Blur Shadow

[Chris M]

When using the shadow tool we have the x,y controls to precisely set the distance from the object. But when the tool is set to 'Blur' do we have a precise way to set the distance?

I understand why the xy is grayed out...there is no xy with blur, but I feel there should be a way to make two or more objects have the exact same effect.

[gwpriester]

Glow. You had me there for a moment with Blur.

If you select the glow shadow with the Shadow Tool (best to zoom in close) you can drag the shadow in and out to make it larger or smaller. You can still adjust the Blur and Transparency (more blur for a wider glow effect).

You can change the color by dropping a color onto the shadow, or it you switch to the Selector Tool, and Ctrl click on the shadow you can apply any of the Fill Tool fills.

OK, that is You used to be able to apply any of the Fill Tool fills. This was negated by some other recently added feature.

But, you can copy any of these fills, Ctrl click on the glow, and Paste Attributes.

TMI?

[Chris M]

You're right - Glow not Blur and no, not too much at all because I din't know about those cool fill effects, so now I can overdo everything until the novelty wears off. You also answered the question I so badly constructed...zoom in and drag. That was the bit I was referring to. I was asking if there was a precise, mathematical way to ensure two or more objects could have the same amount shadow.

I'm now going to play with my new found knowledge.

[Chris M]

Actually, the Fill Tool does work, it just doesn't show the line that indicates it's there. I used the tab key to swap one end of the tool to the other but didn't manage to guess where the line might be to add additional nodes.

[Fred C]

Good morning Gary.


Clever & subtle, and done so early in the morning.

[Chris M]

Well I did manage to add an extra node by clicking furiously in the general direction of where I thought the line might be. A trip to the bug section maybe?

[gwpriester]

Fred C - And I even did it before my first cup of coffee.

Chris - There are many tools and functions that could benefit from a more precise (numerical or percent) control. It seems some sort of slider could work to adjust the amount of glow.

You can also apply glow to photos with transparent backgrounds.

[ss-kalm]

... This was negated by some other recently added feature...

Seems to be happening more and more these days. I can't remember a specific instance (except for the stretch/skew debacle), but the new "WEB" features seem to be definitely taking a priority at the expense of the graphic capabilities.

[iamtheblues]

Seems to be happening more and more these days. I can't remember a specific instance (except for the stretch/skew debacle), but the new "WEB" features seem to be definitely taking a priority at the expense of the graphic capabilities.

I suspect that that is the case; can anyone remember when the last new vector tool was introduced?....

[gwpriester]

I suspect that that is the case; can anyone remember when the last new vector tool was introduced?....

Well if you count smart shapes, there has been a bunch of these features added, and they all are vector based.

Let's face it, adding new features is like the old mother-in-law joke. Mother-in-law gives daughter's husband two shirts for his birthday. In an effort to please his mother-in-law, he wears one of the shirts the next time they are all together. The mother-in-law looks at him, raises her eyebrows and asks, You didn't like the other shirt?