vector shape stroke in pixels in photoshop is points in illustrator

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
November 23, 2022
3 replies
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apologizing up front for crossposting this here and the Photoshop ecosystem [https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/vector-shape-stroke-in-pixels-in-photoshop-is-points-in-illustrator/idi-p/13367684] — I don't know within which program the issue lies.

I have vector shape objects in a PSD that have a fill and stroke. The stroke is set to 8 pixels in Photoshop, and I don't see a way to change that to any other units.

My issue is when I bring that file into Illustrator, all the strokes are converted to points — but the values stay the same. That is, they come in with strokes of 8 points where they were only 8 pixels (at 600 dpi) in Photoshop.

I don't see a way to set a stroke on a vector shape to a unit other than pixels. And I don't see a way to set the units on bringing the files into Illustrator so 8 px doesn't become 8 pts. My Preferences in Illustrator, Units > Stroke are set to Pixels.

I've tried doing community and support searches, but I keep getting results for "how to bring Illustrator art into Photoshop" or how to draw paths or vectors. In other words, nothing helpful.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Looks like if you change the resolution in Photoshop to 72 ppi while keeping the same amount of pixels (do not check Resample in Image Size), the shape size and stroke size will be the same in Illustrator.

D

David Cardillo, PRHAuthor

Inspiring

wow, that's an excellent discovery.

Here's an issue with merely implementing that:

I have pages for a graphic novel. There are art layers, and there are shape layers (balloons) and type layers. Our process is taking out the type and vector layers and resaving them in Illustrator. (They remain crisp vectors, not rastered, and the text stays live type in the exported PDF.)

The issue is my 14" file at 300 dpi is now 58.333" at 72. It makes it more difficult to reposition the text/vector art back on top of the raster art in the layout in ID.

anyone know a way to change the default AI resolution from 72dpi to higher?

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

This is a graphic novel. I have images with art layers (that are being color corrected) and type and vector layers (word balloons).

In addition to ensuring the type is all 100% K only (much of it comes RGB) we want to keep the type editable, clean, sharp edges (not rastered), and remain live text through export to PDF. (Assistive devices, word counts, foreign language editions.)

Typically this works without issue with text layers. (Unless the type came from something like Procreate or Clip Studio, but that's another issue.)

I have an artist taking advantage of the vector shapes to create scalable, editable, black-only text bubbles. I want to preserve them, and not burn cutouts into the art behind them.

The type and vectors are opened in Illustrator, saved as AI files, them positioned over the art layers in an InDesign file.

This process works without issue for around 90% of the files we get. We can automate most of it, taking much of the heavy lifting off the design staff.

When issues like this come up (like 3rd-party apps using a different type engine) it throws a wrench in the works, and someone who's already done hours of work is looking at doing hours more to fix it.

It is confusing, like you remarked, vector shapes can only have px as unit while type can have either pixels or points.

Photoshop will adjust the numbers for type when resolution or units changes, but does not for vector shapes:

Photoshop Example: Image resolution, 288 ppi

Type > 40 pt changes to 160 px when the units in Preferences are changed from Points to Pixels

When the image resolution is changed from 288 ppi to 72 ppi (without resampling, keeping the same number of pixels) 160 px remains 160 px

Type > 40 pt, units for Type in Preferences are points

When the image resolution is changed from 288 ppi to 72 ppi (without resampling, keeping the same number of pixels) 40 pt becomes 160 pt

Would it be better when the images are placed as links in Illustrator, the text and vector balloons created with Illustrator tools and the file saved as PDF with the linked images layer hidden?

D

David Cardillo, PRHAuthor

Inspiring

might have something to do with this:

the PSD in PS is over 4200 pixels wide @ 300 dpi

brought in to AI it comes in at just over 1000 pixels. (Document Raster Effects settings is 300 dpi)

the test file I just created with a 6px stroke in PS is still 6 px in AI, it's just that the file in AI is 1/4 the resolution, so that 6 px stroke is 4x thicker.