Troubleshooting Isolation Mode when editing Text Effect graphics in AI 2023

[actor7]

I recently upgraded to AI 2023 from an older version. I am working with Text Effect graphics from a graphic website. In the past, I would bring up the Text Effect word on AI, click on it, which gave me a cursor, and I could re-edit the Text Effect with my own text. In the new AI version, I click on the word and it goes into some king of Isolation Mode, and I cannot figure out now how to edit the Text Effect word. Any help?

[Ton Frederiks]

What does the Appearance panel show you?

[Preran]

Did you check if the Text you are trying to edit is grouped or masked, which is causing it to enter isolation mode when you click on it.

To edit the text inside a group or mask, you can enter isolation mode by double-clicking on the group or mask. This should allow you to edit the individual elements inside the group or mask.

Once you're in isolation mode, you should be able to select the text and edit it with your own text. To exit isolation mode, click the Exit Isolation Mode button in the top-left corner of the workspace or press the Esc key on your keyboard.

If this doesn't work, you could try ungrouping the Text Effect word to make it easier to edit. To do this, select the Text Effect word, and then go to the Object menu and choose Ungroup. This should break apart the Text Effect word into individual elements that you can edit separately.

Let me know if this solution worked for you.

[actor7]

Ungrouping didn't help. I am not looking to re-edit each layer, that would take forever! In my older version of AI, I clicked on the word, and a cursor would pop up. I could type in a new word, and it would make the new word with all of the layers together, no problem. I click on it not and it automatically throws it into that mode which starts changing the appearance of the word. This used to be so easy and quick. 

[Ton Frederiks]

I see Effect in Styles in your Layers panel.

What does happen ifyou have some text selected with the pointer selection tool and use a style from the Styles panel?

[actor7]

I can change the style of the text, but I am still trying to establish how to change the word.

[actor7]

Strike that. I can change Text Effects that I created before the AI update, but not anything since then. So when I bring up the word in the photo above, there is not Font selection available in the Appearance table,

[actor7]

[actor7]

This is an example of a Text Effect AI file I had from before the upgrade. You can see the cursor from where I clicked on the word, and the font descrption on the panel. 

[Ton Frederiks]

And if you type some new text and use the Graphic Styles panel?

[actor7]

I can do that with "Sean" but not "Cocunut" (the new AI version). I don't get a cursor or style option with that word. 

[Ton Frederiks]

Show your graphic styles panel please, as well as your appearance panel and the readable expanded layers panel with the Coconut object selected.

[actor7]

Is this what you meant? The Layers apnel? 

[Ton Frederiks]

Thanks, unfortunately, although the layer name says "Effect in Graphic Styles" I cannot detect one... 

[actor7]

Here is the Appearance Tab and Graphic Style Tabs. Note: The graphics tab does not change, even if the item is deleted, so I am not sure it is actually linked to the item.

[Russell24752181af76]

It sounds like the text has been converted to 'outline'. This is a one-way process am afraid. I've had the same issue with templates....sure people do it on purpose to stop templates from being used easily. 

YOu can try it out on a new doc...use convert to outline in the text window and you will see...

There are tools out there (Vector Aid) to turn it back, but it's not cheap.