Eraser tool and simplification

[Sorontar]

Probably age old question here, but why  eraser tool simplifies objects?
It is often completely useless. What if photoshop eraser tool would recolor  pixels that were not erased?
Is there any solution or is it not possible to program such a tool?

[Mylenium]

This is how vector math works. Could there be improvements? sure, but even then it's simply not always possible to recalculate new shapes and keep them stable. In such cases it is better to use Pathfinder and other tools that employ other mathematical techniques to produce new contours.

Mylenium

[Sorontar]

What about lines. It could just cut lines like scissor tool from the points where it is erased.

[Doug A Roberts]

Can you give an example? I'm sure you're correct as the eraser tool is an awkward beast, but I'd like to see what you mean specifically.

[Sorontar]

Right shape is now ruined. 

[Doug A Roberts]

Seems like a pretty obvious problem, but I can only find one uservoice post:

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/45560098-proble...

I have asked about it on prerelease and tried to flesh out the bug here:
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/46071628-eraser...

Please add your vote.

[Met1]

I thought this was going to be an easy answer, just replace the eraser tool with a shape and then Pathfinder→Minus Front, but it then decides to close the shape!

If it's a line, it's easy to select the end point with the Direct Selection Tool then either manually move it or use Transform, (or add in a point then delete the "tail") but a better eraser tool would be nice...

[Sorontar]

Only 5 people find it important. Please go and vote in User Voice. https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/45560098-proble...

I want erasing line to be 2 clicks. Eraser tool and then draggin mouse/pen to erase stuff.
Currently it works with selecting scrissors, clicking 1-2 times per line, selecting the lines with mouse and pressing delete. 

Would be even better if I can tick box for deleting outlines of shapes they were not shapes. Resulting cut lines.

[Kurt Gold]

The Eraser tool is and has always been pretty ham-handed when handling open unfilled paths. Then it tends to deform paths in unpredictable ways.

If precision matters in that case, using other pathfinder techniques (Pathfinder, Shape Builder tool, Shaper tool, Live Paint) would be a better choice.

[Sorontar]

I gotta ask straight. What other vector program would you recommend me switching to for proper line erasing.
Affinity Designer, corel draw?

Let's say I have long line that need 10 gaps. It should be one click and on tablet and moving around my tablet pen quickly and done. In Illustrator it is interesting: cut line with scissor tool 20 times and select each line segments and click delete for each. How this is not major issue?

How difficult it would be to write custom plugin for Illustrator for having proper eraser tool?

[Monika Gause]

What kind of line is it? straight line? Or curve? If it's a curve, usr the path eraser tool (in a tool group with the pencil)

[Sorontar]

Please upvote the problem on the uservoice post below. Illustrator basically has no eraser tool for lines at the moment and needs one. It simplifying lines when erasing is as absurd if in Photoshop you erase pixels and it always displaces pixels somewhere outside erasing area. 

It is not a vector math problem. If pathfinder and scissor tool does not simplify then eraser can also not-simplify lines.

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/46071628-eraser...