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I am desperate for a guide that will tell me how terms translate between CorelDraw and Illustrator. I've used Corel for nearly 20 years and know the terms and shortcut keys like I speak "Corel". With a new job I HAVE to use Illustrator and I don't speak Illustrator!

Features in Illustrator and Corel are clearly similar -- but the terminology is different!

For example:

CorelDraw has nodes while Illustrator uses a clipping path?

Can anyone tell me what the common terms are and how they translate?

AND the shortcut keys?

for example:

Corel: Group/Ungroup = Ctrl+G

Illustrator: Group = Command/Ctrl+G

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I don't think you'll find a specific guide. I've never been a big Corel user (used it years ago for a brief period), but chances are things are not quite as different as you are making them out to be.

Illustrator Group = Ctrl-G, same as Draw

"Node" in Illustrator refers to an "anchor point" or "point". All three names are somewhat interchangeable. I believe this is the same as Draw. The app menus tend to use "anchor" rather than "node".

This link may be helpful:

Adobe's Corel to Illustrator migration guide (PDF)

Around the time of CS2, Adobe specifically implemented some things to make migration from Draw easier. For example, the bounding box in Illustrator was only added to make Corel users feel more at home. It's technically not mandatory for any specific task in Illustrator.

Don't overcomplicate things. I'd suggest simply using Ai as you would expect Draw to be used and, while Adobe isn't always known for intuitive implementation, you may find that you stumble upon many similar features via shortcuts (Group would be a good example of that).

All of Illustrator's shortcuts are displayed next to their menu item. In addition, you can see all the shortcuts by choosing Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts. You can also change the default keyboard shortcuts there to match what you may be accustomed to (although I'd suggest adapting rather than changing the defaults).

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  • I don't have my Mac turned on to check, but isn't Group Cmd-G, rather than Ctrl-G?
    – Alan Gilbertson
    Commented Jun 28, 2013 at 23:23
  • @AlanGilbertson Cmd-G (Mac) = Ctrl-G (Windows) Same difference :) Since the question references Windows shortcuts, my answer stayed with them.
    – Scott
    Commented Jun 28, 2013 at 23:33
  • I guess. My impression (from the OP's reference to "command + ctrl") was that this was a Mac user.
    – Alan Gilbertson
    Commented Jun 28, 2013 at 23:52
  • @AlanGilbertson There is no Draw version for the Mac. But you could be correct. He may be switching platforms as well as apps. It's not really clear in the question.
    – Scott
    Commented Jun 28, 2013 at 23:53
  • Ha! Well, that 'splains that. I've only had the very briefest of encounters with Draw, none of them pleasant, but I wasn't aware it was Windows-only. :-/
    – Alan Gilbertson
    Commented Jun 28, 2013 at 23:58

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