Strangely I always guessed (without putting any thought into it) that it was a JavaScript issue... But I think your theory is far more likely.
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spacebar for handtool / option for drag copy command no longer working in Illustrator
- Thread starter craigverse
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Strangely I always guessed (without putting any thought into it) that it was a JavaScript issue... But I think your theory is far more likely.
I had the same problem in CS5. All my quick keys stopped functioning. I read this thread, quit firefox and Illustrator started to work again.
Very strange.
Very strange.
This has been bugging me for a really long time. I just ignore it mostly, but then I randomly find myself super annoyed by it (like right now). I too find that it happens with both Chrome and Firefox.
I am finding a tentative connection with logging in to various things, like Basecamp for instance. If I fire up Illustrator and I'm already logged in using Chrome, keys disabled. Log out, close down browser and problem solved. I can then open Chrome and log back in and work normally. I could be mistaken about the connection, but that's been my feeling for a long time.
Also I think the above solution works more consistently with Chrome than FF. I have been using Chrome more and more for both work and casual browsing.
It's silly but damn is it annoying. Big shame that it persists in CS5. Can I get a big WTF?
I am finding a tentative connection with logging in to various things, like Basecamp for instance. If I fire up Illustrator and I'm already logged in using Chrome, keys disabled. Log out, close down browser and problem solved. I can then open Chrome and log back in and work normally. I could be mistaken about the connection, but that's been my feeling for a long time.
Also I think the above solution works more consistently with Chrome than FF. I have been using Chrome more and more for both work and casual browsing.
It's silly but damn is it annoying. Big shame that it persists in CS5. Can I get a big WTF?
RealPlayer Downloader
I was having the same issue with the space bar shortcut not working in Illustrator CS4 and I used Activity Monitor to quit the program "RealPlayer Downloader". That fixed the problem once I restarted Illustrator, but I haven't been able to recreate that issue, so it might just be general interference from other applications that causes this problem. Good Luck!
I was having the same issue with the space bar shortcut not working in Illustrator CS4 and I used Activity Monitor to quit the program "RealPlayer Downloader". That fixed the problem once I restarted Illustrator, but I haven't been able to recreate that issue, so it might just be general interference from other applications that causes this problem. Good Luck!
A
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For Future Reference
I cant remember the past bugs of CS3/4 or if they had this functionality, but on CS5 you can check the status of keyboard commands and shortcuts but going to your file bar then EDIT....KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS.
This will display a complete list of assigned (either default or set) tools and menu command shortcuts - you can also re-set to default.
I'm posting this, because if previous versions do have that function its a good way to accertain if its a fault within Illustrator or an other app conflict i.e - if illustrator shows that you have 'spacebar' enabled for dragging and it isnt working, then chances are its conflicting with another app, if it displays that spacebar isnt assigned for dragging, assign it again and see what happens!
Cheers
I cant remember the past bugs of CS3/4 or if they had this functionality, but on CS5 you can check the status of keyboard commands and shortcuts but going to your file bar then EDIT....KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS.
This will display a complete list of assigned (either default or set) tools and menu command shortcuts - you can also re-set to default.
I'm posting this, because if previous versions do have that function its a good way to accertain if its a fault within Illustrator or an other app conflict i.e - if illustrator shows that you have 'spacebar' enabled for dragging and it isnt working, then chances are its conflicting with another app, if it displays that spacebar isnt assigned for dragging, assign it again and see what happens!
Cheers
Thank you Jag-Mac-2010!
Yeah this is an older thread but it has the answer.
That is exactly what was causing my problem in Photoshop CS5.
I had switched to Chrome and I did have a couple of windows open. Closing them but not quitting Chrome solved the problem.
Yeah this is an older thread but it has the answer.
That is exactly what was causing my problem in Photoshop CS5.
I had switched to Chrome and I did have a couple of windows open. Closing them but not quitting Chrome solved the problem.
I am just coming in here to confirm that it has to be some kind of website related thing. Closing Basecamp specifically fixed this issue for me. So, for someone else it was Mint.com. Be mindful of websites like that that may use flash or javascript in a way that overrides your keyboard function.
It was Google Chrome for me, but thanks for the info - relaunching Chrome did the trick!
Turning off fonts kills this bug
Seems if you have too many fonts activated this bug pops up now and then. An easy fix is to disable a bunch and try again.
Seems if you have too many fonts activated this bug pops up now and then. An easy fix is to disable a bunch and try again.
Same issue for me - fixed by closing Chrome
I had to force quit Chrome. Immediately Illustrator started working again. I've never had this issue before and am in Illustrator every day.
I had to force quit Chrome. Immediately Illustrator started working again. I've never had this issue before and am in Illustrator every day.
web-related, likely Flash
All the other fixes... trash Ai prefs, quit Word, quit Firefox didn't work for me. All I had open was Safari, and a few sites. Quit Safari, keys worked immediately. I agree with post that said likely flash... like YouTube or other sites. I have Not tested that all the way out, but that seems like it. And yes, Ironic... Adobe, and flash... conflict?
All the other fixes... trash Ai prefs, quit Word, quit Firefox didn't work for me. All I had open was Safari, and a few sites. Quit Safari, keys worked immediately. I agree with post that said likely flash... like YouTube or other sites. I have Not tested that all the way out, but that seems like it. And yes, Ironic... Adobe, and flash... conflict?
I've just had the select tool alt functions - hand / zoom / scale functionality - die in InDesign 5.5.
I checked that Spotlight wasn't hijacking it (it does that) in keyboard shortcuts then killed Chrome (lots of windows open, though not as many as 31!) as recommended and instantly bam, those alt functions are back. So whatever it is, yeah there's obviously some random browser/flash hijacking going on.
thanks for the help, MR people!
I have the answer to how to avoid disabling the spacebar hand tool shortcut
If you use COMMAND-H to hide a window while any Adobe software is running, it disables the spacebar hand tool shortcut. I've tried every other solution and this is the only one that has worked for the past four weeks. So do NOT use COMMAND-H to hide windows. If you do so, and disable the shortcut, the only way to get it working again is to re-start your machine.
If you use COMMAND-H to hide a window while any Adobe software is running, it disables the spacebar hand tool shortcut. I've tried every other solution and this is the only one that has worked for the past four weeks. So do NOT use COMMAND-H to hide windows. If you do so, and disable the shortcut, the only way to get it working again is to re-start your machine.
Adobe vs. Flash
Whaaaaaat? This is the weirdest bug I've seen in quite a while. Now on os 10.8.4, yet still with CS4, and this thing persists.
And yes, quitting Safari (with an open youtube window) solved it.
m
Whaaaaaat? This is the weirdest bug I've seen in quite a while. Now on os 10.8.4, yet still with CS4, and this thing persists.
And yes, quitting Safari (with an open youtube window) solved it.
m
CS 5 here, same problem.
I confirm that the app-closing trick worked for me.
Closing the application 1Password did it for me. I couldnt reproduce the problem though. I agree that this might be coincidence and that 1Password might not be the actual culprit.
Thanks so much to all of you for your suggestions!
I confirm that the app-closing trick worked for me.
Closing the application 1Password did it for me. I couldnt reproduce the problem though. I agree that this might be coincidence and that 1Password might not be the actual culprit.
Thanks so much to all of you for your suggestions!
Finally after trying everything, I got it sorted!
Hi All,
Thanks for all your posts about possible processes and apps etc stopping the space bar from using the hand tool.
I have webroot anti-virus (used to be prevx) I closed it down and straight away the hand tool was back. I opened it again and no hand tool. I went in to the settings and there was a setting under 'Realtime Shield' with a tick in the box for 'Secure keyboard entry mode' I took the tick out and everything is fine in Photoshop once again. I even have Chrome open with the webroot password manager plugin running with no problems. It was just that secure keyboard entry bugger messing things up. I assume other anti-virus programs might have something similar. It's worth a go if nothing else has worked. I guess this should sort other Adobe products with the same feature. Now I can re-install all the programs I took off trying to sort this out!
Good luck, I hope this helps some of you.
All the best,
Jimmy
Hi All,
Thanks for all your posts about possible processes and apps etc stopping the space bar from using the hand tool.
I have webroot anti-virus (used to be prevx) I closed it down and straight away the hand tool was back. I opened it again and no hand tool. I went in to the settings and there was a setting under 'Realtime Shield' with a tick in the box for 'Secure keyboard entry mode' I took the tick out and everything is fine in Photoshop once again. I even have Chrome open with the webroot password manager plugin running with no problems. It was just that secure keyboard entry bugger messing things up. I assume other anti-virus programs might have something similar. It's worth a go if nothing else has worked. I guess this should sort other Adobe products with the same feature. Now I can re-install all the programs I took off trying to sort this out!
Good luck, I hope this helps some of you.
All the best,
Jimmy