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

[alexr83538835]

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. 

[Mike_Gondek]

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

Are you getting pressure sensitivity in other programs working?

[alexr83538835]

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_Gondek · Accepted solution]

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.

[alexr83538835]

Attempted the first fix to reset preferences, program started, I was prompted to allow changes to hard drive I agreed. Again only options to fixed or random (random is of absolutely no use to me.) I go to close the program and try fix 2 program has crashed and needs debugged.

[alexr83538835]

Also Im sure the uninstall cleared the preferences anyway. When I re installed and opened the program the workspace had returned to defaults.

[Mike_Gondek]

There is more than one location for the preferences as you can see from my post. Windows also has their infamous breeding ground for problems the  HKEYS.

To properly uninstall you must  Use the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems .

[alexr83538835]

Sorry had to take some time out from this I was getting so frustrated and I have also been busy with other things. I followed your advice and renamed the preferences I also ran the creative cloud cleaner on Illustrator and deleted and installed it a further two times. Problem remains no pen pressure is detected at all in illustrator. I am at my wits end with this now and am going to be calling support on monday, Thank you for trying.

[Mike_Gondek]

I had a problem with my wacom where my computer would not go to sleep if that was connected. wacom sent me an email on who to uninstall, and then a list of fuel to manually remove, and that fixed my computer. In summary what am saying is to contact wacom, and they may likely have you uninstall as their installers do not do a good job of removing previous drivers so the remnants can conflict.

[alexr83538835]

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_Gondek]

Glad to hear you got this resolved.

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

[alexr83538835]

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. 

[T Macker]

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]

Please tell us about your system and input hardware.

[T Macker]

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.

[Monika Gause]

And which input device?

[T Macker]

see above edited

[Monika Gause]

So it's an older tablet?

[T Macker]

yes. but like I've stated in the past, this has been a problem for me for a couple years now I would imagine. 2 different Wacoms, A Cintiq 16, which just got returned. It wouldn't matter if I even have a tablet plugged in, the controller grays out the options. Thus a software issue.

[Monika Gause]

Have you ever been in contact with customer care about this?

Edit: there have been similar issues if I remember correctly that instead of restarting the computer could be solved by selecting one of the Wacom 6D brushes from the library.

[T Macker]

I do not recall if I dealt with customer care on this issue. I believe I dealt with them with all of the PS issues I was having. Brushes unable to convert to erasers, etc. That all started with some of their software updates. When I search the issue with the brush settings, I find that it is a widespread reported issue. I'm not the only one. And the restart trick and re-set prefs is a band-aid fix. Just like setting your paint brush to 'clear' to get it to work like an eraser in PS.

[T Macker]

to be clear, I don't restart the computer, just Illustrator ... while holding those keys down, Shift, Alt, Command (on a mac)

[Monika Gause]

THat erases your preferences. Try if it works to just select one of those Wacom 6D-brushes. I have never seen that issue with my Intuos 3

[T Macker]

Yes it does. That's where the problem is, the prefs. Next time it does it, I'll try grabbing one of the Wacom 6D and see if that works. I keep workspace settings saved, so when I do have to re-start IL so frequently, I can go back to my preferred work setup. However it is still a ridiculous PITA to have to do it so often. I have had this issue with Intuos 3 and 4, and as I mentioned the Cintiq. Also on a completly different mac system, with an Intuos.

[T Macker]

February, 2020. Latest version of IL installed 24.0.3 and still having to reset prefs, re-start IL in order to get a working brush with pressure sensitive stroke. I still maintain it's a bug in the software. One that will probably never be fixed. Now I have a new iPad, 2nd Generation Pencil and Procreate. This little program leaves IL in the dust but of course I'm creating raster rather than vector. I'll draw in Procreate, bring it into IL and vectorize. Even that is easier than having to reset prefs in IL to get what I want.