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- The following are some techniques that can help you work more efficiently.
- Use Search and Replace (FreeHand and Illustrator)
- In Illustrator, select a sample object (e.g., a path with a solid red fill), then use commands in the Edit-->Select submenu (e.g., 'Same Fill Color', which would select any other paths in the document filled with the same exact red).
- Edit-->Select-->Same Paint Style will select paths when both stroke and fill match the sample in every respect.
- You can also search for 'trouble' items like 'Stray Points' (an anchor point not connected to any path segments) and 'Masks' (clipping paths). Both of these items are invisible in Preview mode because they are unstroked and unfilled. Both commands seem to work more reliably if no objects are initially selected.
- Once objects matching your criteria are selected, you can modify them using ordinary tools and commands. There is no special provision for automatic replacement of found objects.
- In FreeHand, the Edit-->Find And Replace-->Graphics palette offers the same capabilities as Illustrator, plus much more.
- You can proceed as in Illustrator (select a sample and find matching objects), clicking on the 'Select' tab, then choosing 'Same as Selection' from the 'Attribute' pop-up menu. The 'Match' pop-up menu allows choosing which attributes of the selected object are relevant to the current search.
- You can search for specific attributes that you enter directly, without first selecting a sample object in the drawing. Click on the 'Select' tab, then make a choice from the 'Attribute' pop-up menu specifying what you want to find.
- Notice that FreeHand goes beyond rendering attributes (fill and stroke), and allows you to search for specific kinds of objects (e.g. ovals) or effects. You can even find arbitrary shapes, which will match even if transformed (e.g., rotated, scaled).
- As you make your choices in 'Attribute', the rest of the palette will update to offer suitable options.
- Because of its multi-page orientation, FreeHand allows you to limit searches to the current page or extend it to the entire document.
- Finally, you can go beyond selecting and have the program automatically replace or modify found items. Click on the 'Find and Replace' tab, then choose on the left what you want to find, and choose on the right how the found objects should be changed.
- Use Color filters/xtras (FreeHand and Illustrator)
- Regular color controls change all selected objects to the same exact color.
- Color Filters and Xtras change objects' colors relative to their initial color. If two of the selected objects were colored differently, they are still different after applying the Filter/Xtra (use Xtras-->Colors-->Color Control in FreeHand, use Filter-->Colors-->Adjust Colors in Illustrator).
- Use Grids and Guides (FreeHand and Illustrator)
- Grid and guides visibility and snaps
- In both programs, grids and guides never print. Their visibility on-screen is controlled by commands in the View menu.
- In addition to providing visual references, guides and grids can be set to automatically attract the cursor when it is placed in their vicinity. To turn on this setting (called 'snap'), use in both programs commands located in the View menu (note that in Illustrator, guide snaps are always on).
- Ruler guides
- In both programs, make sure page rulers are visible (use View-->Page Rulers in FreeHand, use View-->Show Rulers in Illustrator).
- In both programs, click on either ruler and drag a guide into the document window (in FreeHand, ruler guides are confined to individual pages, while in Illustrator they extend to the pasteboard as well).
- In both programs, ruler guides can be removed by dragging them back to the ruler (in FreeHand, View-->Guides-->Lock must be unchecked; same with View-->Lock Guides in Illustrator).
- Path guides
- In both programs, select a path created with any drawing tools.
- In FreeHand, move the path to the Guides layer (click on 'Guides' in the Layers palette--assuming the layer is unlocked). In Illustrator, use the menu command View-->Make Guides.
- In both programs, path guides can be converted back to regular objects by 'releasing' them. In FreeHand, use commands in the View-->Guides-->Edit dialog. In Illustrator, use View-->Release Guides.
- Grid setup
- In FreeHand, change the spacing of the grid lines using View-->Grid-->Edit.
- In Illustrator, change the spacing and appearance of the grid lines using File-->Preferences-->Guides & Grid.
- Use Named Views (FreeHand and Illustrator)
- Views store magnification and scrolling settings, so you can return easily to a specific part of the drawing.
- In FreeHand, use View-->Custom-->New. The named view will be appended to the same submenu, as well as the magnification pop-up menu at the bottom-left of the document window. Remove unused named views using View-->Custom-->Edit.
- In Illustrator, use View-->New View. The named view will be appended to the View menu. Remove unused named views using View-->Edit Views.
- Use Saved Colors (FreeHand and Illustrator)
- If you save the colors used in your drawings, you can try different color schemes simply by redefining the color (rather than selecting and modifying each colored object).
- In FreeHand, save a color by dragging a color swatch to an empty part of the Color List panel. To redefine an existing color (and update all objects that use that color), drag a new color swatch on top of the old color's entry in the Color List panel.
- In Illustrator, save a color by dragging a color swatch to the Swatches palette. Note that for automatic object updates to work, the color must be defined as spot (double click a color entry in the Swatches palette to display a dialog that lets you choose 'Spot'). To redefine an existing color, option-drag a new color swatch on top of the old color's entry in the Swatches palette.
- Use Stationery and Startup (Defaults) files (FreeHand and Illustrator)
- A stationery file is a document that always opens as 'Untitled' or 'Copy'.
- Stationery files are often called templates, but they should not be confused with images you trace over--such as the templates you created to start off your final project.
- Stationery files are used to store drawing elements and resources (color swatches, gradients, etc.) that you intend to use frequently.
- Since the file always opens as a new 'Untitled' document (or is automatically duplicated to a new file), there are fewer chances that the stationery file will be accidentally overwritten.
- To create a stationery file, first add the recurring features you want to a new document. Then save and close the document. Finally, select the document's icon in the Finder, use File-->Get Info and turn on the 'Stationery Pad' checkbox at the bottom-right of the dialog.
- In FreeHand, you can also use File-->Save and choose 'FreeHand Template' from the pop-up menu at the bottom of the Save dialog.
- You can create specially-named files that will be used as a basis for all new documents:
- For FreeHand the name of this file is 'FreeHand Defaults', and it must be stored in the FreeHand application folder. This name can be changed in the 'Expert/Document' section of the preferences dialog (File-->Preferences).
- For Illustrator, the name of the file is 'Adobe Illustrator Startup' file, and it must be stored in the Plug-ins folders inside the Illustrator application folder. This name cannot be changed.
- Both Illustrator and FreeHand use these defaults files to store only document-specific information. Application settings (such as location and type of open palettes), are stored in preference files in the Preferences folder inside the System folder.
- Use Symbols and Instances (FreeHand now, Illustrator in future version)
- Useful to manage multiple repeating graphics and reduce file size.
- Instances are representations of an original FreeHand object, which is stored as the symbol.
- When the symbol object (the original) is modified, the instances automatically change to reflect modifications to the symbol.
- To work with symbols, use the Symbols panel (Window-->Panels-->Symbols).
- Create a symbol.
- Select any object, text, or group, then use Modify-->Symbol-->Convert to Symbol to create a symbol from the selection (it will be added to the list in the Symbol panel), and replace the selection with an instance of the new symbol.
- If you use Modify-->Symbol-->Copy to Symbol instead, the selection will remain as it is (it won't be replaced by an instance of the new symbol).
- Create an instance from a symbol.
- Click on a symbol listed in the Symbols panel and drag it to your document window.
- The object you added to your document window is an instance of the symbol. You can apply transformations to instances (scale, roate, etc.) but you cannot modify their shape or fill/stroke. After all, the whole point of using instances is to have multiple objects in the drawing controlled from a single location (the symbol itself).
- If you need to modify an individual instance, you must sever its connection to the symbol. This is done by selecting the instance and using Modify-->Symbol-->Release Instance.
- Alter a symbol to modify all its instances automatically.
- Drag an object from your drawing and drop it on the symbol's name in the Symbol panel's list. A dialog box will appear: choose 'Replace' and the document will update to show the new symbol's appearance at every instance in your drawing.
- If you follow the same procedure but click 'Convert', the symbol will change but your document won't, because all of the symbol's instances will be released, preserving their appearance.
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