Design : Create custom swatches at application level adding global colour/Gradient

[Chris26]

I am geting a bit lost on the instructions that I am reading.  I want to create a Global Custom set of gradients/Colours.  I right click on the object and Add to swatches > from Fill as Global.  I don't want to create a pallete from the document.  When I open a blank new document and try and search for my custom gradients and coiours I can not  find them, despite searching in all the drop down menus. by the swatches etc.  I see to import an application palette but that option is empty, and no surprise since I was not asked to create any folder or name anything in the first place, which I had expected to do when creating a custom Global pallete.

[Old Bruce]

I don't quite understand why you "don't want to create a palette ...." The swatches need somewhere to live, and that means you will need to have a Palette for them. You may find them at the bottom of the swatches in the current palette.

I would make a new Application Palette (by default it is named Palette) rename it and start adding swatches to it. then when ever you want those swatches just choose that palette.

[Chris26]

25 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

I would make a new Application Palette (by default it is named Palette) rename it and start adding swatches to it. then when ever you want those swatches just choose that palette.

Hi Bruce, yes I do want to make a pallete Global of course.  what you say is perfectly logical, I made a new application pallete and then clicked on the object.  Then Selected add as global fill, (as I said above). I then go to new document select my collection but nothing is there.  Question is when you add a globl fill through the "Add swatches"  drop down menu, where on earth does that colour go?

Sorry but the whole thing is confusing especially since you can also add a global colour from the top right corner drop down menu.  I then go to new document and play hide and seek.  If you know, off the top of your head,  of a video where I can watch this in DETAIL  I would very much appreciate it.  Sorry for the trouble though, but the written instructions only say what I had already worked out before trying to work this out.  It's obvious and simple to many people I know, and one day, it will be obvious and simple to me, 🙂

[Old Bruce]

14 minutes ago, Chris26 said:

Then Selected add as global fill, (as I said above). I then go to new document select my collection but nothing is there.  Question is when you add a globl fill through the "Add swatches"  drop down menu, where on earth does that colour go?

I make my new palette, then choose that empty palette and add the swatches there ....

Arggh!!

I see what you mean, sorry to mislead you with utterly wrong information.

Global colours can only be defined in a Document Palette. When you think about it it makes sense in that if you ever edited a colour in an Application Palette then the next time you opened any older document which used those colours then they would change. You could save global colours in a Document Palette and have it as a Template file and start with that. Or set a folder somewhere and export your document palettes with the global colours so you could import them.

When I make a new Global colour whilst having an Application Palette open I get an automatically generated new Document Palette, and that of course disappears as soon as I close that document.

[Chris26]

1 hour ago, Old Bruce said:

Or set a folder somewhere and export your document palettes with the global colours so you could import them.

Ah it's ok Bruce,  anyway, 

1.   If I export my palette from the drop down menu, then it will include a whole range of colours from that document that I do not want.  

2.   When you say "You could save global colours in a Document Palette and have it as a Template file and start with that"  Do you mean to save the document as a save as and load it everytime I want to extract the colours?  I know what a template is but how on earth do you save the document colours as a template?

I am telling you Bruce, I am confused by the what should be a simple method of selecting colours,...put them into a palette...then load them into a new document when I want them.  This is all I want to do.  I see export colours pallete but that would include a whole range of document colours that  I do not want.  I am sorry to be a pain.

 

EDIT:  It's ok Bruce you don't have to reply, I managed to dig up about 9 videos, one of them is bound to cover this particular point, the ones I did watch were basic.  Which is why I asked you, but there is one that 2 hours long so It's got to cover  somethng sensible....have a good day Bruce.  And thankyou by the way.

[Dazmondo77]

I have a set of global colours set as my default but this only works with new documents - just go to burger menu and import as document palate then set as default (I have it default for CMYK)

I use a workaround for global gradients = make your gradient with all gradient points taken from your globals palate then go to styles and add style from selection - apply to all you need with that same global gradient and any changes to any root globals contained within the gradient will update as expected, unlike an actual gradient swatch 

Process globals.afpalette

[Chris26]

34 minutes ago, Dazmondo77 said:

I have a set of global colours set as my default but this only works with new documents - just go to burger menu and import as document palate then set as default (I have it default for CMYK)

The second demonstration with styles was very helpful, seeing it done is always easier than reading a sentence 20 times.  thankyou.

As for the above quote, do you mean that I should create a new document, then I can copy an object with a particular style and colour from another document, set it in my new document, then do this with a wholerange of colours in the new doc. Then use the right click on object to add to swatches then Export as a colour palette.. Bobs your uncle, done.  I will try that.

[Chris26]

So this is the easiest and efficient ?? way to make a document palette which you can then export and use wherever you want.  I just discovered those two microscopically place squares next to the name.......Grrrrrrr.....so damn small I never notced them.   Also Dazmondo77  I actaully can save gradients.  But I will certinly use your styles method, that is great, I have a use for that as well.

 

 

 

 

[Dazmondo77]

16 hours ago, Chris26 said:

But I will certinly use your styles method, that is great, I have a use for that as well.

The Style workaround is only if you want a gradient with global colours - if you're happy with just standard gradients you're probably better off with the method in your vid -

I always setup jobs with global colours from the offset, I've had a lot of times in the past where this has saved the day back in my InDesign days where global colours are standard and found it a godsend especially if you're designing work that needs to be approved by committee, the chances are you need to mess around with your colour palate a few times before approval and this becomes a couple of clicks to change with globals rather than a full day for say a 100 + page annual report -

What would be handy (for anyone who needs globals) is if we could have a way to save global gradients as with 'those two microscopically place squares next to the name' I'm sure you must have tried the right icon to add a gradient to your palate, which does nothing as it currently can't ad global gradients (very frustrating) but at least the style workaround works for this but still no substitute for a proper global gradient palate