Illustrator Selected Vector Colors

[Fred Weiss]

Can some Illustrator Wiz explain to me the meaning of the various colors that vector paths appear in when selected in Illustrator 10.

For example, in most files they are a pale cyan or blue when selected. However, I just opened a file where the paths are a pale magenta when selected. Noting that the file had six layers, five of which had nothing visible on them, I flattened the artwork expecting to see the magenta color change to blue. The color is yellow now.

I've searched the help files and have found nothing that mentions it. Since Adobe went to all the trouble of incorporating this feature, I assume it must have a useful purpose.

Below are three screen shots. The first is with all layers intact. The second and third have the artwork flattened .... each done with a different layer selected in the Layers Palette before flattening.

 

[Jen Goodwin]

You can indicate what color the outlines are for each layer when you set up the layer. Comes in handy if you are working with separations, you can designate each with their corresponding color; easier to know what you have picked while working in wireframe mode. I use Illustrator 9, but it has the same feature.

 

[Jen Goodwin]

I take that back. In wireframe mode in Illustrator, they turn black. So what is the purpose of this interesting feature? Did you come to any conclusions, Fred?

 

[Fred Weiss]

No. I was hoping a regular Illustrator user like Rick C. or Doug Allen would supply an answer. I think it's layer related and you're most likely on the right track.

 

[Rick]

I'm stumped as to the reason, but I just did it, and it turned the color of the layer I was on.

 

[Tony Teveris]

Adobe Selection Colors

I'm using Windows version AI CS so here is what I see.

In "preview" mode when you select objects the "wireframe" or "selection" is the color defined for the layer.

In "outline" mode everything is drawn black, again the selection is the color of the layer.

Depending upon what layer is selected when you choose to "flatten" the selection will then take on the color of the selected layer before the "flatten" command. This is the same thing that Jen said, just my observations. Plus I need to start getting my post counts up.

 

[Dale Horn]

Those CYMK vector paths are handy when setting up screen printed decals and the separtion plates (as Jen said). The third one looks green to me (I thought my monitor was calibrated?) as if the layers were flattened, and the C and Y mixed to form green and blocked out the M.

 

[Fred Weiss]

The 3rd screen shot is green Dale. I'm just used to seeing light cyan which is probably the default color for the first layer in Illustrator that I mentioned it. None of the screen shots are supposed to be light cyan.

 

[Dale Horn]

Right o - looks like you got it solved. Have a good one..

 

[vid]

I love that feature. As you've determined, it is a function of the layers pallet.

I reference the different colored lines to identify which layer a piece of art work is on. It's particularly helpful when building complex graphics that stack a number of different elements across multiple layers.

The colored lines correspond to a colored box that appears on the layers menu pallet. By selecting an image across multiple layers, the line color is determined by the highest order layer.

The layer colors can also be changed by double clicking the selected layer and adjusting the color from the pull down menu.

 

[Rick]

The layers are really good with CadTools too. You can have multiple scales on one page by the layers you specify.