Same HEX code looks different in identical RGB ai.-files

[Kristine5EFC]

Hello

I've stumbled upon a bug which will make designers go completely insane.....
In short: Pasting a shape with HEX-code #21757a from one ai document to another will change the HEX-code to #26878d. Manually entering #21757a means the colour changes completely!

Link to screen recording and my voice over:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NgHdrLMGsrMhNPVH6zdLzquEgUoxMiIP/view?usp=sharing

Problem in writing here:

I have one HEX-colour I'm working with #21757a and I have two ai-files open at the same time (In Illustrator 2021), and the two identical files are both in RGB.

If I paste a shape with the Hex-colour 21757a from document tab 1 to the document tab 2, the code changes to #26878d. If I in document tab 2 manually enter the original code #21757a, the shape changes colour to a much darker tone. If I then paste this box back into document tab 1, the HEX has changed yet again to #1c6367.

This exact problem also happens when pasting a shape with #21757a from Illustrator to a photoshop file (same color settings as illustrator).

I need help with this weird bug. This makes me look bad in front of clients, because they are saying the colours look different from the original. I thought I had made a mistake (even though I knew I hadn't because I had been so careful to make sure I was using the correct colour code.

Please help.

Thanks

[LinSims]

Let me move this to the Illustrator forum for you, which is the appropriate forum for your question.

The Using the Community forum is for help in using the Adobe Support Community forums, not for help with specific programs. Product questions should be posted in the associated product community.

[Kristine5EFC]

Ok Thank you.

I lost a whole working day dealing with this issue. I am self employed and have an important presentation in a few days. This cost me 1 day of working time in preparation for that presentation. This issue was for a different client. But I can't bill the client for technical problems. So who should pay for this? In my eyes, Adobe should.

[Doug A Roberts]

I can only make this happen if I have different colour profiles assigned to each document.

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

This happens when the RGB or CMYK profiles are different between documents.

You can turn on the option (at the bottom of your window) to view the  Document Color Profile to see if it is the same in both documents.

You may also turn on the warning options in Edit > Color Settings.

[Kristine5EFC]

Thanks for your replies.

I don't understand how they are different if I created them both in the same way......

Which colour profile is the correct one to use to make sure everything looks the same when exported out as jpgs and HEX-code is used on the website?

Is it sRGB IEC61966-2.1 or Generic RGB?

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

Creating a New RGB document will give you a document with the profile from your Color Settings.

But if you Open an image in Illustrator, it will get the document profile from the image. 

Generic RGB is certainly not the right one , sRGB is a proper working space and intended for web use.

[Kristine5EFC]

Ok thanks. That's makes sense I guess, but I always thought that where you change colour settings is cmd+shift+K (Edit – Color Settings), and I didn't even know about that hidden and invisible option at the bottom of the window...... This should be moved somewhere where designers can actually find it. Like under Edit menu there should be two options. Change overall Color Settings or Document Color Settings.

[Monika Gause]

It's our job as designers tolearn about how color management works.

The application color settings interact withthe document color profile.

I feel you: this isreally though stuff. But it's been there for the last 20 years and it won't go away. It's present in all (!) modern publishing software and it works no matter whether you have it set up appropriately or whether you ignore it or actively use it. So you need to actively use it in order to control it and not let it control you and ruin your day.