problems with adding strokes to pictures imported from photoshop

[John_M_Nelson@adobeforums.com]

When I try to add a stroke to a picture (copied and pasted) from photoshop, illustrator doesn't show it. In the appearance window it shows that I have one, but I can't see it if I do. Can anyone offer some help as to why I'm unable to see the stroke I'm adding to these pictures?

Thanks,
John

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

John,

See "adding stroke to placed image" 4/23/04 3:12am </cgi-bin/webx?13@@.3bb3c01b/1> .

=-= Harron =-=

[John_M_Nelson@adobeforums.com]

Hey, thanks a lot harron. I looked around and didn't see anything close to what I needed. I must have worded the search wrong. I appreciate it.

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

No problem, John. Yup... finding that magic search phrase can be tricky.

=-= Harron =-=

[John_M_Nelson@adobeforums.com]

Okay, so I tried it... did I miss something? All it does is make my placed image into a white rectangle with a stroke. I lose my original graphic. Was I supposed to copy my image first and then make the copy a rectangle? Or is there an easier way that I'm not seeing?

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

Don't know why it's not working for you, John. Just to go over the steps in detail, you...

1. Place your image; make sure it remains selected.

2. Add a stroke via the Appearance palette (using the little arrow at the upper right of the palette to access the flyout menu, selecting Add New Stroke).

3. Go to the main menu | Effect | Convert to Shape | Rectangle. I would click Relative and use values of zero in the Extra Width and Height fields to make the stroke hug the photo.

At this point, if you have the stroke selected in the Appearance palette, you can change stroke weight via the Stroke palette.

This works for me in IL 10.0.3. I imagine it would work in any IL version that has the Appearance palette, but, of course, I don't know that for sure.

=-= Harron =-=

[John_M_Nelson@adobeforums.com]

Yeah, I don't know. I did everything (slowly) and the same thing. I placed the file, selected effect>convert to shape>rectangle, chose relative and set w/h to 0 pt (with preview on). As soon as I get here I see that my picture is gone and replaced with a blank rectangle. So I say okay, then add a new stroke from the appearance pallet. And it just adds a stroke to my new blank rectangle. When I click reduce to basic appearance it shows my picture again, but then loses the stroke. Argh.

So for you does it still show your orinigal image when you change it to a rectangle? If so, I wonder if there's something in my settings (which are completely default for cs) that would cause it to do that. Any ideas?

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

John,

I placed the file, selected effect>convert to shape>rectangle, chose relative
and set w/h to 0 pt (with preview on). As soon as I get here I see that
my picture is gone and replaced with a blank rectangle.





So for you does it still show your orinigal image when you change it to
a rectangle?




This tells me you are applying the 'convert to rectangle' to the image, not the stroke.

Humor me and follow the steps again. Stroke first via the Appearance palette, then convert the stroke.

(When you convert to rectangle, the stroke should be the highlighted item in the Appearance palette. You shouldn't need to manually highlight it -- that's the way it should be right after you create the stroke.)

If it still doesn't work, then I don't know. Perhaps it works differently in CS; if so, someone else will have to jump in here to help.

=-= Harron =-=

[John_M_Nelson@adobeforums.com]

Well there you go. I completely misunderstood what I was supposed to be converting to a rectangle. I just tried it and it worked. Harron, thanks a lot for your help and patience. I appreciate it.

John

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

You're welcome, John.

(And thanks to Kurt Gold, from whom I first learned this technique.)

=-= Harron =-=