VectorFirstAid Panel Flyout Menu

The VectorFirstAid panel flyout menu items are contextually sensitive and all items may not be available, depending on the current selection.

VectorFirstAid Panel Flyout Menu

1. Operations Section

The 22 menu items in the upper section of the flyout menu each perform one of the checkup operations detailed in VectorFirstAid: Checkup Operations and immediate fix the issue, if one exists. If the menu item is chosen without any modifier keys pressed, each checkup’s parameters (if any) will be taken from the values specified in the general VectorFirstAid Preferences dialog. If the Option/Alt key is held down when choosing one of these menu items, and the operation has one or more parameters, a small dialog will appear allowing you to adjust the parameters for that single use of the menu item. The status line at the bottom of the VectorFirstAid panel will display the results of the operation.

2. Fix Document/Selection Using Profile ‘[Check All Issues]’

If nothing is selected, the Check All Issues profile is applied to the entire document, otherwise it only applies to the current selection. Choosing the menu item is the same as clicking the manual checkup button (with the Check All Issues profile selected in the dropdown menu) and then clicking the Fix All button. Since this does not give you a chance to view the issues before they are fixed, it is generally advisable that this only be used in a repetitive workflow where it is known that fixing all issues is desired.

3. Change Point Text Alignment...

Available when there are one or more point text objects selected. The menu item brings up a dialog which lets you specify the alignment. It is equivalent to using the first, second or third text operations buttons (see VectorFirstAid: Text Operations Buttons).

VectorFirstAid Point Text Alignment Dialog

4. Break Text Apart...

Available when there are one or more text objects selected. The menu item brings up a dialog which lets you specify the type of breaks. It is equivalent to using the fourth, fifth or sixth text operations buttons (see VectorFirstAid: Text Operations Buttons).

VectorFirstAid Break Text Apart Dialog

5. Break Text at Selection/Insertion Point

Available when the native Type Tool has been used on a text object and either some of its text is selected (highlighted), or the insertion point is somewhere in the text. In these cases, the text is broken into three (for selections) or two (for insertion point) point text objects. Trailing spaces are automatically removed.

VectorFirstAid Break Text at Selection or Insertion Point

When multiline type objects are broken, each resulting point text object will have a different margin:

VectorFirstAid Break Text at Selection Multiline

6. Remove Text Transforms

Available when there are one or more text objects selected. The menu item is equivalent to using the far right text operation button (see VectorFirstAid: Text Operations Buttons).

7. Completely Ungroup...

Removes all grouping from the selected art, including nested groups. When the menu item is chosen, the parameters dialog is displayed:

VectorFirstAid Completely Ungroup Dialog

A. Include Clip Groups: Generally, clip groups would excluded from this operation, as ungrouping them will usually change the look of the artwork. However, they can be included using this option.

B. Remove Clipping Paths: If clip groups are included in the ungroup operation, enabling this option will automatically remove the clipping paths afterwards.

C. Warn if Group Effects Would Be Lost: When strokes, fills, live effects, opacity masks, or transparency modes are applied at the group level, ungrouping will cause those effects to be discarded, changing the look of the artwork. When this option is enabled (the default, and recommended), a dialog will be shown if completely ungrouping would cause such live effects to be lost, allowing you to cancel the operation, skip those groups with effects, or ungroup them anyway:

VectorFirstAid Completely Ungroup Warning

VectorFirstAid Completely Ungroup Example

8. Remove Opacity Masks

Removes all opacity masks from the selected art.

VectorFirstAid Remove Opacity Masks

9. Convert to Dynamic Shapes

This menu item is only present if Astute Graphics’ VectorScribe plugin is also installed. It converts each path in the selection (or in the entire document, if there is no selection) into Dynamic Shapes, whenever possible, for use with the Dynamic Shapes tool and panel.

10. Flush Font Data Cache

When using the Unoutline Text operation (see VectorFirstAid: Convenience Operation Buttons), certain font data is kept in memory to speed up additional uses of the operation. If the Unoutline Text operation won’t be used again in the current Illustrator session, this menu item may be selected to reclaim memory.

11. Remove All Astute Graphics Active Content...

Expands or otherwise removes any art references to Astute Graphics plugins, such as dynamic objects, live effects, and other objects such as Space Fills and Width Stamps. This allows a user who does not have any Astute Graphics plugins installed to open the file and edit it without any limitations. However, it should be used with caution (or only after keeping a backup of the unmodified source file) because removing the active content will make future edits more difficult, and could even include text being outlined if it is affected by an Astute Graphics live effect. A dialog will ask for confirmation:

VectorFirstAid Remove Active Content Dialog

12. Hide Text Operation Buttons

The line of seven text operations buttons can be shown or hidden on the panel using this menu item. When the buttons are hidden, the menu item will change to Show Text Operation Buttons.

13. Hide Explanatory Text

The area showing checkup result explanatory text can be shown or hidden on the panel using this menu item. When the explanatory text is hidden, the menu item will change to Show Explanatory Text.

14. Dynamic Sketch Preferences…

Brings up the Preferences dialog (see VectorFirstAid: Preferences).