How to renumber artboards in illustrator

In preparation of automatically rearranging artboards, the most important thing to do is to arrange the entries within the Artboards panel in the order in which they are to be arranged within the document. This can be done by manually dragging each entry within the Artboards panel or by using the arrow buttons at the base of the panel.

Rearrange All Artboards can be activated from either the button at the bottom left, or the flyout menu at the top right of, the Artboards panel.

Layout:

These buttons control the formation the rearranged artboards will take…

Grid by Row: Columns setting dictates the number of artboards per row.
Grid by Column: Rows setting dictates the number of artboards per column.
Arrange by Row: All artboards arranged into a single row.
Arrange by Column: All artboards arranged into a single column.

Layout order:

Controls whether the artboards are sorted from Left to Right or Right to Left.

Spacing:

Controls the amount of space between the rearranged artboards.

Move Artwork with Artboard:

Ensure this is enabled or else the artwork will remain in place while the artboards are rearranged.

If a warning sign is displayed with the text “Adjust settings to fit in more artboards”, Illustrator will not be able to rearrange the artboards into this particular configuration. Choose settings such that the artboards will be spread out over more rows or columns.

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Is it possible to renumber the artboards manually? I want to make an small animation and need a particular sequence.

I don't think so, unfortunately. You have four artboards - 1, 2, 3, 4 - and you want to swap 2 and 3. You should be able to just change the artboard numbers, but can't. You have to manually move either the artboards or the content of the artboards. There is a button which locks an artboard's contents to that artboard, so that when you move the artboard all the stuff on it moves along with it.

Naming and numbering art boards is a no brainer, but art boards are new. Maybe next time or better yet anupdate to test it!

Hmm too bad! Thanks anyway.

I thinkthis is something they did not have time to institue probably!How would youenvision this feature working?What would be best for you, let's compare notes.

I think the artboards should not have fixed numbers, but should be numbered according to their position on the canvas.Workaround for renumbering artboards:Keep your artboards arranged in a single row.When you need to renumber them:1. Unlock all layers. (Option-drag in step 2 only copies unlocked objects.)2. Activate the Artboard Tool, then option-drag the artboards, one at a time, from the original row to a new row in the newly desired order. That is, first option-drag the artboard you want to be the new number 1, then the new number 2, etc.3. After you've created a second row in the desired order, delete the entire original row.

I think the artboards should not have fixed numbers, but should be numbered according to their position on the canvas.I don't agree. What about Hebrew, Arabic, or other languages that read right to left? Also, I don't always think of multiple artboards as multiple pages. Sometimes I want them numbered top to bottom. What I really want is a way to customize the order. Like you can set a tab order for fields in an electronic form.:) Mordy

I don't agree either because they are not pages they are artboarts and as such have more use then do pages.I would like to be able to perhaps set a name and have a renumber command but if one needs artboard two to be next to artboard ten and it renumber it you would not be able to keep track of your atboards because the would have changed position and number.Also if you were able to name your artboards which I think is more useful and you had a flower Artboard that had a number 2 assigned to it and then you duplicated that art board and art and it was now Flower artboard number 6 then you do not have to worry about them getting mixed up if you had to arrange it so Flower 6 was in the position where Flower 2 was and that now Flower 2 has become Flower 3 which did not exist before.It would be helpful true for some if you could arrange your artboards in a sequence that you want and then select a command to renumber the artboards.That could be a part of the artboard naming feature if they create such a feature.But changing the number when you move an artboard is out of the question.What you want is to work in a program called InDesign.However I would go along withe a feature that would give the user the option if it did not interfere with the development of a naming and renumbering feature.I think I missed the turkey?

I think it is just a simple case of making an extra option in the Artboard options panel. You can adjust the precize size there already and the number of the artboard is previewed in the bottom. Just make it a field where you can adjust it. When I adjust it to #1 it has to swap with #1 OR maybe all the other artboards get one place higher.

There's a whole raft of things that need to be done to make the multiple artboard concept robust. For example, currently, when you create new document you get a chance to specify the number of artboards and their arrangement. But there's no way to get back to this dialog to add artboards or alter the arrangement.

I think you do not understand what problems that might cause once the user does this and does not understand they cannot go back and then they reopen the file and start looking for the number they had for the artboard with a certain art on it an they now can no longer find it, they are going to start screaming bloody murder.This has to be thought out better then just renumber the art boards but reordering the pages numbers automatically.The users has to make a definitive decision to do so.Just think about it?understand you think well it's a no brainer but that is not the case this matter has been discussed and there are problems with this scenario you are not thinking about.The whole point of being able to move the artboards with the content is so you have maximum flexibility, once you have the automatic renumbering you loose that ability even though you can sort of physically move the boards because you loose the number of the board.This has to be done by a command to renumber the artboards and a warning are you sure that you want to do this and that if you do you loose all previous numbers and once save it cannot be undone.I say the ability to renumber and rename a board is a good one because that is both artboard and art specific, you know which board you have renumbered!I am against a auto renumbering system, even as an option it is a dangerous move.

here is a complex workaround for renumbering artboard if you really want to do it.1. Use the Rectangle tool to draw rectangle that cover the artboard size of all of your artboard except the one that you want to be the first. Using smart guide it will snap to the artboard. It's IMPORTANT to draw them in the order you want your artboard to be re-order.2. Now using the Artboard tool, delete all artboard except the one you did not draw a rectangle over.3. Select all the rectangles from step 1. and choose Object > Convert to Artboards

Wonderful work around.

WOW! JC, you just opened up a new world for me! I had not noticed that command before. I always had a problem with adding additional artboards to an existing document and having them arranged a certain way. Now I realize I can just create rectangles, move them exactly where I want, arrange them, and convert them to artboards. THANK YOU!

Arthur, itÕs a pleasure to make you feel good!

Just remember Arthur I taught JC everything he knows! Or was it everything I know?!

In that case, I also thank you Wade :)

You're Welcome! LOL!

Wow, JC! That's a great workaround! I just used it to reorder a (ähem) Doc with to artboards ; )

I have never dared to ask until now (after a few beers :-)), but what is the point of multiple artboards? If you use 1 artboard and have it big enough, with page tiling set as you want it, can you do something with multiple artboards that you couldn't do before? Are multiple artboards really necessary? What do you gain by them? They don't even seem to have independent X/Y axes, so you can't use Cmd-F to paste in place between artboards. Isn't this just a sort of Freehand thingummy that hasn't been properly implemented in Illy?

It keeps the whining ex-freehand users a bit quieter.

Reckon you've hit the thingummy on the other thingummy :-)At least it's good to know that there's someone out there who's in touch with a semblance of reality.

Not quiet enough, but it's a start."I want Illustrator to be exactly like FreeHand and anyone who disagrees with me is a moron." says the ex-Freehand user."Why did Macromedia drop all support for FreeHand and disband the development team years ago?" asks everyone else.