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alexr83538835
Participating Frequently
June 22, 2017
Answered

Pressure settings on calligraphic brush no longer available, ongoing problem since 2011?

  • June 22, 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 12413 views

I have recently discovered an issue within Adobe illustrator relating to the pressure option in brush settings.

For several months now I have been using my Wacom Intuos tablet with Illustrator without issue until last night. I usually create a new calligraphic brush and set the size option from fixed to pressure, I use this along with the blob brush tool using the same setting and switch between the two brushes to line and fill artwork. Last night when switching from one to the other I realised the pressure setting was unresponsive, I opened the brush setting thinking it may need to be reset only to find all brush options greyed out except fixed and random. I was too tired at the time so I shut down and hoped the problem would be rectified in the morning.

Today I have spent around 5 hours uninstalling and updating programs, drivers and software for both creative cloud, illustrator and wacom tablet. I am now running the latest version of a clean install of illustrator CC, and have uninstalled all wacom programmes from my computer to reinstall Wacom desktop center and an up to date driver. Details below:

Wacom - Windows - Driver 6.3.22-6

Adobe Illustrator - 2017.1.0 Release - 21.1.0(64bit)

I have looked up various forums and support sites trying to find a resolve to this problem and I am shocked that this issue appears to go back as far as 2011 in some posts and there is no official support on the issue. The solves all seem to be a trial and error of deleting and installing the illustrator program and wacom drivers until it works again. At this rate I am now behind on work and the way I have enjoyed using the program that I pay for is now unavailable to me, this is extremely frustrating and I would really apreciate if someone has a genuine fix for this rather than to just keep messing about with uninstalls for the next several hours or days. 

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Mike_Gondek10189183

    Are you not able to change your size form fixed to Random??? Something must be corrupted and if you uninstall and do not use the Adobe cleaner you old prefs are still there. Rather than uninstall try this

    Reset Your Preferences.

    Cmd-Opt-Ctrl-Shift when restarting AI on a Mac or Alt-Crtl-Shift on a PC to reset to the defaults.

    More Thorough Reset Your Preferences.

    Quit Illustrator

    Finder >> Shift Command G

    ~/Library/Preferences/Adobe Illustrator 21 Settings/en_US*/Adobe Illustrator Prefs

    rename Adobe Illustrator 21 to Adobe Illustrator 21 old

    Reset Your Other Preferences

    Quit Illustrator

    Finder >> Shift Command G

    ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Illustrator 21/

    rename Adobe Illustrator 21 to Adobe Illustrator 21 old

    Press Win+R -> appdata -> Roaming -> Adobe -> rename folder Adobe Illustrator 20 (or 21) Settings to any other name.

    3 replies

    T
    T Macker
    Known Participant
    October 5, 2019

    2019 and this is still a problem for me. I have a note taped on my monitor with SHIFT+ALT+COMMAND written on it to remind me to reset the prefs in IL when the pressure sensitivity vanishes from Illustrator. Mac user. Been battling this for years now. No fix in sight that I am aware of. Once I've saved all I'm working on, I simply quit IL, then re-start holding the above key combo. Works most of the time. Then I go back and re-open the files I was working on and proceed as if nothing ever happened. Adobe still removes my monthly rent for CC without fail, without apology, and without the promise that this (and many other software glitches) will ever be fixed. I've given up doing any more battles with them, I get nowhere, and it takes too much time. Just shut up and take it is the best course of action.

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 5, 2019
    Please tell us about your system and input hardware.
    T
    T Macker
    Known Participant
    October 5, 2019

    27" IMac - Mojave 10.14.5. 3.5GHz Intel Core i7. 23.0.6 on IL. Yes there is one version newer, but why risk it? Wacom Intuos PTK-640 tablet. I'm using a back dated driver for the Wacom due to incompatablilites with mac OS.

    A
    alexr83538835Author
    Participating Frequently
    June 26, 2017

    Thank you for all your advice, I called the UK support team this morning and was advised that Illustrator is not designed to be compatible with other pointing devices and that there was no support that could be offered in my situation. I then used the chat support and had a very helpful support staff take control of the computer and fix the issue. Basically did everything you suggested and that I had done before but clearly with far more experience than I had. She refreshed the preferences, removed all the illustrator 18-21 folders in appdata, updated the drivers for my tablet. Took about an hour even for her trial and error but that is what eventually worked. if anyone has this problem in the future I would suggest just using the chat service.

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Mike_Gondek10189183Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 26, 2017

    Glad to hear you got this resolved.

    Can you clarify  "other pointing devices" are you saying yours is not made by Wacom.

    A
    alexr83538835Author
    Participating Frequently
    June 26, 2017

    I am using Wacom Intuos Pro and also tested on Wacom Intuos Pen and Touch with same issue.

    The woman was referring to any other device pointing device other than a  standard mouse. She asked me to disconnect the pointer tool (tablet) and try using the mouse. When I explained the problem to her about four times she just continued to tell me that Illustrator doesn't support other pointer tools other than the mouse so I shouldn't be using one anyway and that my problem wasn't something that could be fixed. I asked her about guiding me me through removing of preferences as I felt that was where the fault was, she told me that there was no problem with the application or the preferences and that it was just because my device was not supported by the application. She obviously had no understanding of the problem or the application and possibly no technical knowledge at all.. or she was having a bad monday and couldn't be bothered. 

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Mike_Gondek10189183Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 22, 2017

    You typed up some extra information, but did not show your settings. >.<

    Are you getting pressure sensitivity in other programs working?

    A
    alexr83538835Author
    Participating Frequently
    June 22, 2017

    Yes pen pressure is picked up in Photoshop with no issues, strangely on opening previous documents the brush tool does recognise pen pressure although faulty (lagging?). Trying to edit the brush setting withing old documents still results in the same problem pressure can not be selected.

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Mike_Gondek10189183Community ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    June 22, 2017

    Are you not able to change your size form fixed to Random??? Something must be corrupted and if you uninstall and do not use the Adobe cleaner you old prefs are still there. Rather than uninstall try this

    Reset Your Preferences.

    Cmd-Opt-Ctrl-Shift when restarting AI on a Mac or Alt-Crtl-Shift on a PC to reset to the defaults.

    More Thorough Reset Your Preferences.

    Quit Illustrator

    Finder >> Shift Command G

    ~/Library/Preferences/Adobe Illustrator 21 Settings/en_US*/Adobe Illustrator Prefs

    rename Adobe Illustrator 21 to Adobe Illustrator 21 old

    Reset Your Other Preferences

    Quit Illustrator

    Finder >> Shift Command G

    ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Illustrator 21/

    rename Adobe Illustrator 21 to Adobe Illustrator 21 old

    Press Win+R -> appdata -> Roaming -> Adobe -> rename folder Adobe Illustrator 20 (or 21) Settings to any other name.

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