Fonts change when graphic style gradient applied

[Kimberly_Perkins@adobeforums.com]

I'm trying to create some rollovers for a website. I want the text to change from a solid color to a gradient, but whenever a apply a gradient (as part of a graphic style), the text looks different. With Arial, the text becomes shorter and it's anti-aliased differently horizontally. But get this, with Arial MT, the font turns to garbage. E.g. "News & Events" becomes "Kbt p # Bsbkqp". This only happens when applying a gradient within a graphic style (which is very simple and only has a drop-shadow and a fill). I will resort to applying these effects separately in the meantime.

Could this be a bug?

[Kimberly_Perkins@adobeforums.com]

"I will resort to applying these effects separately in the meantime"

Nope. Sorry. Gradients don't work on fonts when applied by themselves, only in graphic styles where they mangle your font.

This software is expensive. It's at version 11. It's been out for a while. Get your stuff together and issue some updates and bugfixes already.

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

Get your stuff together and issue some updates and bugfixes already.




Who are you talking to, Kimberly? We're users here, just like you.

=-= Harron =-=

[Kimberly_Perkins@adobeforums.com]

After trying everything (and no, conversion to outlines does *not* work because the style is then applied to every individual character, not entire words and lines), I found a solution, though it's really a laborious workaround. I created a graphic style with a single-color gradient for each of the three normal text colors. E.g., the purple logo has a graphic style that is a gradient fill from purple to the same purple. This forces it to render as it would with the mouseover gradient, thinking to itself, "Ooh, a text gradient! Time to screw up the font!". So now the rolloever transition is smooth, instead of this awkward text change. And btw, this font/gradient issue extends to every other font I tried (about a dozen at random). And it happens both on this machine and another with a different copy of AI 11.

And while I'm feeling bitchy, you can't select fonts from the Character palette using the keyboard! You can in every other Adobe product, and it acts is if it will work, but then reverts to the original font as soon as you hit enter.

Please fix these bugs Adobe! This product has been sitting on the market for 8 months without any updates. That's unheard of for "professional" software.

[Kimberly_Perkins@adobeforums.com]

"Who are you talking to, Kimberly? We're users here, just like you."

I guess it would be silly to think Adobe employees might use their own products.

And I guess it's also silly to playfully express my frustration indirectly as if I were talking to someone responsible, expecting perhaps a little unspoken empathy or at least, if someone's going to take the time to post, some advice concerning my issue.

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

Silly? Perhaps. I'm sorry I have no advice concerning your particular issue.

The only suggestion I have is for you to phrase your request for help as... well... a request for help rather than as a rant against some imagined Adobe employee. I have found the users here extremely knowledgeable and helpful. All you have to do is ask nicely.

=-= Harron =-=

[LenHewitt@adobeforums.com]

Kimberley,

>>Gradients don't work on fonts <<

Create your gradient and then use the text as a clipping mask for that
gradient.

(You would find it more productive to spend a little time with the User
Guide rather than ranting here. I would also suggest that you take a look at
[url]http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?50@@.eed5198.2cd0728e[/url] before posting
here in future)