The new properties panel is a disappointment

[ofriporat]

So the recently updated Illustrator has an update to the properties panel: “The new Properties panel in Illustrator lets you view settings and controls in the context of your current task or workflow.”

I’ve been waiting for a long long time to see these panel enhancements, but somehow Adobe managed to screw it up anyway. The panels still show you properties even if nothing is selected. So you can tweak them all you want, just to notice you’re actually not modifying anything.

In addition the new properties panel doesn’t make other panels obsolete as it doesn’t include all necessary object properties. Stroke caps, element distribution options etc still need to be modified via their own panels, or optionally by opening additional properties from the ellipsis icons. This is counter productive as I'm forced to look around for the property in need to tweak.

So eventually all this means the new properties panel doesn't fix any workflow or usability problems. If anything it creates more of them as the panel set requires more real estate. These issues are just a small part of the Adobe Illustrator usability/compatibility issues that have been overlooked by it's dev team.

Dear Adobe Illustrator team, please focus on the UX part of the tool or risk losing your subscribers on an even faster rate.

[Monika Gause]

If you want the team to notice this, post it to http://illustrator.uservoice.com

[jane-e]

ofriporat  wrote

The panels still show you properties even if nothing is selected. So you can tweak them all you want, just to notice you’re actually not modifying anything.

Be sure to set your Workspace to Essentials Classic if you don't like the new Essentials. Also, note the ... ellipses to expand the Properties panel if you are using it.

And yes, the Appearance panel has always shown appearances with nothing selected, and users (especially new users) have always made changes with nothing selected and then had to repeat the steps. Nothing new there!

I'm with you. I am using Essentials Classic. And I want more room for my Layers and Appearance panel and less room for Properties. But like Monica says, the user voice is where the Adobe Illustrator team listens and the Adobe Illustrator users vote. Do a search for Properties panel.

[Om Nath Jha]

Hi ofriporat,

The "Properties Panel" is a new feature and I do believe there's scope of improvement. Thanks for sharing your feedback. As suggested by Monika, please feel free to share your feedback here Adobe Illustrator Feedback

Regards,

Om

[barbara_a]

I know this is an old post, but wanted to say that I'm in agreement with ofriporat. I've already voted on uservoice.

The Properties panel always seems to be in the way. I find the Control panel much more convenient and efficient.

[JETalmage]

Those who never had opportunity to get accustomed to FreeHand's Inspector-based interface don't know what they're missing: Everything you need to know or set about a selection in one elegantly tidy palette.

As I've long argued, a so-called "properties panel" like Illustrator's is kind of schizophrenic in that it can't decide whether it's for showing tool options, object properties, or both. The result is confusion for the beginner and unnecessary tedium for the rest.

JET