# Adobe Illustrator resizing question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 18, 2002, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-illustrator-resizing-question/143601 "2002-12-18T17:42:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-illustrator-resizing-question/143601/1 "2002-12-18T17:42:06Z")
I work in both Illustrator and Photoshop. In Photoshop it’s possible to resize an image by typing in the new X _or_ Y dimension, while maintaining aspect ratio. In Illustrator, the “Transform” palette allows resizing by typing in the X _and_ Y coordinates, but doesn’t have a ‘maintain aspect ratio’ option. Does anyone know if there is a way of **precisely** resizing one side of an object while maintaining aspect ratio? ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-illustrator-resizing-question/143601/2 "2002-12-18T18:05:00Z")
I don’t think so. That would be handy, wouldn’t it? Amazing how the “suite” of their products has often quite incompatible tools… Lemme check on-line documentation. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-illustrator-resizing-question/143601/3 "2002-12-18T18:09:49Z")
I’ve checked most help files, and found nothing. The compatiility thing is annoying, though on the whole the products are pretty damn good. It’s like that handy rounded-corner box tool that’s in ImageReady, but doesn’t appear in Photoshop… ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-illustrator-resizing-question/143601/4 "2002-12-18T18:11:24Z")
Please, please, please tell me there is! Even Corel Draw allows you to type in a specific X or Y dimension while maintaing the aspect ratio. I thought it was my own incompetance with Illustrator and that I’d forgotten how to do it. I always drag out a calculator to figure out the second measurement. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-illustrator-resizing-question/143601/5 "2002-12-18T18:19:37Z")
[http://www.tek-tips.com/gviewthread.cfm/lev2/4/lev3/31/pid/226/qid/374264](http://www.tek-tips.com/gviewthread.cfm/lev2/4/lev3/31/pid/226/qid/374264) > [@](#): > > Type in the width followed by command+enter. Hot damn! Thanks for asking the question! I just assumed there was no hope. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-illustrator-resizing-question/143601/6 "2002-12-18T19:16:44Z")
YEE-HAW!!! Okay, that is cool… But just note, if you do that once, from then on when you type in one measurement and just click, the aspect ration is maintained. For it to go back to the “modify one dimension only” you have to type the one dimension and hit enter. I am deleriously happy! ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-illustrator-resizing-question/143601/7 "2002-12-18T19:44:21Z")
You might wanna check what can be done when using [shift], [alt] and [ctrl]. Amazing stuff. Seriously. I just click and drag while holding [shift] and it maintain proportions. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-illustrator-resizing-question/143601/8 "2002-12-18T21:46:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Gaspode \* > \*\*I just click and drag while holding [shift] and it maintain proportions. \*\* Yes, this will work to maintain the aspect ratio when you click-and-drag, but it cases where you need accuracy to three decimal places, it makes life a helluva lot easier to be able to type in W= 123.456" and have the height instantly go to the _exact measurement_ that corresponds to the ratio of the Height. Sometimes clicking and dragging just doesn’t cut it. Even when using guides. That’s what the OP was looking for. The equivalent to Image Size… in Photoshop. Object \> Transform \> Scale will allow you to do it by _percentage_, but not a very specific measurement (at least not in 9.0 for a Mac). Plus it’s just faster to keep the Transform palette open and type in the “exact dimensions” rather than click 'n drag to “pretty-close dimensions.” Ahhh… this is so much better! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-illustrator-resizing-question/143601/9 "2002-12-19T10:12:22Z")
Thank you thank you thank you! Brilliant! Now what’s the command in Windows?