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I believe this is an Illustrator issue and not a coding issue therefore I'm posting it here.

I have this script that does a few things to my documents including outlining the text (then saving as a PDF).

I discovered on one of my documents that the script distorts the text when outlining. I can copy the text to a new file and then the script outlines it correctly.

Example:

Original text Original text

Outlined by code text enter image description here

Any insight into this will be greatly appreciated, since I want to avoid this issue in the first place.

Note: Using Illustrator CS6. Code to outline is textElement.createOutline().

Thank you.

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  • "I can copy the text to a new file and then the script outlines it correctly." would lead to an issue with the file specifically.
    – Scott
    Commented Nov 24, 2014 at 21:02
  • True, but in combination with the script, since clicking on create outlines from the type menu behaves as expected. I'd like to know the cause if possible.
    – scrollup
    Commented Nov 24, 2014 at 21:07

1 Answer 1

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Ok, after a bit of tinkering I've discovered what's happening.

Explanation: When the document is set to align to pixel grid, then any new object gets adjusted to be aligned to the grid. Now it seems that the way Illustrator implements it's createOutline() function, is in such a way that it creates a new object (maybe each letter is a new object) and then adjust them to fit the grid, so it needs to get rid of the curves of the text.

Solution: Be sure document is not set to align to grid, or turn it off.

P.S. If any Adobe developers can confirm the above hypothesis that would be cool.

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  • createOutline() will definitely create new Objects, and if it aligns the text to the grid when the setting is On, then it doesn't seem to be a bug. It's just doing what's being asked to do.
    – Carlos Canto
    Commented Nov 25, 2014 at 4:17
  • Indeed, but it still behaves differently then the menu version of create outlines, which doesn't affect the text in such a way.
    – scrollup
    Commented Nov 25, 2014 at 14:20
  • Actually I just tested, I created a new text (small size), created outline from menu, now check "align new objects to pixel grid", then selected the text outline and now check "align to pixel grid", then it gets distorted as well.
    – scrollup
    Commented Nov 25, 2014 at 14:43
  • This is indeed how illustrator behaves, we have numerous posts asking for this same question in one form or another.
    – joojaa
    Commented Dec 25, 2014 at 16:13

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