Anchor points with pen tool askew

Hey everyone, I have been using illustrator for about 5 years now and this has never happened to me before. I use CS4 and i opened it today to trace a logo and out of nowhere, whenever i go to connect a point with the pen tool, it makes a point about a quarter of an inch in the opposite direction of where i clicked down. Usually I can make a point, then try to connect it with another and it goes exactly where i clicked down for point #2...now it's impossible to correctly trace anything since I have little control over the pen tool anymore.
I read in another forum when researching this problem that in in View > snap to point may cause this but even after unselecting it, i still have the same problem. I also tried resetting Illustrator like I read may help and nothing. I can't find the presets folder on my computer I did the key combination while opening the program.
Thank you for your time!
-Melissa

Melissa,
It could be a preference corruption or a disturbance from other applications or something similar.
To reset the former the former, you may try to Move the folder with Illy closed, or just press Ctrl+Alt+Shift/Cmd+Option+Shift during startup (the latter is easier but changes your preference settings to defaults (spoiling any customized settings, and it may be necessary to perform the more thorough Move).
To solve things in case of the latter, you may have a look at the relavnt items, including 7, in Other options.
Or it could be something else.

Similar Messages

The feature that i need most...do not activate paths with pen tool

If you have to add one thing in illustrator...
Make optional NOT to add new paths to an unselected anchor point with the pen tool.
I never want to activate paths with the pen tool
Arrow tool=select
Pen tool= add new points
If i want to add new segments to a path, i'd select it first a selection tool.
To my knowledge, Illustrator is the only vector application that doesn't follow this convention
In theory,activating the paths with the pen tool should speed the drawing: However when working with illustrations that combine open and closed paths, or if we want to start a new line from an anchor point, we have to lock, unlock or put in layers in order to avoid to activate unselected paths:
That's very slow and frustrating, specially when in other apps, you can create complex illustrations in just one layer and with no lock/unlock due a more precise control over the paths.
I have mentioned this feature before, but every time i face a project with a mix of open and closed paths, is a major problem
Please change this behaviour or at least, make it optional.

Yes, it has to be removed in two places and someone who has the authority might take action upon my mentioning it again.
Here is a link on syncing - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1386nHave a read. Someone who uses the Books tab often might give you a step by step guide. Meanwhile, you can email yourself a PDF to keep you going. If it is a one page PDF it will be shown as opened in the email on your iPad. Press on the centre of it to save it to ibooks.If it is more than one page it will be shown as an icon; press on it for the prompt where to open it and choose iBooks, or whatever. I use Goodreader as it has a superior file management system. It costs very little.
Here is the link fo the iPad User Guide should you not already have it. You can download it to iBooks - http://support.apple.com/manuals/#ipad
Finaly, get more help by clicking on iPad Support at the top of the index page on this forum.

Problem with Pen Tool CS5

Hi,
I just got Photoshop CS5 and I'm having a bit of trouble with the pen tool - namely, I can't see the path I'm creating. In CS3 I could clearly see the line between two points but in the new program the line is nearly invisible making it very difficult to create the path. Is this a setting I can fix?
thanks

I was having 32 bit while I upgraded from CS3 to CS4. The only problem with CS4 that time was with pen tool.Though I cannot precisely recall , I can say it t was very lazy and very frustrating and this was resolved totally after shifting to 64 bit.--If urs existing system is 32 bit try with 64 bit

Why i am unable to select between 2 anchor points with in a object while dragging with direct select

why i am unable to select between 2 anchor points with in a object while dragging with direct selection tool instead it moves

Another option is to temporarily change your view to outline mode, when your done switch back to preview mode. Ctrl-Y or View>Outline {View>Preview} The menu option will change depending on which mode you are in.
And another option, double click on the object in question to place it in Isolation mode. You can now edit to your hearts content. When done, click on the gray border at top of document.
So as you can see there are multiple ways of accomplishing the same thing.

Slow down when processing image clipping in photo shop with pen tool

Adobe cs5 slow down when processing image clipping use with pen tool. The path is applying after few seconds when we draw on the image. My system supporting 4 GB memory with 64 bit.

The main thing i use paths for in photoshop is extracting objects from photos.
Other uses include stroking paths with the paint tools. For example, if you had
a powerline to remove, one could trace the line with the pen tool and then stroke
the path with spot healing brush set to content aware fill.
more info on photoshop paths:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/photoshop/cs/using/WSfd1234e1c4b69f30ea53e41001031ab64-73ada.h tml
MTSTUNER

Help! I can't delete anchor points with the Delete Anchor Point Tool

I have a shape in illustrator CS6 that I'm trying to edit. When I try to click on a point with the Delete Anchor Point Tool nothing happens however I am able to select the point using the Direct Selection Tool and then remove it using the "Remove selected anchor points" option in the Control palette. Same issue with trying to use the Convert Anchor Point Tool.
Any ideas what's going wrong here?

Another thought. If there are multiple nodes in that one spot, you may have to use the remove anchor point repeatedly to get rid of them all. It looks like you deleted the point and nothing happens, but really you are just seeing another node that was very close to the one you just deleted.
If you select drag over them with the white arrow tool and choose remove anchor points it will remove them all at once.

One point circle path with pen tool

I have heard or people drawing a circle path with one point and dragging or something like this. I would really like to be able to do this! Is this possible?

Absolutely just hold down the shift key while dragging one of the ellipse tools. Add the Alt|CMD key then circle center will be where you start dragging from. Marque ellipse tool or ellipse tool. Selection can be turned into path. But the Ellipse tool is better for its a vector tool. Can create shapes layers, Paths and fill pixels... Pen Tool circle is hard but you can use the pen tool to edit the circle path created with the ellipse tool.

Points added with pen tool before clicking mouse

Has anyone else had a problem with the Illustrator pen tool adding points before you've even clicked the mouse? If so are there any solutions to this problem? I've had to quit and start again because this wastes so much time. Is this bug? I've also had a problem where Illustrator will sometimes freeze when I open the program with the icon but won't if I open the program by opening an illustrator file. Thanks!

steve fairbairn wrote:
How charming that Illy is now feminine – I had never thought of her that way.
It explains a few quirks (sorry girls)
Steve.
She always was. Up to 10 you could even enjoy her image while working with her. And before anyone objects: forensic experts can tell you straight away that she is not Venus: among other things, the length of her neck (Illy) is only 80% of hers (Venus).

How to align an anchor point with an object?

I have a shape I made with the pen tool, and now I want to align one anchor point of the shape with the middle of a rectangle. How can I do this? It doesn't seem like I can do what I do for objects, which is select both objects, click the object I want to align to, and hit align. If I'm not describing this properly let me know and I can try to clarify.

...another way...
1. grab the Rectangle Tool
2. move your mouse on top of the Anchor you wish to align
3. draw a rectangle wider than the shape, centered on the Anchor
     - click and drag to draw a rectangle (don't release yet),
     - then press Alt to make it centered on top of the anchor,
     - release the mouse, then the Alt key.
4. select both your shape and the rectangle
5. press Ctrl+G to group them
6. select both, the newly created group and the rectangle
7. align your shapes
8. ungroup and delete your temporary rectangle
9. to align vertically, make your temp rectangle wider and taller than your shape.

Bounding box appears with pen tool.

Currently I am trying to make a mask around text so I can reveal text to make it look as if it is being written by hand. I place the text down with the text tool, I then used the pen tool to trace the text. For some reason though, I can only place a few anchor points before a bounding box appears around the anchor points. I can no longer add anchor points to my current path.
If I use the pen tool to select my created path, I still cannot add more anchor paths. If I restart after effects I can sometimes place a few anchor points on the path then the bounding box reappears and I cannot place anymore.

I usually set a solid to a vibrant color, change the blend mode to screen or multiply so I can see through it, and create and animate may masks on this solid. The solid is then used as a track matte. It lets me accurately see what I am doing.
If you close your path or miss a click when drawing a path you will occasionally get a bounding box. Pressing escape or deselecting the layer, then carefully selecting the path again should let you continue. It just takes a little practice to be able to add points to a mask.
BTW, if your mask is complex and has a lot of vertices then you should make sure that you have all of the points in place before you start animating mask position. You'll get better interpolation between keyframes that way. Here's an example:
I"m using both the marquis selection and transform option as well as animating single points here to do a simple roto job.

Minimum amount of segments with pen tool

I have a really basic question using the pen tool in Flash. Is there a minimum amount of segments (or something that I'm not doing) that need to be drawn in order to close a polygon shape created with the pen tool. I've found in many instances I seem to be closing the polygon and yet when I go to fill the object it won't fill. I then discover that the beginning and end points are not "joined" together (as in Illustrator). The icon turns to a hollow circle when I get to the original point (as in Illustrator) but it doesn't close the segments.
Thanks

Check if you have your fill color set to non-blank. In Properties Panel, under Fill and Stroke.
After drawing your polygon, select a Paint Bucket Tool (K), select fill color and click inside the polygon.
If the shape is (from any reason) really not closed, select Selection Tool (V) and check the main menu -> view -> snapping -> snap to objects: true.
Hover over the unconnected anchor point until you get a corner icon next to the cursor. Then click & drag the point to the other point you want to connect it with. Snapping will ensure the polygon will close now.
Now you can use the Paint Bucket Tool.

Lost bezier handle on closing path with pen tool

Can any of you please instruct me how to avoid losing the first point’s backwards bezier handle when closing a path with the Pen Tool?
This is a longtime annoyance for me, but I cannot rule out that I simply have failed to find the proper way of turning off this behaviour.

I just did!
See my last post with the picture. I rotated not just the anchor point but the straight line that it was coupled to.
Steve.
Steve, you can rotate anchorPoints and adjacent straight segments all day long, and you will still not be replicating the behavior and intent of FreeHand's Connector Points.
We're not talking about rotating straight segments here. (I would hope that everyone knows you can do that.)
Forget rotating things. Draw a path with a curved segment and an adjacent diagonal straight segment. The straight segment has no extended handles; only the curved segment does. Now adjust the length of the handle of the anchorPoint that joins to the straight segment in such a way that you cannot break tangency of the curve with the straight segment. In other words, the handle is always constrained to the angle of the adjacent straight segment.
Don't bother coming back with the workaround of scaling the handle. That still does not ensure tangency.
Example: This is Fontographer (FreeHand's progenitor). The highlighted point at the bottom of the motorycycle's skid plate is a Corner Point. The segment to the left of it needs to be curved, while maintaining perfect tangency with the straight segment to the right of it. In the inset, the Corner Point has been converted to a Tangent Point, and its handle is being dragged out (all with one selection tool, I might add.) The handle cannot be dragged out at any angle other than that which is tangent to the right segment.
That's just an example of converting a pre-existing Corner Point to a Connector Point. But now consider ensuring tangency fluidly as you draw with the Pen. In Illustrator, click to place a CornerPoint. Click or clickDrag to place a second anchorPoint oriented at any angle from the first point such that you are guaranteed that the first segment is straight, and that the next segment will be curved and tangent to the first segment. Can you do that in Illustrator?
While we're at it, note that in FOG, as in FH, you always know what kind of point you are dealing with. Corner Points are displayed as squares, Curve Points as circles, and Connector Points (Tangent Points in FOG) as triangles (regardless of whether their handles are extended or retracted).
JET

Overlap or hole in image with pen tool

hi guys am pretty new to illustrator just got it because i need to make some t-shirts out of drawings
so i have been busy with the pen tool and am just wondering how you for instance make a hole in youre path (sorry if its pourly explained dunno all the therms) for instance i uploaded a picture i want the hole in the R to be part of the it so if i use a 3d effect you see the shade and on the S i need the upper end to overlap and the one down underneath. hope you guys understand dont really know how to explain in english sorry :s
thanks alot in advance cheers!

CappuciniBaby,
For the R you may select both paths (outer and inner) and Object>Compound Path>Make.
For the S you may:
1) Cut the path at the ends at either side of the central part, using the Scissors Tool on an Anchor Point on both sides of the fill,
2) Move the newly formed end paths below and beneath the central part, this is done in the Layers palette/panel by dragging up/down;
3) Group to keep the S together.

Small imperfections in curves drawn with pen tool.

I have noticed that when drawing with the pen tool that whereever two paths segments connect in a curve, there sometimes is a small bump. I am wondering how to avoid this problem when initially drawing and/or how to fix them afterwards. Currently my solution is to add either a single anchor point or one on both sides of the offending point then removing the problem anchor point. This seems to work in most cases.

In the screenshot, that should be a smoothPoint, not a cornerPoint. In Illustrator, only smoothPoints ensure tangency between the two associated segments. You have buttons in the Control Panel by which to convert a cornerPoint to smooth (and vice-versa). Doing so auto-extends the handles if they are retracted.
If that already is a curvePoint, then you need to lengthen its handles. If you have other anchors too close to it, that will be problematic. If the visible portion of the black path with the circled anchor were the entire shape, that shape should be drawn with no more than 5 anchors.
Be aware is sometimes possible that the antialiasing of the screen preview pixels can cause the the preview to look like there are subtle kinks at the horizontal/vertical extrema of curves, but since you say you have an anchor there, the anchor is probably the cause.
When showing screenshots about path shape, it's usually better to select the path so others can actually see the anchors and handles needed to advise.
JET

Making a split line with pen tool

I am making a map and have stumbled upon a new desire. Is it possible to make multiple paths from one anchor point using the pen tool? The most simple example I can give would be a "Y" - that is with the first point at the bottom, the second in the middle, then adding two separate lines from that middle anchor point in hopes that all three line segments would be a part of the same vector line.
The photo shows what I am working on. The grumbled grey area below the current railroad track is an old rail yard. The anchor point to the right of "Hill St." is where I would like to split/make multiple new lines from. Ideally, there would be a line that traces the northern edge of the rail yard (as is shown), in addition to one that traces the the southern edge that is technically the same vector line as both the northern line and the individual one to the east.
Any help or ideas on this would be greatly appreciated.
Doug

Take a look at this:
This was all done by Add New Stroke in the Appearance palette.
To get a clean Y you must make a compound of the 2 paths. You can see this clearly on the upper "road".
This works well for roads in general although multi-level intersections always require some special tratment.
A railway track is only slightly more tricky because of the sleepers.
Depending on how close together you want the sleepers to be, the join will always be more or less problematic unless you are very careful with the positioning of the anchor point on the branch line. Even then you will always get some overlapping.
But like Monika says, you should draw points/a switch (UK/US) there anyway.

Anchor points with pen tool askew

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for