Cannot add personal pattern swatches to swatch library

[heph]

I would appreciate if anyone could help with my problem with pattern swatches in CS6. Help!!

1. I cannot place my pattern swatches in the library without expanding it each time. Is this correct?

2. I cannot resize my pattern swatches without getting a white border around the swatch which when used creates a fragmented pattern and therefore cannot create any mockups correctly. Please help its driving me nuts.

[Monika Gause]

Which library are you referring to?

As to the scaling issues: usually the white lines are just screen artifacts and don't print.

They might become an issue when you

- open a file with a pattern in Photoshop

- print to inkjet printers

- make web design

- export a pattern to a raster file

What helps:

export a raster file from Illustrator using the antialiasing "Artwork optimized"

align your pattern to the pixel grid (the invisible rectangle and any background rectangle you might have). This helps when exporting a pattern for rapporting on a web page.

Please tell us about what exactly you are doing.

[heph]

I am creating patterns for surface pattern and therefore need to constantly rescale patterns to place into mock up images.

I have created a pattern tile on the art board and have then merged and clipped it to create the basic tile. I have then created a repeat by placing this image into my swatch panel and using it to draw a rescaled version. It is at this stage I cannot put the swatch back into the swatch panel to use at a rescaled size. It will only go in if I expand it each time and seems to be cropping it hence the white borders.

The library is the swatches library. The white border I am referring to is seen in the last pattern swatch in the first screen shot.

It is not merely a small line. I know the white lines you are referring to and it is not these. All this work is within illustrator at present.

[Monika Gause]

Do you understand how patterns work?

Do you know about the invisible rectangle?

Have you ever used the pattern editing function?

How to create patterns in Illustrator

How to create and edit patterns in Illustrator

[heph]

I am not using the create patterns function as I find the need to define number of repeats and sizes takes too long and I want to work more directly by dragging my swatches in and out of the swatch panel. I need to work more organically. I know illustrator is able to do this.

I am using an invisible rectangle behind my tile if you are referring to this.

I do not really know how to answer your first question. It's rather broad.

[Monika Gause]

It doesn't look like you have the invisible rectangle in your pattern. At least it might not be used correctly.

Apart from that: if all you need to do is resize the pattern in the shape, you can just double click the scale tool and then in the options only scale the pattern, not the object.

[Srishti Bali]

Hi heph,

I would like to know if the steps suggested above worked for you, or the issue still persists.

Kindly update the discussion if you need further assistance with it.

Thanks,

Srishti