How can I move two or more anchor points by numbers?

[markus707]

I've used this all the time, but in recent versions of Illustrator (26.3.1) this doesn't work anymore:

- Example: I've got a rectangle - I'm selecting 2 anchor points and want them to move by editing the coordinates --> it always moves the whole object.

Same procedure with 1 anchor point works like expected --> I'm able to move one anchor point exactly by coordinates. As soon as I select more than one anchor point, the coordinats always refer to the object.

Is there a configuration, to set this back to the former behavior?

 

[Kurt Gold]

Can you remember the last Illustrator version that allowed that kind of movements of multiple selected anchor points with the Transform palette?

I just tried it in some older versions (CS5 and CS2) and both versions did not allow it. It only works with one selected anchor point.

As an alternative, you may just direct select your anchor points, hit the Enter key to open the Move dialog and use the desired settings there.

[markus707]

Hah, you are right, I now know, where I used this all the time: Indesign! In Indesign it IS possible, to exactly move a selection of anchor points by coordinates, in Illustrator it isn't.

[Jacob Bugge]

Markus,

You can Direct Select (after deselecting) and then move by numbers in the Object>Transform>Move window.

I believe that was what you did before, rather than using the (other) Transform way.

And what Kurt said.

Edit: I can see that I was late in seeing your reply; and overlooked the last paragraph by Kurt.

[markus707]

Problem with that is, that values are "relative" to the position, not absolute. So this functionality, that is already implemented in Indesign, would be a suggestion for improvement for Illustrator as well. I wonder how this could NOT be implemented given the time Illustrator exists already...

[rcraighead]

Are you thinking of "Transform: Move"? This works for me in Ai 2022.

[Kurt Gold]

There are some echoes in this thread.

[Jacob Bugge]

Right you are, Kurt; most certainly, ly, ly.

[markus707]

Anyways, thank you, you, you, you ...