Locked Patterns & Swatches! HELP!

Currently my swatch window is locked. I want to edit some patterns that illustrator provides. I can drag the swatches out onto my drawing area and edit them, but it will not let me store the new pattern or the new swatch.
At the bottom of the window has the pencil with a red line through it.
The layer I am working in is not locked.
All of this was working fine yesterday.
Please HELP!!

What SW is trying to show you is that you may have been trying to add swatches to a library that did not have the word swatches above it, as they are locked libraries. Even if you create your own custom library you cannot add to it unless you export a new one from your swatches.

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Can't Find Pattern Swatches - Help Please

Very new to Illustrator, ( CC ) sorry.
I'm trying to make a repeating pattern, but any way I access it, there are no patterns in the pattern libraries, only color schemes for those patterns. Where did the patterns go? How do I get them back? The category names are there, I can click on Nature, Vegetables, etc... but there are no vegetables. Only color squares.

Thanks for the replies. I went to Window - Swatches - from there clicked on the libraries icon in the lower left corner. I did see that certain swatches are available. But in the vegetable example, it just shows a color scheme, which I wasn't expecting. The same for Nature, Flowers, etc. ; things you would expect to have an actual graphic.

Pattern swatches are shifting when exported to PDF and viewed in Preview/GoodReader

I've tried for days to find an answer to this question, but haven't succeeded. Please also be aware that I'm a self-taught Adobe Creative Suite user. I'm working on a Mac with CS6.
I work for a small publisher that produces knitting books. The problem is this: our tech editor has created charts in Illustrator using the pattern swatches feature. (These are knitting charts. Each square contains a pattern swatch representing the knitted stitch.)
I am then placing these charts in their native .ai format into an Indesign file and exporting them to PDF. In Acrobat, the charts look fabulous. In the Mac Preview reader and in GoodReader, the charts do this...
... the pattern swatches shift around inside their squares. Each of those dots should be centered inside their squares. In Preview, when I resize the application frame, the pattern swatches move as I re-size the frame. Any ideas about what might be happening here?
I've tried saving the charts as PDFs and placing those into the InDesign file. Doesn't help. Exporting the charts as images (jpg or tif) works, but I have to make the resolution/file size ridiculously large to get the quality of the vector image. I'd rather place the .ai files into the .indd file if possible.

Try using File>Object>Expand on a copy of the original before making the PDF for placing.

Pattern Swatch From Pattern Maker Filter

Is there a way to copy a new custom Pattern Swatch that you create using the Pattern Maker filter? I have often created a pattern that worked perfect but could only apply it to a layer. I want to be able to save just the custom swatch that patterns correctly so that I can use it as a repeating background image on a website.
I know I should know this, but it's something that I've never been able to figure out, or find in the Help Menu.
Linda

> Well, you could always open a new file the same size as the pattern you created originally and load it from the Layer Styles > Pattern dialog.
For some reason it tiles right when I apply the pattern to a large background. But when I attempt to create a simple square tile, even the same size as I started with, and attempt to use it as a repeating background on a web page, you can see the tiling.
> Or how about after you make a new pattern in Pattern Maker and OK it, you have it load into an open Photoshop window, yes? You know the size of the tile the pattern maker made. How about making a selection the same size and use the arrow keys to move it into place and then copy/paste a new doc.
Sounds good on paper Welles. But I can't get it to work right. I still see the tiling when I save the file out this way and use it as a background.
I don't need this for anything urgent. And I know I can make something work for when I need it. The pattern I'm working with has a lot of texture so when it repeats outside of applying it in Photoshop, it just doesn't match up right. I had hoped there would be an easy way to capture the custom Pattern Maker Tile as a single image that could be used to repeat itself without seeing the tiling.
Maybe this would be a good feature request. Thanks for both of your input.

Pattern Swatch Colours

Hello
Has anyone experienced the problem where the colour of an object created from a pattern swatch is different from the colours that were used to create the pattern swatch in the first place.
This happens in CMYK and RGB documents, happens on several different computers (haven't had the chance to try a different printer) and happens no matter what colour management is used. We have tried all sorts of things to solve this, but each time the colour of anything using the pattern swatch is distincly different to the original colour used to make the pattern swatch.
It says the colour has the same values and on the screen it looks the same, but when it is printed out the original and the pattern are definitely different.
Any help and advice would be useful.
Thanks

I am having exactly the same problem.
The colours of a pattern fill print very differently when it is expanded.
All the colours in the pattern swatch are CMYK. They look identical on screen when the pattern fill is expanded.
When printed, the mustard yellow, the appley-lime green, and the purpley-grey look completely different.
I'm using CS6 Illustrator, FOGRA39. I'm wondering if this is a printer issue maybe?
This is really frustrating and very worrying as I use pattern swatches a lot, and colours need to stay the same as they are approved.
I've found this thread and another one from 2010 with what sounds like the same issue (Pattern Swatch Colours) but neither have been resolved.
Please help if you have any ideas!

Can gradient start color be pattern swatch?

using CS3 on XP; Help indicates it's possible to begin a gradient via a pattern swatch (self-created) but I get the "not writable" icon. thanks for any suggestions

Jane:
Read up on Opacity Masks. Draw an area filled with your pattern swatch, then put an opacity mask over the top of it...
Bert

Illustrator - Pattern Swatch / Clipping mask issue

I'm currently working in Illustrator CS6. I'm creating pattern swatches and have successfully created 20 - but 4 are giving me the following issue.
When I drag the perfect swatch tile into swatches it appears as so instead of the perfect tile:
"New pattern swatch 3" has a white space on the right. Which sometimes when I create the swatch takes up half of the 'swatch.'
When I go to create a shape and apply the pattern, I am left with an empty box.
When I double click to adjust the pattern I get this dialog box:
When I go to adjust the bounding box, to see where my pattern is - this crazy mess happens:
Further investigation and deleting items to see whats happening:
Bits of my pattern appear, but not sure why the other bars are there.
I'm having this issue with four very different patterns. But I have also succesfully created more complicated ones. Not sure why this is happening.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

Hey everyone,
I am in the same version, same file. I have also tried starting from scratch in another file just to make sure. Same issue.
I have templates of what i want my patterns to be, so I have tried to make the patterns both ways. Starting from my original art - expanding all shapes and making them so they will tile perfectly.
1. with clipping mask. 2. released mask, and expanded shape. 3. perfect tile.
from scratch, made to tile perfectly.
Same issue for both:
To make sure it wasn't only this one I tried a different pattern that was giving me the same error before hand.
I tried with original art which didn't work, so I quickly recreated with squares. Same tile, one time it was empty producing same issue as above. And second time it did this:
1. What tile is supposed to look like 2. Tile applied to shape - but the pattern swatch icon is empty?
Maybe this is a program bug?

Creating a new pattern swatch

I'm working on a script that should, among other things, create a new pattern swatch from a groupItem in the document.
I managed to create the new pattern swatch and name it using:
myNewPatternSwatch = app.activeDocument.patterns.add();
myNewPatternSwatch.name = <the_swatch_name>;
The only thing I can't figure out is how to get my groupItem into the new pattern swatch.
Any idea?
Your help will be appreciated.

I don't think you can… Sorry it's not very helpful… Patterns were the sure way to crash a script too although I have not tried in CS5…

Adjusting a created pattern swatch

Hello all,
I've been searching around for a solution to my problem, it seems so basic that i'm suprised i can't find anything on the subject (maybe i use the wrong therm's).
I have the following question, is it possible to adjust a pattern after it has been created ? So what i have done is made some artwork with vector graphics in a document, dragged it into the swatches pannel to create a pattern swatch of it. So far so good, i can apply the swatch to a rectangle f.e. and it will get filled with my artwork. But now i want to be able to adjust the fill color of my pattern, i haven't been able to adjust the pattern swatch itself, the only thing i can do now is adjust the original artwork, create another swatch and apply it again to my rectangle.
Is there a way that i can adjust the pattern instead of having to adjust my original artwork, and create another swatch of it ?
Any help would be very cool
Grts!, Samuel

Samuel,
You should be able to drag the pattern swatch into the Artboard, when nothing is selected ther, and modify (you may use the Direct Selection Tool to pick spefific parts), and drag it back to form a new pattern swatch or Alt/OptionDrag it back upon the original swatch to replace it.
You may search for Modifying patterns in the Help file to see updates to the way described.

Why do my pattern swatch colours print differently to rest of my artwork

I have some 2 coluor artwork consisting of 2 x pantone colours purple and grey.
Within the artwork is a stripe pattern swatch consisting of the same colours. On screen the colours are fine and I've checked all the colour settings and these are fine too.
Why however when i print the artwork does the pattern print in a different colour???
Please help as I'm going out of my mind with this one.!
Anthony

I am having exactly the same problem.
The colours of a pattern fill print very differently when it is expanded.
All the colours in the pattern swatch are CMYK. They look identical on screen when the pattern fill is expanded.
When printed, the mustard yellow, the appley-lime green, and the purpley-grey look completely different.
I'm using CS6 Illustrator, FOGRA39. I'm wondering if this is a printer issue maybe?
This is really frustrating and very worrying as I use pattern swatches a lot, and colours need to stay the same as they are approved.
I've found this thread and another one from 2010 with what sounds like the same issue (Pattern Swatch Colours) but neither have been resolved.
Please help if you have any ideas!

Illustrator slowing down after creating a pattern swatch

I am creating pattern swatches in Illustrator and every time I do my computer slows down to the speed of tar in winter. Anyone have a solution?
Anyone else had this problem before?
Please help me!!!
Muffin )

Flush Cache
delete users\(username)\library\preferences\com.adobe.mediabrowser.plist
Reset your preferences.
Cmd-Opt-Ctrl-Shift when restarting AI on a Mac or Alt-Crtl-Shift on a PC to reset to the defaults.

Alter color of pattern swatch w/o editing

I'm trying to alter the color of a pattern without actually editing it - similar to layer masking in PhotoShop.
For instance, in the example below, I want to ultimately change the color of (the visible parts of) the pattern (middle layer) to shades of yellow (top layer), but still be able to see the green underneath. I don't want to manually change the pattern swatch because I don't know which swatch I want to use yet. I assume the answer is something relating to masking, and adjusting the blending mode. I just haven't figured out the specific way in which to do it. Can anyone help?
Thanks!
Ben

forums.adobe.com/message/4515625#4515625
might be of help.
mike

Rotating a single pattern swatch

I am trying to work out how to rotate a pattern swatch without that rotation affecting all the other pattern swatches on my palette. I don't want the rotation to apply to just one instance of fill, I want to edit the actual swatch so that whenever it is used in the future, that rotation is applied.
I have tried the obvious - eg going to object, transform, pattern only... and it works, but it also rotates all my other swatches; and I can't work out if it's rotating it for just that object or if it's actually updating the pattern swatch orientation.
Additionally it would really help to be directed to some comprehensive and helpful tutorials on making patterns using the updated CS6 software - everything I've found so far just raises further questions for me. I'm talking about, for example, being able to change the width or rotation of a stripe within a pattern and have it still tile seamlessly.
I'm using CS6 on a PC. Thanks....

alas, this didn't work. here's what happened.

Can pattern swatch be created programmatically?

Is it possible to created a pattern swatch programmatically?
I could find information on creating custom color swatches using xml format but don't know about pattern swatches.
Please help me!

We're using in-memory queues provided with
The following FAQ, written in 2004m, indicates that in-memory queues cannot be created dynamically. However, the FAQ is old. I'm wondering OC4J 10.1.3.1 or higher (i.e. 11g) now allows dynamic creation of in-memory queues.
http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/java/oc4j/1012/collateral/oc4j-faq-jms-1012.html
I haven't found a newer FAQ that indicates whether in-memory queues can now be created dynamically using OC4J 10.1.3.1.

Saved pattern swatches are not found on New Windows

Hi guys,
I have created some pattern swatches in Illustrator CS6. But I cannot see the saved pattern swatches every time I open a new window, is this normal?
Some help, please.
Thank you.

In order to have them in all your files you need to save them into a custom new document profile.
Startup Profiles – A Great tool to Customize your New Documents « Adobe Illustrator blog

Locked Patterns & Swatches! HELP!

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