Illustrator: rough edges and shape builder

[Kristin5D34]

I was working on a project in Illustrator and part of my design has really jagged edges. I'm not really sure why, but I used the shape builder tool a lot and am wondering if that has something to do with it? Also, my design was supposed to be on a 7 X 2.5 page but the pen tool wasn't really working at that size so I started another bigger document and worked on it there and then moved it to the other document and scaled it down. Wondering if that had something to do with it. Does anyone know what caused this?

[Kristin5D34]

Pls help if you know I am a college student and this is a significant part of my grade 😞

[Jacob Bugge]

Kristin,

The long answer is Ctrl/Cmd+E (hold Ctrl or Cmd and press E).

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

Kristin,

When you have (more) time, you can read some of the smalltalk as follows.

Ctrl/Cmd+E toggles between GPU and CPU Preview, GPU causing the issue; you can always toggle back.

This is what GPU is about:

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/gpu-performance-preview-improvements.html

Graphics cards are included in the system requirements:

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/system-requirements.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/system-requirements/earlier-versions.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/system-requirements-old-versions.html

Apart from an inadequate card, issues can be caused by lack of driver updating, lack of proper recognition of the card by the computer, and whatnot (including rifts in the space time, moon, weather, and the fact that Illy sometimes moves in mysterious ways).

Here are a few more pages about GPU troubleshooting:
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/gpu-performance-errors-troubleshooting-workarounds.html
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/illustrator-gpu-performance-driver-update.html

[Kristin5D34]

Thank you Jacob!

[Jacob Bugge]

You are welcome, Kristin.