Sadly, Illustrator CS5 can't remember the states of the layers between saves, so every time you open a file, all the layers are expanded, so you have to waste a few good clicks to close them before you are ready for action.
If you don't care at all about this, just stop reading and get back to work!
I was really annoyed by this for a very long time, and I decided to do something about it.
I don't know if you've heard about this, but if you hold the ALT key while expanding/collapsing a layer, it will do this for all the sub-layers inside. That's great, so that means that all you have to do is put everything in one layer, and then just ALT+click that when you open your file, and you're done.
As always, there is a catch. This will not work if the sub-layers are hidden or locked. If you don't usually hide or lock layers, then you're already set: use ALT+click and you're done.
For the rest of us, I present you my extension, AI Tools v1.0.0, with only one tool - Collapse All
After installing the extension using the Extension Manager, the Collapse All panel will help you make all the layers visible (and unlock them), so you can ALT+click to collapse the top layers.
And here are our layers when we open the file:
First you have to click on the (1) Make all visible, then (2) ALT+click on the top layers to collapse.
Step (3), press Restore to get back to the original visibility state.
Elapsed time: 5 seconds.
Please note that I actually expanded the top layers again in my previous picture, but without holding ALT this time, so I can show you that all the sub-layers are all nice and hmm... colapsed.
And here is the extension: AiTools-1.0.0.zxp
Currently I think it only works with Adobe Illustrator CS5, but if people are interested, I can see what I can do about that.
When I'll get some more free time, I'll create a nice panel for my other script: ai-layers-export.
Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any problems (on any topic related to Illustrator missing features).
Couldn't install it on Ai CS5.1. Extension Manager said: "... does not contain a valid signature."
ReplyDeleteI hope you continue to develop the extension. Would also be nice to collapse all layers and sublayers with one click! :)
I'm gonna checkout the ai-layers-export also, sounds like a dream to export to PNG like that!
Here's my Twitter also: @Piiri
Have a good one!
Wow, what a great time saving script. Thanks much. Hoping I don't have any problems installing it in the Mac version. Suffice to say that it most certainly worked in PC. Extension manager gave me a "notice" that the packaged was unsigned. That is OK considering this extension is like loveware, and a huge, expensive signing process was not enacted. However, beyond the notice about the extension being unsigned, I received an error saying that I did not have permission to install the extension. In Windows, right clicking on the Adobe Extension Manager and selecting "Run as Administrator" worked for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for the awesome time saver.
Chromahoen
Love this, Cristi... Your efforts sound awesome & useful... sadly, Adobe's latest Extension Manager (v6.0.5.9) fails to install the creative suite extension on Mac Mountain Lion 10.8.3 with Adobe Illustrator CS6 v16.04. If you can spare the time to update your efforts, they will assuredly be most appreciated!
ReplyDeleteThank you for inspiring some of us with your work.
-Jadik
Thanks for the feedback, I'll give it a try these days on a mac and see what happens there.
DeleteIt is working on CS6. Thanks
ReplyDelete