Did you offset your original path with the Object>Path>Offset command or with the Effects>Path>Offset command? ... View more

An alternative is to use Object>Flatten Transparency and check Convert All Text to Outlines. You need not expand the symbol first. However, I'm ignorant about scripting. Don't know if the Flatten command can be scripted nor, more important, whether the Convert Text checkbox can be made sticky in a script. ... View more

As I suspected, the tutorial is wrong. Factually so. Beyond the question of gradients – which cannot be used in live form to make any type of brush – bristle brushes cannot be made from artboard objects, gradient-filled ellipses or otherwise. "Because according to your logic i could write a tutorial on making certain effects in illustrator lie about the steps i took, and then have it be the recommended tutorial by google and adobe's own search engine for tutorials." Yes. That's exactly right. The motive for doing this is less clear than, say, campaigning for political office, but misinformation in all forms is free-flowing… even at google and adobe from time to time. Maybe the author of the tutorial wasn't lying at all. Maybe he or she simply skipped a number of steps (quite a number) in the tutorial. But as it reads, it's wrong. Thanks, Monika, for clearing that up. ... View more

I would like to understand this too. I realized after looking at your tutorial that I don't know how to make a bristle brush from objects on the artboard. Someone will  be around before long to enlighten both of us, I'm sure. ... View more

It will almost definitely work if you downgrade the Wacom driver. Try WacomTablet_6.3.20-8 ... View more

Ah. Monika, are you teaching me something new? Is Quick Look technology derived from the Preview app, and I never knew that? In any case, you're saying I'm not alone in my misery. Thank you. Never quite as good as a solution, but always far better than being without company. ... View more

I believe you can also make a clipping mask with multiple, live text objects. Select them all, option-click the Unite button in the Pathfinder panel. This will make a compound shape (different from a compound path). Now, with the new compound shape in front, select it and the object(s) or image(s) you want to clip and press command-7. Am I wrong about this option? ... View more

I've been waiting so long for this plug-in, Kurt. I've checked the website periodically and then gave up. Thanks for the heads-up. I'll test everything now, since Rick call his CC version a Beta. ... View more

That's exactly right, Larry. And in my case, definitely worth the effort because, for the most part, I need only customize the standard Press Quality preset to include printer's marks and bleeds. Far from a boatload for the added convenience. Thanks. ... View more

I may not be understanding you, Andy. Doug Roberts (and you) pointed out the cog icon in the Export for Screens dialog that, not only enables you to specify a format type for export, but also presets (job options) for PDFs. This would be a great way to save press-ready PDFs, one for each artboard in a multi-artboard AI file. What I DON'T see from within the Export for Screens dialog is a way to access the PANELS within the standard SAVE AS PDF dialog. These include: General, Compression, Marks and Bleeds, Output, Advanced, Security and Summary. Without easy access to these Save as PDF panels, the convenience of using Export for Screens to save separate PDFs from multiple AI artboards is reduced. Am I missing a way to get to those panels from within the dialog? ... View more

Doug, just discovered a limitation (I think): While you can specify the PDF job option (preset) in the Export for Screens dialog, I can't find a way to access the multiple PANELS for each preset. For examaple, I don't see a way to specify crop marks and bleeds for a press-ready PDF, can you? ... View more

Can you explain Smart Object in the AI context? I know it only as a Photoshop feature. I've only recently upgraded from an older OS and much older Illustrator version and probably have missed something new. If the feature is too complex to explain here, can I trouble you to point me to a reference? Thanks. ... View more

Ah. A "contextual" fly out menu item. I've never seen it before. Of course, this probably has something to do with my never having looked before. Thanks as always, Kurt. You are indeed a true master. ... View more

On what main or flyout menu is the Unlock All Layers command? Where is it listed in the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog? Or are we  referring to the (I think unnamed) option-click a layer's lock icon in the Layers panel (which is also command-click, at least in CC 2017)? ... View more

All these years and never knew about this convenience, Ton. Thanks for that. ... View more

Well how 'bout that. Thanks, Doug. Export for Screens is misnamed. Or at least named too narrowly, don't you think? ... View more

Monika, the OP wants the PDFs print-ready. I see no place to define a PDF preset in the Export for Screens dialog. Is there one hidden? I assume this option produces only Smallest File (RGB) PDFs. Is that right? I can't imagine I could use a screen export method to create printable documents, but am I wrong? ... View more

And all this time I thought you were an eminently trustworthy giraffe with honest eyes, a long graceful neck, and a reserved approach to conversation, favoring listening over speaking. ... View more

We should be grateful for your analysis. I certainly am. We should also note that, under every circumstance you tested, a simple command-shift-B will allow our OP to do exactly what he wishes. And not only that, shift-command-B will too! ... View more

In CC 2017 on Sierra, the button Monika refers to (which I only found because she pointed it out) is an alternative to a second solution (which may already be common knowledge): You can retain a live shape's live status (should you want to) and drag or option-drag a second shape from the center of the live shape (instead of moving it) by hiding the bounding box (shift-command-B). This is true whether you have Show Corner Widget on or off in the View menu. When this is set to Show in the View menu, clicking Monika's button hides both  corner widgets and bounding boxes. When set to Hide, the button hides bounding boxes. ... View more

I have signed out and back in. ... View more

Done. ... View more

Madison, from here it never didn't work! I knew nothing of this "split" until Jacob revealed it. I've never had a problem logging in and never lost access to the forums. So let me assure you no apology is necessary and no harm has been done. Nonetheless, I'm grateful that you successfully unified me with myself. It's nice to be cured of multiple personalities, even if I've been oblivious to them all this time. ... View more

More on the matter (with Sierra 10.12.3 and AICC 21.0.2): It appears that, no matter where you place a width marker on a closed path, a "permanent" marker is simultaneously placed directly on top of the path's origin point (i.e., point 0). I think Monika was suspecting this in Post 3 above. This "automatically" placed marker cannot be deleted (except by undoing or clearing the path's appearance). Sometimes it can't be moved either (haven't figured out when). When it can be moved, it's prone to deform the path's profile in unexpected, sharp-angled ways. The permanent marker can be widened or narrowed as any other width marker can, but once done, additional adjustments result in mangled shapes. Maybe most important, once corrupted, it seems impossible to fix the mess other than by undoing back to your starting point or clearing appearance. There are other peculiarities, but I haven't worked out cause and effect sufficiently to describe them here. I wonder if anyone with a previous version of AI, or a previous OS, or both is seeing any of this. Is it new, or have I just never noticed? My last OS was Snow Leopard and CS5.5 (old!). I don't recall any of this, but maybe the oddities began at some point thereafter and before Sierra or AICC 2017? ... View more

In fact, I have found very few malfunctions and oddities with the most recent Sierra and AICC. But I'm also on a new machine and a new Intuos tablet. Sierra and Wacom and CC are all this machine has ever known. I suspect this unusual circumstance (unusual for me) has everything to do with my good fortune. ... View more

And it is true that, at least in CC2017 (21.02) on Sierra (10.12.3), occasionally (not always) a width marker placed on a closed object's point cannot be moved or deleted. With such markers, if you double click for the  dialog, the Delete option is grayed out. ... View more

Excellent Ton. GPU most likely is the cause of the change since prior versions. ... View more

In this digital life of quiet desperation, one never can be sure one's identity is more than mere illusion. Truth be told, it probably is no more than that, but we are grateful to friends for perpetuating it anyway. Because without it, we would be here neither since August 2002 nor April 2014. Thanks to the kindness of all of you here, I know I am who I think I am and who I long to be – at least for this fugitive moment. ... View more