Global edit problem

[toymaker1]

When I select 'Start Global Edit' I get a message saying, cannot find similar objects, adjust filters and try again. I have attached a screenshot, showing multiple images of a horse, which I want to edit. I do not know how to do this. Grateful for any advice.

[Doug A Roberts]

Are the horses all copies of each other?

Can you open the horse group to show its contents?

[toymaker1]

Doug. Thanks for your response.

I have attached screenshot showing inside of horse-1 layer. The horses are all copies of one drawing with the pencil tool.

[Doug A Roberts]

So it's a sublayer containing all the individual paths?

Doesn't look like Global Edit works with just a sublayer. Try grouping the contents of each horse sublayer and trying again.

[toymaker1]

OK Thanks. - I will try that.

[toymaker1]

OK Thanks. - I will try that.

[toymaker1]

I have attached screenshot showing horse sub-layers grouped. - doesn't seem to work.

[Doug A Roberts]

Have you grouped all the other horse sublayers?

[toymaker1]

Good point. - I will group the others.

[Monika Gause · Accepted solution]

The groups will need to have the exact same structure in all the copies. Same stacking order etc.

But on top of that, I have seen Global edit fail with much simpler objects. If e.g. pixel snapping is turned on, you might get some minor changes in your objects with each copy and then Illustrator will not recognize them anymore.

[Kurt Gold]

Can you share a sample Illustrator file (.ai) with your horses?

There may be various reasons why editing them globally can fail, so it would be helpful to take a look at a sample file.

[Robin37418158g2dn]

Same problem with a simple shape on a layer and global edit won't work. Quicker to cut,>edit>reflect>join again. I've spent 1/2 hour on this. 

[Kurt Gold]

Your screenshot does not clarify much.

You may want to share a sample file for inspection.

[Robin37418158g2dn]

It actually it does. It shows the shape, the layers, and the message I got. I had to move on and no longer have the file in this state. It was much easier to use the scissors, split it edit half and rejpoin the mirrored copy. Took a few minutes as opposed to the 1/2 hour + I spent trying to solve this.  Apparently unless the 2 items are separate shapes, Global Edit does not work on one solid shape. 

[Kurt Gold]

Well, your screenshot merely shows one object on one (unexpanded) layer in the Layers palette.

That's just not sufficient to interpret your problem.