Basics

Basic Elements

Points, Paths, Fills and Strokes 
Tool Hyperlinks 		          Click hyperlinks to open the palette to each tool and feature.

Deselect 			                Ctrl + Shift + A
Fit Window 		                Double click the Hand Tool
Reposition ruler zero point 	Drag the small box in the upper left corner 
Delete Guides 		            Hit the Delete key
Draw Specific Dimensions 	    One click on the document, using a tool
Selecting Overlapped objects	via the Select menu 
Eye dropper		                After selecting object, Click or Shift + click (fill only)

Shape Drawing: 
	Draw		          Click & Drag
	Angle constraint	Shift
	Number of sides	  Up and Down arrows
	Star depth	      Ctrl
Live Color
  • Click on a color in the Color Guide Palette
  • Choose from the Harmony Rules pop-up menu
  • Click the icon "Edit or Apply Colors" for more detail
  • The large circle is the master color, the small one(s) are tied to it
  • Options: Pick a different sort of harmony from the list Segment the color wheel

Manipulating Objects

Transform Again 		    Ctrl + D
Transformation Palette	Gives more transformation options
Reflect                 Transform / Reflect 
                        You can use it to Reflect Shapes and selected parts of shapes
Transform Each		      Individually transforms every object from a group of selected objects
Group Objects		        Ctrl + G
Ungroup Objects		      Ctrl + Shift + G
Rotate Tool		          Object Selected, Pick tool, Choose center of rotation by clicking
Reflect Tool 		        Reflect object (or part of it) according to a rotation point
Distribute Objects 		  Distributes them symmetrically according to the maximum object states
Distortion Tools		    Add distortions to your vector graphics
Live Trace		          You can find it in the Control Palette after selecting the image
			                  Pick a preset that is suitable for your image.

Drawing Objects

Pencil Tool		            Draw strokes or correct already drawn strokes by hand
Pencil Settings		        Double click on the Pencil tool 
Brush Strokes		          In the Control Palette you can apply brush strokes to your pencil lines
Brush Tool		            You can use the brushes library 
Curves from Corners	      Using the Pen tool, press Alt and drag from the point of the corner
Scissors Tool		          Slices objects by single clicks
Knife Tool			          Slices objects by dragging
Object / Path / Join		  Joins separate points with a stroke
Object / Path / Average	  Joins separate points by moving them towards each other 
Object / Path / Add Anchor Points : Doubles the number of Anchor Points of an Object 
Decorate Strokes		      Brushes Palette / Library / Borders
Effect / Pucker & Bloat	  Puckers up objects depending on the number of its anchor points 

Pathfinder Palette
Combine Objects into One	    Window / Pathfinder / Add, then Expand
Subtract Overlapped Objects 	Window / Pathfinder / Subtract, then Expand (Evacuates unshared area)

Intermediate

Import Objects into Document	File / Place
Link Checkbox		              Embeds files into the docuents or just links them (useful to reduce size)
Replace Checkbox		          Imports and replaces the selected object to preserve its visual settings
Template Checkbox		          Imports a file and locks it in the background of the document

New Layer		                  Click icon on Layer Palette (works like in Photoshop and Flash)
Select All Objects in Layer	  Click the circle 
Stroke Meeting-ends	          Stroke Hyperlink / Stroke Palette / Choose: a Cap

Link Palette		  Select linked file
			            Relink a missing file
			            Update the changes of the source linked file
			            Edit linked file (with Photoshop)

Clipping Mask		  1. Click Mask in the control palette. Resize it also from the control palette. 
            			2. Place the object on top of the other, then Object / Clipping Mask / Make 

Type

1. Type Tool 		        = Point Type
2. Area Type Tool 		  = Flows into Shape
3. Type on a Path Tool	= Follows a Path

Deselect Typing		      Ctrl + Click
Placing Text		        File / Place / Choose Text File 
Specific Text Editing		After selecting the text object, then Type / Area Type Options

Text Overflow Indicator	Having a text overflow in a box, with the Selection Tool click once on the red box
			                  then create a new box to place the overflowing text in it.
Indent 
First-line Indent

Window / Type (creating Type Style presets)
1. Character-based Styles	  Only applies to a selected block of text 
2. Paragraphs Styles	      Applies to paragraphs

Convert Text to Shape 	    Type / Create Outlines
Convert Enveloped Text to Shape : Object / Envelope Distort / Expand 

Type over an Object 	      First: Object / Lock / Selection, then: Type Tool 

Styles

Drop Shadow 		              Filter / Stylize / Drop Shadow 
Photoshop Filters		          Editable filters which are applied to RGB Bitmap objects only 
Graphic Styles Palette	      Add through it various editable styles to your objects
Update Graphic Style	        Alt + Drag your styled shape into a style item in the Graphic Styles list
Disconnect Object from Style	Graphic Styles / Break link 
Appearance Palette		        Gives specific editable construction details of the object
"Smart Object" Copies	        After grouping the wanted object, Effect / Distort & Transform / Transform 

Note: Difference between the Filters Menu and the Effects Menu is that Filters alter the Path of our object, while Effects add an effect to the object without altering it.

Slice using Object		Select Object / Object / Slice / Make 
Save for Photoshop		File / Export / Save As Type : PSD
Convert Color Mode		File / Document Color Mode / CMYK or RGB
Crop Tool			        1. Click and Drag crop area
			                2. Double Click on crop tool for specific cropping
			                3. Click once, anywhere in your document

Printing

Turn off Printing for Layers	  Layer Palette / Double Click on Layer / Uncheck Print

Note: Before sending the file to print, make sure the format of the file is in PDF, using the Press Quality preset.

Creating a View		    Specify the area and zoom you want / View / New View 
			                Then you can access that view from the bottom of the View menu

Creating a Pattern		Select Object(s) / Drag it into the Color Swatches / Use it to color other objects
Modify Pattern		    Press and hold the ~ Key, while you use a transformation tool
Edit Pattern itself		Drag Pattern out of the Color Palette into a blank space / Edit Pattern / Re-add it

Glbal Color		        Color Palette / Create a New Color / Check the box "Global" 
			                Modifying this color later will update any object or pattern that uses it.
Symbols Palette		    A library of illustrated documents 
Symbol Sprayer        Tool	Sprays a selected symbol from the Symbols Palette	
Actions Palette		    Works similarly to the one in Photoshop

Dynamic Text BG		    Select Text / Appearance Palette / Menu / Add New Fill / 
			                Reposition Fill layer behind Text layer / Effect / Convert to Shape / Rectangle.
			                Drag the result to the Symbol Palette to use it again at will (After you break link).