VectorFirstAid Preferences

Using the flyout menu of the VectorFirstAid panel will bring up the VectorFirstAid preferences dialog:

VectorFirstAid Preferences

1. Get Bounds of Text Objects Using Text Outlines

When enabled, the bounds of text objects are calculated using the outlines of the text rather than the usual ascender to descender height (for use with issues which require the bounds of an object: removing unnecessary clip groups, removing off-artboard art, and removing unused artboards). The default value is enabled.

2. Ignore Unneeded Points in Blend Art

When enabled, blend objects are ignored when checking for unneeded points, because these points may be needed to maintain the look of the blend. The default value is enabled.

3. Ignore Unpainted Paths in Blend Art

When enabled, blend objects are ignored when looking for unpainted paths, because these paths may be used to define the spine of a blend. The default value is enabled.

4. Duplicate Art Considers Path Geometry Only

When enabled, duplicate path art is determined solely by its geometry (i.e., as it appears in Outline View), ignoring all other attributes like color, stroke width, transparency, etc. Use with caution, as this may cause the look of the document to change. The default value is disabled.

5. Unused Artboards Includes Duplicates

When enabled, duplicate artboards (those that lie exactly on top of another artboard with the same dimensions) will be considered unused. The default value is disabled.

6. Unneeded Point Tolerance

A dimensionless number (from 0 to 0.1) which relates to the angle with which a path changes at an anchor point. Higher tolerances mean points can be removed even if they change the path’s angle slightly, so the path may lose subtle deviations from straight. The default value is 0.005.

7. Redundant Point Tolerance

The largest distance that an anchor point can be from adjacent points and still be considered redundant (from 0 to 1 pt). The default value is 0.01 pt.

8. Short Handle Tolerance

The length below which a handle is considered “short” for the purposes of removal, from 0 to 6 pt. The default value is 0.01 pt.

9. Open Path Tolerance

Tolerance for detecting barely open paths, from 0 to 6 pt (if a path’s endpoints are further apart than the specified distance, then the path will not be closed when closing barely-open paths). The default value is 0.01 pt.

10. Coincident Point Tolerance

Tolerance for detecting close points, from 0 to 6 pt (points further apart than the specified distance will be ignored when aligning close points). This setting is also used when axis-aligning paths, to keep touching corners together. The default value is 0.01 pt.

11. Axis Alignment Angle Tolerance

The maximum angle a path’s segment can be from horizontal or vertical to be aligned, from 0 to 5°. The default value is 0.5°.

12. Smooth Point Tolerance

Points with handles more than this value away from 180° will not be changed to smooth when using the Modify Point Types operation. The tolerance can be set from 0 to 15°, with a default of 3°.

13. Unnecessary Handle Angle Tolerance

Handles more than this angle away from the straight segment will not be removed when removing unnecessary handles. The tolerance can be set from 0 to 1°, with a default of 0.1°.

14. Super Smart Remove Tolerance

Controls the balance between the number of anchor points removed and the accuracy of the resulting path’s geometry. It can range from 1 to 100. The higher the tolerance, the more anchor points are removed, but the more the geometry of the path may change. The default value is 20.

15. Protect Sharp Corners

When enabled, corner points where the path makes a sharp change in direction will never be removed by Super Smart Remove, regardless of the tolerance setting. The default setting is disabled.

16. Rejoin Paths Tolerance

The maximum distance that the endpoints of each segment can be from each other and still be joined, ranging from 0 to 6 pt. The default setting is 0.1 pt.

17. Rejoin Paths With Different Styles

Whether paths with different styles are allowed to be rejoined. When enabled, the style of the final path is taken from the section which is highest in the stacking order.

18. Rejoin Paths With Different Directions

Whether paths that touch head-to-head or tail-to-tail are allowed to be rejoined. When enabled, the direction of the final path is taken from the section which is highest in the stacking order.

19. Rejoin Paths With Variable Width Strokes

Whether paths stroked with a variable width stroke are allowed to be rejoined. When enabled, the variable width profile for the final path is taken from the section which is highest in the stacking order.

20. Retain Horizontal Spacing When Combining Text

When enabled (the default), kerning is modified and/or space characters are added to precisely duplicate the original spacing of the text. When disabled, the spacing is normalized when possible, to give the text the look it would have if it were not tracked or kerned. Gaps wider than a single space character will still be retained as a single space.

21. Replacement Font

The font to use when using the Replace All Missing Fonts operation. The default font is Myriad Pro.

22. Unoutline Text Set

Specifies the Unoutline Text Set to use when Unoutlining text (see VectorFirstAid: Convenience Operation Buttons). By default, this is simply all the fonts.

23. Configure...

Brings up the Unoutline Text Set Configuration dialog:

VectorFirstAid Unoutline Text Set Configuration Dialog

A. Test Set Dropdown Menu: Specifies the current Unoutline Text Set being edited. To create a new set, choose [New Set].

B. Available Fonts List: Shows a list of fonts that can be added to the current Unoutline Text Set.

C. Current Fonts List: Shows a list of the fonts that have been added to the current Unoutline Text Set.

D. Add/Remove Buttons: Move one or more selected fonts into or out of the current Unoutline Text Set.

E. Delete Set Button: Removes the current Unoutline Text Set. A dialog will appear asking for confirmation.

F. Rename Set Button: Brings up a dialog in which the current Unoutline Text Set may be renamed.

G. Save Button: Available once the current Unoutline Text Set has already been saved, but has been modified.

H. Save As... Button: Saves the current Unoutline Text Set, allowing you to give it a name.

I. Done Button: Exits the configuration dialog. If the current Unoutline Text Set has unsaved changes, a warning dialog will be displayed.

24. Unoutline Text Combines Glyphs When Possible

When enabled, the Unoutline Text operation combines the individual glyphs which have been recognized and converted back into live text into as few point text objects as possible. Otherwise, each glyph is left as a separate point text object. The default setting is enabled.

25. Unoutline Text Ignore Clipping Paths

When enabled, the Unoutline Text operation will ignore paths which are set as clipping paths for the purposes of conversion. The default setting is enabled.

26. Center View When Showing Issues

When enabled, using the Show button will automatically scroll the document to put the highlighted issue in the center of the window. The default setting is enabled.

27. Check and Fix Locked Items

When enabled, art objects which are locked will be treated as unlocked when detecting and fixing issues. The default setting is disabled.

28. Re-run Checkup After Fix All

When enabled, fixing all issues in a checkup will cause the checkup to automatically be re-run immediately. This helps find issues which take two or more passes to fix, such as axis-alignment of certain shapes. The default setting is disabled.

29. Fix All If Issues Are Still Detected

If the Re-run Checkup After Fix All preference is enabled, enabling this preference automatically fixes additionally-found issues.

30. Repeat Count

The number of times to automatically check and fix all issues if they continue to be found, when the previous two preferences are enabled. The default setting is 3 times.

31. Informational area

Shows a brief description of each preference control when the cursor is being hovered over it.

32. Reset Button

Resets all parameters to their default values.

33. Help Button

Opens the help documentation in the Astute Manager. If this does not automatically appear, please ensure your Astute Manager is running first.