Seriously, Adobe. Stop messing with my workflow. Pantone swatch library missing 2024

[williamr13652308]

Since licensing issues with Pantone, the swatchbooks have been absent for 2023 and 2024. I backed up my 2022 Pantone library, imported it into 2023 and worked just fine. I come to my computer, found illustrator updated to 2024 without my prompt, and the library is gone. I import my swatch backup library and the library appears, but there are no colors available. It's just blank. I am now reverting to a previous version but this is highly frustrating as I come in to my office and need to do rush work only to have to deal with this. In the world of print and design, the pantone swatch book is essential. I don't care if I have to load a back up, but the back up NEEDS to work.

[Monika Gause]

I can't see issues loading a Pantone Solid swatches library in Illustrator. Are you sure that your backup is not corrupted? 

[williamr13652308]

I just reverted to 2023 and the Pantone library works so I'm fairly certain the back up is not corrupted. I'll be more than happy using 2023 and several months down the line I may see if the issue sorted itself out so I don't have any more surprises in the morning.

[Ton Frederiks]

To make sure you have them working in 2024 and future versions:

Go the Illustrator 2023 Application folder > Presets > (your language folder) > Swatches > Color Books > and make a copy of PANTONE+ Solid Coated.acb and PANTONE+ Solid Uncoated.acb 

Keep them in a safe place and copy them to the same location in the Illustrator 2024 application folder.

[Monika Gause]

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@williamr13652308  schrieb:

 and several months down the line I may see if the issue sorted itself out 

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It won't. Pantone doesn't want their libraries in Adobe apps anymore. So you should make copies of the libraries.

BTW: this forum is 95% volunteers. We're trying to help. We can't change the apps or policies or anything.

[annethl85989667]

Hello,

Just wanted to add to the conversation, but hopefully this may be of some use:

First off, turn off auto-update and check your settings to make sure that Adobe isn't removing older versions of your programs. You'll need these to pull any Pantone libraries pre 2022 (PS + Illutrator + InDesign should all come pre-loaded).  I'm just going to copy/paste what I wrote to my IT guy because my company isn't going to pay something that already has a workaround:

1. Go into Applications + Adobe app 2024 or 2023 that is missing the Pantone library
2. Go to Presets
3. Create folder and name it Color Books (enter admin credentials to edit name if needed)
4. Got into an Adobe app older than 2022 (I used Photoshop 2020)
5. Go to Presets
6. Go to Color Books, find files all starting with PANTONE.
7. Highlight all pantone files +  Copy
8. Return to your Color Books folder in the 2023/2024 app and Paste to upload files into folder
9. Open up application
10. For Illustrator, user will need to import library section by section. In swatch palette, open up menu, go to Open Swatch Library, and Scroll down to Other Library (very bottom)
11.  Find your Library (or folder, which should be called Color Books)
12.  Pantone libraries should now appear. Highlight and select (remember, you can't select multiple libraries at once, it can only be one at a time)
13.  Library should now be active in your workspace. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: This method does not make the libraries permanent. This only makes them temporarily active when you are using the application, so everytime you shut down and restart, you need to repeat this method. It sucks, there's probably a more effecient way of going about it, but it beats having to pay for a product that doesn't function at all.

[Bobby Henderson]

The Pantone color books in my installation of Adobe Illustrator are not affected by shutting down and rebooting the computer. Further, they're not affected by point-release updates (such as the recent v28.3 update of Illustrator). I only need to copy/paste the ACB files into the appropriate color books program folder when installing a new whole version number update of Illustrator.

[TJSearl]

This is what I've found as well.  Illustrator has, thus far, preserved them.  However, I seem unable to load Pantone's old .acb files into Photoshop via "Color > Import Swatches..." .  Ditto dragging them into the Presets Color Swatches folder.  In either case, Pantone's swatches, exclusively, are unavailable. 

[TJSearl]

Update: Tried both the Swatch and Book folder to no avail, if anyone is wondering.

[TJSearl]

Update Update...ok, they are there!  Was loading them from the wrong place.  I rarely use them in PS.  But can still drag them into the Color Book folder and access them from the color picker.

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

Drag them in the Color Books folder instead of Color Swatches

[TJSearl]

Yeah, thanks I figured out my mistake when I saw the file type my screenshot.  I only ever use them in AI really.  Appreciate the help, tho!  So yes, everyone, does still work. 

[Ton Frederiks]

Good to hear it works (saw you posted your solution a few secomds before I did)

[darleneseale]

Thank you so much for providing this answer for all of us. I use photoshop and awhile back I saved the color books to an external drive folder. (whew! Smart,  it turns out.) Using your directions above along with the various replies, I was able to copy and paste the color books into my current version of PSD 23-24. I haven't updated to the very latest yet because I wanted to try this first. It all worked! Yay! When I pasted the color books, they appeared in my swatches automatically. Then I closed PSD and reopened it to see if they were still there. They were! Yay again. Perhaps the info that I would have to reload them each time I open PSD was for Illustrator? So I'm just encourageing PSD users to try this and see if it works for them. I've been using Freetone and am really grateful for that wonderful workaround. If you don't have Pantone color books from an earlier version of PSD, try Freetone. At least you will have something nearly as powerful and given to us as a gift from the artist community. Thanks again for everyone's help. This community is awesome!

[Ton Frederiks]

You can have multiple versions of Illustrator installed.

There is still one version that you can download that has the libraries.

Install an older version of Illustrator: 2023 (27.0), this is the last version that has the old Pantone Color books.

In the Creative Cloud app select Apps > All Apps > Illustrator > click the 3 dots …  next to the Open button >  click Other Versions and select 27.0

Go the Illustrator 2023 Application folder > Presets > (your language folder) > Swatches > Color Books > and make a copy of PANTONE+ Solid Coated.acb and PANTONE+ Solid Uncoated.acb

Keep them in a safe place and copy them to the same location in the Illustrator 2024 application folder.

If you have a Photoshop license, you can install Photoshop 22.2.

Then, open Photoshop 2021 Application folder > Presets > Color Books and you will find the PANTONE color books, so copy it to Illustrator's Color Books folder.

[Katie McVea]

Couldnt agree more. So frustrated right now.