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ButchVA
Known Participant
May 5, 2017
Question

Where to put custom default swatch document Mac OS?

  • May 5, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 3788 views

Every time I upgrade I lose my default Pantone swatch spot color palette.  Tech support chat had no clue you could even do that (even though I've had one since AI Version 2.0 in 1990).  I went here:

How to configure default swatches in Illustrator CC?

But this doesn't work.  I've upgraded to AI 2017, and no matter where I put the AI document with my default swatches, I get the standard CMYK palette. 

Anyone got specific instructions on how to do that?

Thanks

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    2 replies

    Ton Frederiks
    Ton Frederiks
    Community Expert
    May 5, 2017

    If you have an .ai file that contains your Pantone colors in the Swatches panel, you can open that .ai file from the Swatches panel > Open Swatch Library and it will open as a custom libray.

    If you want to have those swatches when you open a new document, you will need to create a New Document Profile as described in the link  you mentioned.

    Unfortunately these custom new document profiles are not easy to access with the new Start Workspace, but they can be seen when you select the "Use legacy "File New" interface" in the General Preferences.

    Michael Riordan
    Michael Riordan
    Inspiring
    May 5, 2017

    Hi Butch

    Have you tried the new(ish) CC Libraries? You can create a new CC library, call it "Custom Pantones" or some such and save your swatches there. Those should stick with your Adobe ID no matter what upgrade may come or go.

    Hope that helps

    Michael

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    ButchVAAuthor
    Known Participant
    May 5, 2017

    Right, but where do I put my custom document?  I've had the same custom swatch document for almost 20 years, and every time I upgrade I have to reinstall it.  But exactly where I put it has changed, and I can never remember or find it again.  I followed the steps in the link I put in my OP, but it simply doesn't work.  All I get is the basic AI CMYK swatch palette.

    Michael Riordan
    Michael Riordan
    Inspiring
    May 6, 2017

    Butch I'm not sure if we're connecting on the CC Libraries so just to clarify, You've been looking for where to put your swatches file in the Illustrator Application folder (which it appears you have found) but what I was suggesting was to avoid all of that and create a new CC Library. That's a new feature, you can access the panel from the Window menu in Illustrator and it allows you to save colors, text, objects, etc for easy access wherever you sign in with your Adobe ID. So you don't have to go out to the Mac finder at all.

    Just offering it up as an alternative to the process you've been going through for years. Doing this once should keep you protected against future updates since the color swatches will be associated with your Adobe ID rather than your Mac's Illustrator folder.

    Sorry if this is already obvious to you, not trying to be pushy, just trying to make sure we're connecting.

    Cheers

    Michael

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