can't snap to objects in illustrator. not as simple as it sounds...

[nine_tenths]

Up until today, I have been working in illustrator fine. I could snap one object to another, when drawing lines, line segment ends anchor points could snap easily, align things to other anchor points as i'm drawing them, etc.. Now that is not the case.Also, before I could click right in the middle of an object and it would select it, now I must click on the actual path that surrounds and object.

I'm working in Windows with CS4. I have went to the "view" menu and made sure "snap to point" is turned on, it is. I even tried snap to grid. None of this works.

Please, any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[Jesseham-jc1rvC]

I'm on CS3, so don't know for sure, but I think I remember reading that they'd changed the default snapping behavior to require that you hold down a modifier (control, alt, something.. ) to get it to snap to the cursor, otherwise, it wants to snap to the shape...

Or is it the other way around...

[nine_tenths]

hey, thanks for the reply. this doesn't seem to be the answer i was looking for though. first, even if i press ctrl or something, it doesn't help to get it to snap, but aside from that, if it would snap to the shape, it would be perfect. thats what i would like it to do, is snap to the shape. it has been working fine for weeks, and just now, i must have turned off some option, and it wont do it anymore? well, i'll keep on hunting. thanks again.

[Wade_Zimmerman1]

In the preferences uncheck select object by path only.

[nine_tenths]

Sounded like that was going to be the answer.... almost... that did help, in that now I can select a shape by click anywhere on it, however the other half of my problem still remains. If any of you have worked in autocad, there is a feature called "smart tracking," where it would recognize end points and such within the document, and register snaps with those.there was a feature that was working in illustrator just like this...

ex. if i'm drawing a horizontal line right above another, and want its end point to stop at the same point as the one below, it would normally register with that and give you snaps or stopping points in space that would let you know where that point was at. sooooo... anyone know how i can get this back??? thanks again

[Jesseham-jc1rvC · Accepted solution]

Smart Guides.

Command-u or view->smart guides

[nine_tenths]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha, that was it. Smart guides!? I saw that, but thought it onky pertained to "guides" such as the kind you pull from rulers, so I didn't try it. Anyways, Jesseham, you are genius. and thanks to the others for helping out as well. Seriously, it takes only a moment for you to help another. You can check your good deed for the day off the list. lol. ok, i'm hyper now. Thanks again.

[AudiA4]

I been having this problem for last month or so and now I find this 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[aldyr52689185]

thanks, i've been searching all day for this answer

[Una27424351zsjj]

God bless you!

[RISHI27548270rkqk]

Thank you so so much.

I have been searching entire youtube for this also i called many designers but unfortunately they all just gave me answers to check snap to point or smart guides.

I tried what you told and it worked instantly.

God Bless you!!

Thanks once again!!

[Dobster]

Jesseham, hello from the future.

"the default snapping behavior to require that you hold down a modifier"

This is gold. I never knew this. Thank you! I'll have a beer waiting for you in 9 years.

[goldenovic]

May God bless you and your family for this answer: 

Smart Guides.

Command-u or view->smart guides

[Adorableinnovativedesign]

YOU HELP ME, THANKS MATE, A HUGE THANKS I CANT EVEN TURN OFF MY CAPSLOCK, THANKS !!!!

[YannisWS]

Had this problem once and solved it this way (smart guides was checked off).

Today I again had this, came back here and found out the setting was still enabled.

Did more research.

Smart guides just not working.

$250/year.

Amazing.

[Jeannette0D44]

Yes this seems to vary by the day. Oh Joy. I just want to move my object in tiny increments but object keeps jumping. I can't even place guidelines always where I want them. What is up?

[the5ivefooter]

Have you checked your snapping tolerance in the preferences > smart guides? Mine was on 0pt and didn't snap. Changed it to 4pt and immediately I started getting results.

[ben.bland]

Here's my case, which might help people in future: I accidentally turned the snap-to-objects option off by typing "Cmd U" ("Ctrl U" on PC I guess) because I was trying to undeline some text (on other applications, that would be the shortcut)!

It took me fully 15 minutes to figure it out, and I couldn't find any mention of the same mistake online.

[Doug A Roberts]

That's Smart Guides, which the current correct answer describes.

[michaels25343511]

Couldnt agree more.  I did the same exact thing by probably accidentally pressing Cmd U somehow and one of the most useful features was turned off.  Glad I found this thread and now it works great.

[PFCsolutions]

this worked for me thank you

[willd82588806]

I also wish snapping work more like it did in InDesign. Don't understand why they're different.