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I have created 50 artboards in Adobe Illustrator. Their size is the same 59.5x59.5 mm Nothing else. Just the blank artboards. When I go File > Export > Export as --> JPG and then I choose "Use artboards" then "Range" > 1 (and do the export) then next step the same "Range" > 2 and so on, the resulting JPGs are different. The first 4 JPGs have a size of 704x704 pixels. But the one corresponding to the artboard number 5 has a different resolution 703x704 pixels. I am working with 300 ppi by the way.

Screenshot of all the identical artboards

What is going on?

Also they should all be 703x703 if my calculations are correct. (5.95x300)/2.54 = 702.755905511811

Thanks in advance

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  • That is annoying. There might be some explanation, but I often encounter these kinds of "rounding errors" in Illustrator. Mostly with objects though. In my experience InDesign has a lot less of this. Don't know if it has a different number of decimals or perhaps convert between units in another way.
    – Wolff
    Commented Aug 26, 2021 at 15:51
  • It does puzzle me however, why you need to do this? I mean if you make vector graphics for print (300 ppi hints this) then why export as jpg instead of PDF? And if you make images for web which needs to be a certain size, why not define the artboard size in pixels?
    – Wolff
    Commented Aug 26, 2021 at 15:54
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    Btw: I can reproduce the problem easily. I get both 703x703, 704x704, 703x704, 704x703. But not at the same number artboard as you. Could be related to which spacing you choose?
    – Wolff
    Commented Aug 26, 2021 at 15:58
  • @wolff I think you’re right - spacing might be the issue - see this answer to a similar issue.
    – pbasdf
    Commented Aug 26, 2021 at 16:06
  • Check the arboard location @Wolff it might round differently based on where it vegins calculating the pixel.
    – joojaa
    Commented Aug 26, 2021 at 16:08

1 Answer 1

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If you need pixel precision, then I'd suggest you use one of the "Web" document presets for creating the initial document, to ensure it's set up with Align Art to Pixel Grid enabled. I tested this and it seems to fix the problem.

However, if you choose one of the other document presets, such as one of the "Print" presets, then the Align Art to Pixel Grid option is disabled by default. This means that artboards could potentially be located at fractions of a pixel which would (I assume) be the cause of those rounding errors when exporting raster images.

You could of course enable the Align Art to Pixel Grid option in any document, then make sure the artboard is a whole number of pixels in both dimensions and also the x and y co-ordinates. Also if you don't like working with this option enabled, you could disable it again once you've got the arboards positioned correctly.

Edit further to comments: some of the problem is apparently due to using Export As. Seems to be buggy. However, Export for Screens works just fine with pixel perfect artboards.

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  • Thank you for the answer, but I still get different results. I started with the Web preset, made the dimension of the artboards be 168x168 px. X,Y are whole numbers. Height and width are whole numbers. When I click on Object > Make pixel perfect it says "Selected art is already pixel perfect". First artboard exported as JPG is 700x700 The other 2 artboards are 701x700
    – demklad
    Commented Aug 26, 2021 at 18:35
  • I don't think artboards are considered as "objects". You may have to move them manually to ensure they hit a whole pixel on the grid.
    – Billy Kerr
    Commented Aug 26, 2021 at 18:38
  • Hmm I just tested this again, and everything works fine. How are you exporting? I tried using Export for Screens.
    – Billy Kerr
    Commented Aug 26, 2021 at 18:40
  • Export as > JPG
    – demklad
    Commented Aug 26, 2021 at 18:41
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    OK then I think we have established there's a problem somewhere :) I will keep on playing around with this though. Thank you for your time!
    – demklad
    Commented Aug 26, 2021 at 19:16

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