenryStockCC

Inspiring

This bug is having a particularly dreadful effect on my daily work. I am dimensioning 3000+ signs used in public spaces for an upcoming update of a government document. Every time I try and use my key align shortcuts I get an error, and have to go and manually reselect the align setting. The government entity controlling the project is not particularly interested in my excuses as to why work is slowing down.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Yes, sorry, I found out later that something was different, but it was midnight over here.

In a previous version you could temporarely set a key object, but now it sticks.

savagequestAuthor

Inspiring

No worries, yeah, the sticking to Key Object only is a pain!

Plus, this solution is now and extra click in the panel, not the conveniently laid out Artboard method everyone is so used to, so, not optimal. Well, not for me at all. Maybe I need to figure something out or go back to the latest version.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

In the Align panel Show Options and select Align to Selection at the lower right of the panel.

savagequestAuthor

Inspiring

Yes, and thank you, I did realize you do 2 steps instead of one simple step from one simple click. Still not fixing the annoying warning message while I'm trying to work, in fact it's now taking me twice as long to do one very simple task because I have to click way more times in this process.

Must I now do this every time? Before the update Align to Selection or Align / Artboard were the defaults, now what is happening – Align to Object is stuck once you choose it the first time and if you're in Align to Key Object mode and unselect the Key Object by clicking on it, this annoying warning box pulls up saying "Please Select a Key in Current Documents", turning a very simple task into a very unwanted feature.

you now have to go and unselect it as an annoying, cumbersome second-third step, when before all you had to do was click the object you wanted to align with and done.

Thank You,
Mark Savage
{Personal information removed by MOD}

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Once you have set the option, it remembers it the next time an the next session.

A

andreasimerman

Participant

My vertical distribute center (and top and btm) icons are now the same as the vertical align center.

Kurt Gold

Community Expert

Which version of Illustrator are you using?

Can you show a screenshot that may explain what you are talking about?

G

graphicd22604340

Inspiring

Attempts to align objects now met with error message "Please Select a Key in Current Document"

Generally when selecting multiple objects, Illustrator allows you to choose an "anchor" object to align things to, and it will thicken the highlight around that object. Now since the update, it automatically selects an anchor object, and when you try and align after de-selecting, it gives the error message. It makes it completely impossible to evenly distribute spacing between objects. Please help ASAP

V

VarunSharma

Community Manager

Thanks @graphicd22604340. This is a bug. When you select multiple objects for first time after launch, Ai sets Align To to ‘Align to Key Object’. This should not be happening. Also, if you switch to ‘Align to Key Object’ from ‘Align to Artboard/Selection’ while working, Align To setting gets stuck on Key Object (rather than going back to selection/artboard after aligning to key object). We are working on a fix for this.

As a workaround, you’d have to manually change the Align To settings either from the Align Panel (Align Panel > Show Options> Align To dropdown) or from the control bar (settings at the top of Ai). This will make distribute functions work as expected.

G

graphicd22604340

Inspiring

Thanks for your response, and glad to hear you're working on it!

R

rChar9

Participant

When selecting various objects on your work, one object seems to stand out. This can get used to.

When it comes to selecting text though and changing fill colour it's really inconvenient since you can't see the actual colour and can only be seen in the toolbar aboce, especially when dealing with jobs of high importance.

Monika Gause

Community Expert

That is due to an issue with the align feature. Illustrator automatically is set to "Align to key object" and the object is hilighted. This will be fixed.

V

VarunSharma

Community Manager

Yes Monika is correct, this is a bug.

When you select multiple objects for first time after launch, Ai sets Align To to ‘Align to Key Object’. This should not be happening. Also, if you switch to ‘Align to Key Object’ from ‘Align to Artboard/Selection’ while working, Align To setting gets stuck on Key Object (rather than going back to selection/artboard after aligning to key object). We are working on a fix for this.

As a workaround, you’d have to manually change the Align To settings either from the Align Panel (Align Panel > Show Options> Align To dropdown) or from the control bar (settings at the top of Ai).

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