Peter Villevoye
Community Expert
Peter Villevoye
Community Expert
Activity
‎May 09, 2024
06:48 AM
In the wonderful Style Reference section there are two sliders: for Visual Intensity and Strength. The difference betwee these two is unclear to me, also because the terms of both sliders seem quite the same to me.
Since it's impossible to let Firefly create the exact same image with just one single parameter altered, I can't tweak the sliders to test and understand the difference. It must be something very subtle.
It gets even funnier when you read the information in the popup about the Strength slider: "Control the fine-tuning with just a single button" (or something similar in your language). Well, then why are there two sliders ?
Who can shed some light on this ?
 
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‎Apr 12, 2024
01:39 AM
Thanks for the tip ! But the problematic files were both produced and optimized in the super-compatible version 1.4, so this should rule out any higher intelligence in content formats and codecs.
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‎Apr 12, 2024
01:23 AM
Well, my specific problem has vanished...
Having time to re-visit this problem and the offered insights, I tried to reproduce the erratic workflow, but it seems that it must have been some strange glitch. Images in newly created PDFs show up correctly now in the earlier mentioned misbehaving PDF viewers. I also noticed that the PDF producer version of Google Docs went up two notches, so maybe that killed the bug ?
Edit: I also tested to re-optimize the older files, and they still missed the images in certain viewers. So there probably has been a bug at the initial creation of those PDFs...
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‎Feb 22, 2024
05:42 AM
2 Upvotes
I tested some more, using Save as Smaller File and Save Optimized with an optimisation setting without the options for imagery checked. But the images are still disappearing and not re-appearing in Preview. (Mac OS 12.6.2, Acrobat 23.8.20533.0).
As a temporary work-around, I converted the PDF into a PDFa, and this at least brings the file size down quite a lot and still shows up correctly in Preview.
For anyone interested, I enclosed some files to test and tweak.
Note: the "original" PDF was too large to send. So I deleted the majority of pages with Preview. Nevertheless, the larger original and this smaller one misbehave in exactly the same way.
The larger PDF has the following Document Properties, revealing Skia/PDF m123 Google Docs Renderer as the PDF Producer:
 
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‎Feb 22, 2024
04:06 AM
1 Upvote
Same here, since this week ! Also, on a Mac.
Used Optimizing before on numerous files – no problem. But now they simply don't appear.
Images do show up in Acrobat and in Chrome, but not in Preview or Safari (probably due to their common engine). De- and re-installed Acrobat, but no improvement.
Then I thought: I created the original file with Google Docs. How about a plain vanilla PDF from InDesign ? And this turns out to retain its images after optimization ! So there might a some conflict with Google's compression scheme, not correctly being decoded and encoded again for Mac OS by Acrobat ?
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‎Feb 22, 2024
01:54 AM
That preference didn't make a difference. It had a good chance though, since .ai files are technically PDF files with just an ".ai" extension. So this setting might be involved in affecting the opening/importing of a symbol library. But unfortunately, it didn't.
Since I'm reluctant to supply my colleague's files to test the bevavior, I created some new and even much simpler files as an example, which reproduce the erratic behavior exactly, for anyone to try and tweak them.
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ieiyrap8w82y3aet22nv9/Scaling-Symbols.zip?rlkey=7ykgbmltdovaj5b2ndckyifv6&dl=0
01 - Start 8 meter.ai
The large size file (8 meter) containing the original star (2 meter) and the derived symbol
02 - Symbol Library.ai
Hence without artwork (still 8 meter), and containing just the symbols (star appears okay)
03 - Blank A4 file.ai
A new small size file (A4) in which I opened the library, and placed the star (0,2001 meter)
04 - Test in Library.ai
Copy of the Symbol Library file, with placed instance of its own star symbol (still 2 meter)
05 - Copied into A4.ai
Copy of A4 file, with copy/pasted original star and correct symbol (both now 2,0007 meter)
I'm beginning to become pretty sure that the scaling phenomena works somewhat okay in solitary files, but apart from exporting/importing PDF, it has not been fully tried and tested with regards to interchanging with auxilliary files and fragments like symbols. (I don't have the time to thoroughly test similar features and their behaviors like brushes, patterns, or CC Libraries, but I expect some trouble in those areas as well...)
Of course the work-around would be to create two libraries, derived from (and for separate use in) large and normal scale files. But I first want to make sure that this is the proper diagnose for the erratic behavior.
Another aspect is the shifting of sizes, probably due to rouding-off any calculations from points and inches (the standard in PostScript) to decimals in other measurements. This is also warned for as a "known issue" at the bottom of this FAQ: https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/large-sized-canvas-troubleshooting.html.
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‎Feb 21, 2024
09:06 AM
I'm trying to figure this out for a colleague, who gave me two files to test it with.
Using alt-keys while dragging doesn't affect the erratic nor normal behavior.
Copy/Paste a correct symbol from a large canvas to a small canvas, stays in correct size.
Copy/Paste an incorrect symbol from a small canvas to a large canvas, doesn't correct itself.
Screen 1: the Basis.ai-document (Large) in which the Symbols have been created.
Screen 2: the OSF Symbols.ai symbols file, also at 57 x 57 meters, without content.
Screen 3: an initially A4-sized new file, with a symbol at 1/10th of its intended size.
(Note how the symbols in this last screen also don't show their type anymore...)
While testing, I also got the impression that an open document's canvas setting may affect the behavior of any subsequently opened symbols file. But I'm not yet sure about that. It takes a lot of quitting and reopening files and libraries to test and verify all possible influences...
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‎Feb 21, 2024
07:44 AM
1 Upvote
Picture this: you drag elements from an artboard into the Symbols. They appear correct, when you reuse them in the same document. But when you save your symbols into a Library and drag symbols from that (reloaded) library into another file, they become 1/10th of their original size !
My guess is that it has something to do with the newer Large Canvas documents and their somewhat sloppily invented 10 X Scaling Factor approach. Perhaps the Library file is still saved as an old sized document, forgetting that the symbol sizes can be intended and expected to be 10 times bigger...
Am I on the track of a nasty bug, or can anyone shine another light on this ?
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‎Feb 13, 2024
01:27 PM
The Adobe spokesperson didn't just say they would stop investing in XD, they also said: "Adobe Inc. will end its effort to create a web design product to rival Figma Inc." This even sounds more general...
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‎Feb 01, 2024
06:15 PM
5 Upvotes
Not really a technical bug, but more a localisation flaw.
In the Dutch translation of Firefly 2, the "Movements" category of the Effects is translated as "Beweging". Please use "Kunststroming".
I'm also very curious to learn what the difference is between those Movements and Themes. How does Film Noir differ from Anime ?
And in Illustrator the Generative AI beta feature uses the term "Scène" to translate a "Scene", which is just wrong. Use "Omgeving".
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‎Sep 03, 2023
12:58 AM
Hey Dang, it's indeed a pity that this service is disappearing from Adobe's cloud workflow offerings. And you're not old school at all. In fact, you've been one of the relatively few users who have been understanding and using this service properly !
The other Adobe cloud services are only concerned about storing typical documents cloud-only from certain applications (like Photoshop and Illustrator), and then there's Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries, which is about syncing cloud-based design elements in projects (in stead of having files in folders) among almost all popular Adobe applications.
There's no Abobe branded alternative for exactly this file syncing approach, but there are many other brands offering similar services, even quicker, more robust, and with more useful features to be honest. The elephant in the room is of course DropBox, but there are also Google Drive, MS Drive, Apple iCloud, etcetera. Yes, they'll cost you an extra subscription, but you can try them all out for free, with a fair amount of storage space. And they all are also available through web interfaces, local folders on desktops and laptops, their own mobile apps, and even Apple's Files viewer on iOS-devices.
Personally, I like DropBox the best. It's super-speedy (due to their unique technology) and you can edit a lot of file types directly in their viewer on mobile devices. But I also like Google Drive's feature to be able to search inside files.
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‎Jun 30, 2023
05:12 AM
1 Upvote
Hi y'all 🙂 It has been a very long time since I've been here. Actually, I steered away from this XD community in 2020, because XD was (and still is) terribly falling behind tools like Figma. And then we had a thing called COVID, with more versions and speedy updates than we could ever wish. I hope to find you all in good health again. My thoughts about the future: Sketch is Game Over and if Adobe's acquistion of Figma is official, XD will soon die out. Figma will probably feature a nice import option, just like it already does for Sketch. No worries ! (And trust me: whipping up a Repeat Grid feature is peanuts for Figma.) Adobe didn't buy just a design tool, they can also tap in to Figma's in-depth knowledge with Electron, the open-source 'engine' behind the scenes, to let webtools like Figma, Miro, and Canva behave as snappy as native applications. They gain vast experience with cloud-based collaboration, an area in which Adobe's tools always failed. Imagine what this can mean to converting their popular tools and services finally into powerful web apps ! And this acquistion feels like a "now or never" chance for Adobe to shake off their decennia-long bad reputation in web and app design tools... For 20 billion, it can't be a wrong move, and they can't risk to ruin it.
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‎Jan 03, 2023
08:32 AM
Late to the party, but I have the similar problem, with one year older versions. I prefer to use Bridge CC 2022 (version 13 from the CC 2023 is far too buggy, unstable, and unpractical) and want to use some Extra tools in Bridge, like Load files into Photoshop Layers. And it tries to open Photoshop CC 2022. This is due tot the fact that it's not depending on the File Type Associations in the Preference – they're all set to Photoshop CC 2023). These are merely for opening files from the Content window. Neither are the system's file associations settings on my Mac responsible for the confusion. They're also set to Photoshop CC 2023. No, it's a Plugin which is in charge of driving this workflow, and calling the Photoshop CC 2022 specifically in stead. I haven't found out how and where I can tweak this setting. Simpy switchting off all Startup scripts (in the Preferences) referring to Photoshop 2022 doesn't help...
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‎Jan 02, 2023
01:51 PM
And I've been using Mac since 1987... An app like Bridge should have a proper window management ! It's not something like a Calculator. Close (last) Window ≠Quit.
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‎Dec 30, 2022
03:14 AM
1 Upvote
The "Bin" is also a most important repository in software like Adobe Premiere...
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‎Dec 30, 2022
02:54 AM
"The Mac has worked this way for decades." That's only partially true, e.g. for the Calendar app. (But for most apps it isn't.) And that's also why I delved into the Terminal to tweak Calendar's settings to not Quit when I close its window. I want to Cmd-tab to the app and re-open a window, in stead of using the mouse to navigate to the Dock, search for the app icon, and click to open it again...
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‎Dec 26, 2022
04:09 AM
1 Upvote
Please refrain from taking that exam. It has been "on demand only" for a very long time, and with the upcoming move to Figma I guess it just won't ever be available anymore. However, the best way to learn Adobe XD is to take a look at the thousands of videos on Behance ! https://www.behance.net/search/streams?tracking_source=typeahead_search_direct&search=adobe+xd
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‎Dec 26, 2022
03:59 AM
2 Upvotes
And the Dutch version is also still avaliable, in English ! 🙂 https://www.adobe.com/nl/products/xd/features/ui-kits.html
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‎Oct 15, 2022
03:22 AM
Ahem... NOTHING is the same !! Maybe you've been living and working under a rock for the last 4 weeks, but Adobe surprised everyone by doing what they had to do: they acquired Figma. And actually, my guess is they did it for all the things we've been complaining about and begging for: more features, more options, less crashes, better collaboration. Just look at @Anna5FFD's post in this discussion, right below ours: What the hell Anna, Adobe switched too !! Let's see what Adobe MAX brings next week, what their official stance on it is after 4 weeks of turmoil...
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‎Sep 25, 2022
01:27 AM
I think I don't understand your definition of a monopoly. There's a difference between offering an "all you can eat" buffet of creative tools, or customers being forced to buy a product from one supplier, simply because of the lack of competitors.
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‎Sep 24, 2022
02:32 AM
I also thought Adobe would find its position as a major market player crumble down to just one of many, especially in this area. But this Figma acquistion struck me like a tidal wave. I still don't know what to think of it, really. Do they really want to get back into this business, seriously ? Do they need Figma to fill the huge gap in their whole Creative Cloud, to retain its overall prominence and popularity ? Will they succeed in satisfying current Figma customers, and be able to come up with a good offering in the next years ? Will Figma stay ahead of others under the helm of a combined management ? We'll have to wait and see.
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‎Sep 24, 2022
02:22 AM
1 Upvote
Well, the landscape isn't so monotonuos at all ! In the print area, no one actually really tries or cares... Canva shaves off the less professional users, and Affinity only caters for customers who don't like subscription models. Both have succeeded in partly mimicking and partly simplifying the interface and workflow, but Adobe retains its dominant position for professional in this area. In imaging, Photoshop and Illustrator are dominant. There have been various others, from Cricket Draw and Corel Draw to FreeHand and Inkscape, from PaintShop and Pixelmator to GIMP, Affinity and ProCreate. Some gain traction, some remain amateuristic. So Adobe stays in charge, keeps it up by constant moving around, with spin-offs (Lightroom, Elements, etc.) and dozens of mobile apps and services (of which I don't keep track anymore...) In video, there have always been a couple of strong market players. In the early decades there were Adobe, and Avid, and a lot of specialized systems. Then Apple entered this area, with Final Cut and some other tools. Now, Davinci is also making waves. So Adobe continuously needs to stay in shape and be alert for what competitors come up with. In music, Adobe never really wanted to played a serious role. In 3D, they only just started, by concocting a 3D bundle of tools. Earlier attempts (3D in Photoshop) were a laugh, 3D in After Effects is actually 2D planes and simple shapes with perspective, and recent apps (3D in Illustrator and Dimension) are low profile. While other popular 3D tools like Maya, Blender, and Cinema4D have been soaring. In digital (web and app) design, their role has been varying. In the early days, they now and then suprised users with alternating (mostly acquired) tools, like PageMill, GoLive, LiveMotion, ImageReady, DreamWeaver, FireWorks, Edge Animate, Muse, and last but not least Flash. They tried things with digital publishing but left the "creative" area and went overboard with their Experience Cloud for marketing and analytics. But creatively nothing lasted, not even XD, I'm afraid... So you might have the impression that Adobe is a monopoly, but they're defeinitely not. At best, they're dominant in some areas, but even that comes not naturally to them. They have to stay on it, constantly !
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‎Sep 24, 2022
01:47 AM
1 Upvote
Do take into account one other aspect: While the quantity in Figma's popularity is based on its free plan, the quality is in its splendid approach and technology. And while a part of the current community of users might oppose the acquisition, there's a much larger and commercially more interesting community to be expected in a couple of years, because UX/UI design is growing steadily. And those new users will be paying customers, who don't care about early adopters who were unhappy about past acquisitions... With Figma, Adobe acquires very unique and strong technologies, necessary to retain (or should I say re-establish) their dominant position in design for all kinds of media.
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‎Sep 24, 2022
01:25 AM
1 Upvote
Hey Rayek, I totally agree with your observations and opinion. Adobe's usual approach for product management should definitely not be applied to Figma ! I honestly hope Adobe has learned a lesson from their dwindling past in the area of web and app design, and decided to finally get it right. It's their last chance, for $20B...
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‎Sep 23, 2022
08:01 AM
Oh, I was just teasing you by stating Adobe might buy Electron. 😉 Or... was I ?Who knows. Anyway, Adobe sure lacks development vision and/or resources to pull such an in-browser circus off. They tried and still try it with apps like Adobe Express, and there was even once an online tool called Fantastic Fold (in Electron) but they just don't get it right. So I hope that Figma will also bring in some valuable technological insight, how to get it done, properly.
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‎Sep 23, 2022
07:50 AM
1 Upvote
Hi Harshika, thanks for this official statement and the link to the thoughts of David Wadhwani. I value both a lot. After decades of hopeful intentions but also some very disappointing moves, this seems to me as a final chance for Adobe to get their web and app design act together ! I expect Adobe to have learned from their dwindling past in this area. The impact of this aquisition is huge, and the stakes are high, both for Figma and Adobe. Will Figma succeed in retaining their strength, and (under Adobe management) be able to improve and innovate even further ? A tool like Figma deserves staying power, and I hope Adobe will help them building that up.
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‎Sep 23, 2022
07:37 AM
Don't be ridiculous. Adobe is not a monopoly. There are hundreds of companies competing with them in many areas. They're dominant in print and imaging, strong in audio/video, just starting in 3D, but especially in web and app design they were just a small market player between dozens of other tools (hence the acquisition).
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‎Sep 23, 2022
07:32 AM
It's a company's choice to do with their tool what they want to do with it. And with regards to Figma, I think it's too late to ask or expect that Adobe will turn it into something public. Maybe you should target other upcoming tools (and their owners) to endorse this policy.
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‎Sep 19, 2022
01:17 PM
1 Upvote
Maybe they should buy Electron, as the underlying technology for a slew of digital media. They invented and own PostScript and PDF (and succeeded very well), with Flash they tried to set up a standard against HTML (and failed). Maybe owning Figma and Electron will give them enough new inroads to to flourish as a valued supplier of foundations for digital media ?
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‎Sep 19, 2022
11:48 AM
1 Upvote
Having roamed in many Adobe communities, I know very well how often PM's changed. It's indeed baffling to see how they drop by, take their stance, whip up a roadmap, and leave again. One of the scarce exclusions to that is Dani Beaumont, to whom I'd like to give a shout out, and hope she'll survive this turmoil again...
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