Rulers mesurments

[Ulysses_R@adobeforums.com]

I changed the ruler to pixels, and changed to 10x10 px grid. Now, the rulers are displaying the numbers in pixels but in increments of 12s. How can I change the ruler's numbers to show the same as the grid, by 10s?
Help please.
Uly7

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

Hmmm... I don't think it can be done, and I don't know why the pixel-based ruler behaves as it does.

I assume the pixel ruler is there for Web work because, otherwise, I can't see the point of having such a ruler in a vector application.

You could use gridline every 108 px and 9 subdivisions if you want the gridlines to line up with the ruler ticks.

Let's hope someone else will elucidate.

=-= Harron =-=

[BobHill@adobeforums.com]

Harron,

I suspect the ticks in Pixel rulers are due to it based on ppi values with 72 being the lowest "common denominator" number, while standard vector rulers are either base 10 or usually in 8ths for inches.

Bob

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

Ah... could be, Bob. Both 72 and 96 are wholly divisible by 12 but not by 10.

Thanks.

=-= Harron =-=

[Clarissa_Soto@adobeforums.com]

I have been trying to figure this out for a while now. I work for a sign company and it is crucial that we use true measurements. Is it possible to set a scale, for example where 1/4" would equal to 1', so that when I print my design it fits on the page?

Clarissa

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

Clarissa,

I think you'd get more responses if you started a new topic.
(When you do, make sure you state your Illustrator version.)

One fairly easy way to do what I think you want is to save to PDF. Open in Reader and choose the 'fit to paper' option when printing.

=-= Harron =-=

[Jacob_Bugge@adobeforums.com]

Ulysses and Clarissa,

Illy designed the rulers and grid increments to challenge our sense of humour, and then she gave us the Info palette to work with and the Transform palette as a safety net.

[James_E._Talmage@adobeforums.com]

Ulysses and Clarissa,

AI sorely needs custom ruler scales. And they need to be document-specific, not app-level prefs. It's one of the reasons why so many sign shops use CorelDraw.

My advice is to do three things:

1. Consider a purchase of CAD Tools to add custom rulers to AI.

2. Grit your teeth and fume over having to BUY add ons for such basic functionality in a program called "Illustrator."

3. Hop over to the Feature Requests forum, and request (demand) this long overdue feature be added to the very next version.

JET

[Jacob_Bugge@adobeforums.com]

James, how do you find CAD Tools and other plug-ins?

[James_Talmage@adobeforums.com]

James, how do you find CAD Tools and other plug-ins?




I like CAD Tools. Its Isometric improvements help justify its cost.

I like Concatenate and Cutting tools from Graffix. And Rick's stuff is very reasonably priced.

However, I utterly despise the whole principle of having to buy individual little 3rd-party add-ons to give AI such bare-bones basic functions. Plug-ins should be for vertical market needs, not for patching up insufficient core features which are long overdue for updates.

For example, the Table Saw tool is the component I use most often in CuttingTools. But it's also an example of one of the basic problem with dependency upon tiny "detail" 3rd-party plug-ins. AICS is nearing a year out now, and the TableSaw tool still presents me a "this is beta" warning every time I use it.

Meanwhile, CorelDraw 12's new Virtual Segment Delete tool is one of the most elegant and useful cutting tools I've seen. For how many versions now has AI's lame-o Knife tool been unable to cut unfilled open paths?

AICS is supposed to be the fresh & modernized version of the formerly long-in-the-tooth program. But this second-generation of AI is still plagued with so many embarassingly archaic limitations. It's way past time for AI to catch up, clean up, and complete its bread & butter drawing features.

JET

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

However, I utterly despise the whole principle of having to buy individual
little 3rd-party add-ons to give AI such bare-bones basic functions. Plug-ins
should be for vertical market needs, not for patching up insufficient
core features which are long overdue for updates.




Hear, hear!

[Clarissa_Soto@adobeforums.com]

I like CAD Tools. Its Isometric improvements help justify its cost.

I like Concatenate and Cutting tools from Graffix. And Rick's stuff is very reasonably priced.

Could you be more specific on applying CAD tools for AI. My boss is relying on me to figure this out (I'm the new gal). Everyday, I always come across an eps file that can't, in no way, be brought into Corel as a vector, so I have no choice but to use Illustrator CS to design the sign, if there is anyone else someone could refer me to about this situation, please do so, it is important that I find out this information quickly.

Thank you so much,
Clarissa

[Timothy_Foolery®@adobeforums.com]

so, you normally use Corel by choice?

[James_E._Talmage@adobeforums.com]

Could you be more specific on applying CAD tools for AI.




CAD Tools will let you set up custom ruler scales (or use common pre-sets) to make scale drawings of your sign projects. It will let you add dimensions to the drawings (instead of having to construct them by hand). But it is a 3rd-party plug-in, so it is a compromise measure.

From CAD Tools User Manual:
" Note about drawing with scale: Since scale affects only CADtools drawing, editing, labeling and dimensioning tools, remember to use the CADrulers, CADgrids, and CADtracker to monitor your values in scale."

CAD Tools has a CAD Document palette. It has a popup menu like all the other AI palettes. In it is a menu selection: Add Custom Scale. This opens a dialog which lets you define a custom scale for the document; for example, 1" equals 10 ft.

CAD Tools uses a layer workaround to display its custom rulers. When the rulers are on, zooming performance is seriously affected.

See what I mean about plug-in workarounds for features that ought to be built into the drawing application? There are often serious trade-offs, and they tend to be weakly integrated with other standard features.

So while CAD Tools is a workaround for someone who needs custom rulers and dimensioning tools in AI today, it's okay. But if you are expecting me to make a glowing recommendation, as others often do here, I can't. Understand, I do not mean in the least to discredit the makers of CAD Tools or other things like it--at least they are there, trying to meet the need. But ADOBE needs to address these needs thorougly and elegantly, as only built-in features can.

But you can download a free demo of CAD Tools and try it yourself.

My boss is relying on me to figure this out (I'm the new gal). Everyday,
I always come across an eps file that can't, in no way, be brought into
Corel as a vector, so I have no choice but to use Illustrator CS to design
the sign...




You do have other choices. Open the EPS with AICS. Export it in a legacy AI format that CorelDraw can open. Clumsy and awkward? Yes. But it's up to you whether you want to advise your boss to build workaday DEPENDENCY upon 3rd-party plug-ins. I wouldn't. I use CAD Tools as a convenience. But I would (and do) continue to use CorelDraw or FreeHand or Canvas for sign projects until Adobe responds to the widespread need for basic tech drawing features.

JET

[Timothy_Foolery®@adobeforums.com]

Don't you find that Corel's AI exports tend to segment objects?