Use 9-slice scaling, Enable 9-slice scaling, Edit the 9-slice scaling grid for a symbol – Adobe Illustrator CS4 User Manual
Page 91: Work with symbol instances
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USING ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR CS4
Drawing
Use 9-slice scaling
You can use 9-slice scaling (scale-9) to specify component-style scaling for movie clip symbols destined for export to
Flash. This type of scaling lets you create movie clip symbols that scale appropriately for use as user interface
components, as opposed to the type of scaling typically applied to graphics and design elements.
The movie clip is conceptually divided into nine sections with a grid-like overlay, and each of the nine areas is scaled
independently. To maintain the visual integrity of the movie clip, corners are not scaled, while the remaining areas of
the image are scaled (as opposed to being stretched) larger or smaller, as needed.
The 9-slice scaling grid is visible only in isolation mode. By default, the grid’s guides are placed at 25% (or 1/4) of the
symbol’s width and height from the edge of the symbol, and appear as dotted lines superimposed on the symbol.
Note: For more information on using 9-slice scaling in Flash, see Flash Help. For videos on 9-slice scaling and using 9-slice
scaling in Illustrator and Flash, see
.
Enable 9-slice scaling
1
Select the symbol on the artboard or in the Symbols panel and choose Symbol Options from the panel menu.
2
In the Symbol Options dialog box, select Movie Clip for Type, and then select Enable Guides For 9-Slice Scaling.
Note: You can also enable this option in the Symbol Options dialog box when creating a new symbol.
Edit the 9-slice scaling grid for a symbol
1
To edit the scaling grid for a symbol, open the symbol in isolation mode by doing one of the following:
•
Double-click the symbol in the Symbols panel.
•
Select the symbol in the Symbols panel and choose Edit Symbol from the panel menu.
2
To edit the scaling grid for a symbol instance, open the instance in isolation mode by doing one of the following:
•
Double-click the symbol instance on the artboard.
•
Select the symbol instance on the artboard and click Edit Symbol in the Control panel.
3
Move the pointer over any of the four guides. When the pointer changes to the move pointer
, drag the guide.
Note: Scaling still occurs if you move a guide away from the symbol boundaries (thus dividing the symbol into less
than 9 slices). The symbol scales according to the slice in which it falls.
4
Exit isolation mode by clicking the Exit Isolated Group button
at the upper-left corner of the artboard or in the
Control panel
.
Work with symbol instances
You can move, scale, rotate, shear (or skew), or reflect symbol instances in the same way you can other objects. You
can also perform any operation from the Transparency, Appearance, and Graphic Styles panels and apply any effect
from the Effect menu. However, if you want to modify the individual components of a symbol instance, you must first
expand it. Expanding breaks the link between the symbol and the symbol instance and converts the instance to regular
artwork.
For videos on selecting and aligning objects, including symbols, see
and
.
See also