resizing

[hantaah]

I am totally new to illustrator and I have opened a poster template and edited it. However it is too big and so I want to resize the whole thing to a4 size. I clicked the artboard tool bar and there is "artboard2" in there. If I resize via document setup it just resizes a small box withing my artwork. I'm gathering that small box is the artboard, how then do I for all my artwork into this artboard. In fireworks / photoshop they have a " fit to canvas " option. What then is illustrators equivalent?

[gwpriester]

Welcome to TalkGraphics

You might need to Select All, then either manually resize or use the resize dialog.

[hantaah]

yes that did it, however I am resizing a doc of w=123.0902 in h=510479 in into a document for an a4 size ( I have been told a4 is 8.3 in x 11.7 in )

When doing that it goes so small and then distorted. How do I get a document this size to fit onto an a4?

[Albacore]

Go to the Layer palette (press F7 on keyboard) and make sure there are no padlocks shut. If there is click on them to make them disappear. The hold down Ctrl+A and the go up to the top menu under Object and select Transform. When the drop down menu appears select - Scale, a window appears click on Uniform- also strokes & effects. - Preview. In the Scale box put in 50% then click on - OK.
Go up to the File menu and go down to Document Setup and click - Select the Size box and click on the small triangle, you will see A4 there and select it. If the objects fit the artboard then no problems but if they don't then you will have to go and use the Resize Tool. Hold down again Ctrl+A then hit key E and go down to the bottom of the rectangle where is a small square at the corner and hold down Shift key as you move the mouse inwards till it fits the art board.

[gwpriester]

Thanks Peter. My knowledge of Illustrator is not great.