Quality of Life suggestion for shape tools

[Solanaar]

Greetings,

while researching another issue I came across an issue I've been struggling with in the stable release for quite a while:

 

When selecting a shape tool (pen tool, rectangle tool, circle tool, etc.) and immediately changing the colors and then drawing a shape, the colors (and stroke settings) will actually apply to the previously selected object instead of the newly drawn. This goes even further for the pen tool whereas you have to at least draw two nodes to be able to adjust color and stroke for the current shape. In my mind when I have a shape tool selected the context sensitive bar (which is actually changing depending on the selected tool, NOT the selected object, so there's an ergonomical issue, as well). should reflect settings to the shapes I am ABOUT TO DRAW. If, on the other hand, I select either the object selection (V) or the node selection (A) tool, I would expect the context sensitive bar to reflect options and functions corresponding to the SELECTED object.

For me it is important to pre-set color and stroke to accurately visualize the design I am making. Right now I am forced to painstakingly readjust the shape (sometimes each node in a complex shape seperately ) if something doesn't fit.

I hope I could bring my point across, and why I think this should be adressed from an ergonomical point of view. I attached a video illustrating the issue both in the beta (where I'd expect the change to be more reasonable than in the stable release), as well as in the release version (where the affected object even is the artboard which I very, very rarely change settings like color or stroke, if at all - do artboards even have a stroke?) I wonder, if other people found this to be an issue in their workflow. I am also aware, that this is a matter of workflow and taste, so I would suggest adding an option rather than changing it completely.

 

Thank you for reading!

Edited January 23, 2019 by Solanaar
added tags (hopefully appropriate)

[R C-R]

11 hours ago, Solanaar said:

In my mind when I have a shape tool selected the context sensitive bar (which is actually changing depending on the selected tool, NOT the selected object, so there's an ergonomical issue, as well). should reflect settings to the shapes I am ABOUT TO DRAW.

It does, based on the Object defaults for that object type. From the help topic:

Quote

These defaults can be changed in the current document, saved globally for future documents or returned to factory settings at any time. Synchronizing defaults lets you base a new default on the currently selected object, with the option to save the defaults or revert to saved defaults if needed.

The Context Toolbar shows the options & commands available when using the currently selected tool. They may change depending on what (if anything) is selected. IOW, the context toolbar is both tool & object sensitive.