ctrl and shift alt shortcuts not working in Illustrator CS4

[stran...@adobeforums.com]

Hi
Can´t seem to get these keys to work properly.
For instance while drawing with the rectangle tool then pressing shift to get a square does not give me a square, all I get is a tooltip balloon saying "shift" same goes with ctrl and alt and spacebar. This only happens while using my wacom graphire 3 not with the mouse. Trying to use the up and down arrows to shange the number of points in a star also not working. But if I FIRST click the shift key then start creating a square its working, but not if I first start creating the rectangle. Photoshop cs4 does not give me this problem. Using Vista 32 bit swedish language, latest Wacom driver 5.0.8-6, latest keyboard driver and a swedish microsoft natural pro keyboard, latest logitech mouse driver. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
Strangeflow

[Iconic...@adobeforums.com]

I am having every one of the problems you mention also (constraining square,
circle, star/arrow keys to change amount of points on star). I also have a
Graphire 3. I also had the latest driver installed, have uninstalled that
and downgraded to older driver versions. I've tested every older driver
version for the Graphire 3, even the PenTablet_495-6.exe which is the oldest
available for download at WACOM. So far none have corrected these problems.

I don't know if you tried it yet but the Free Transform tool doesn't work
either. I still have Illustrator CS 3 installed and everything's working
fine in that so this is an issue only with the Graphire 3 and Illustrator CS
4.

[joe_cu...@adobeforums.com]

Maybe related...

I have only recently begun to experience the occasional unresponsive Shift and Spacebar when drawing shapes. But this is Illustrator CS3! (Intuos 3, Vista)

I can't remember exactly when it started or if it's related to something I downloaded recently (like the dreaded Safari 3.2), although I've heard it may be down to something that's running in the background like Microsoft Office.

[Iconic...@adobeforums.com]

I'm sorry to make a new post but I don't see the edit link any longer in my post above.

I have another update...today I uninstalled my Graphire and set up a WACOM Intuos 3 tablet on my computer plus it's driver (WacomTablet_610-5.exe). I am still having the same problems that I was having with the Graphire tablets.

If anyone else is either using a Graphire or an Intuos 3 successfully with Illustrator CS 4 could you please confirm so I may look for any other possible conflicts on my system? This is driving me absolutely bonkers!

I have notified Adobe of this update also. They did contact me earlier in reference to my first bug report.

[Iconic...@adobeforums.com]

Found the problem of what was causing the modifier keys not to work in AI CS 4. It had nothing to do with the Wacom tablets or the drivers for those.

It was the firewall I use, Kaspersky Internet Security 2009. I unistalled the version I had of that, opened up AI CS 4 and everything worked as expected. The version of Kaspersky I was running was 8.0.0454. So then I looked for a newer version to see what it would do if I installed it and downloaded v.8.0.0.506. Ran that but did not import my older firewall settings...opened up AI CS 4 and everything's still working as expected.

After 3 days of trouble-shooting, installing and uninstalling Wacom tablets, drivers, and even updating to XP SP3 finally AI CS 4 is working as it should, hurray! Just wanted to update this thread with what the fix was for me in case it helps any one else who may be having these issues.

[Iconic...@adobeforums.com]

All the problems I reported before are back :-( I am no longer running Kaspersky as it was giving me other issues so it's uninstalled from my system.

The only difference from my earlier posts is that I upgraded to CS 4 Design Premium Suite from the trial of I CS 4 I was running when I first had the problems. I used the CS 4 clean script to make sure all of the trial resources were removed before installing the retail version.

Again, I can't constrain any shape I create using the Shift key. My modifier keys (Shift+Ctrl+Alt)do not work when I use the Free Transform tool.

I am so totally disappointed!

[Goldie...@adobeforums.com]

I have the same issues and Adobe tells me its a Wacom Issue because the modifier keys a: work fine with a regular mouse and b: because CS3 on this same machine does not have that issue.

Wacom points right back at Adobe. No one seems to have the answer.

What frustrates me is that Both WACOM and Adobe are touting their huge upgraded support for Wacom. I reported this back in when CS4 was first released and got nowhere.

I am very frustrated as a designer that uses the product on a daily basis.

[D_Andr...@adobeforums.com]

I just installed an Intous3 and am having similar problems.
(Ill CS4, XP Pro, latest Wacom drivers).

I cannot use the arrow keys to modify the points on a star or polygon --- it adds loads at once, sometimes 13, sometimes 30. It goes right down to three sides with the down arrow.

The free transform perspective modifier (ctl-alt-shft) sometimes works, sometimes does not.

Has anyone come up with a fix?

[Jarrge...@adobeforums.com]

Sorry, I don't have a fix. But I have the same problem. The thing is when I am at work I have the problem of the modifier keys not to working. But when I am at home with the same laptop. The keys do work. So, it could be that it has to do with connection with a network or the internet.

[Ben_M...@adobeforums.com]

Jarrgeerligs,
By any chance, do you use Entourage for email at work? If so try quitting it.

[tma...@adobeforums.com]

Something is probably hijacking your keystrokes. Use the Task Manager to look at everything that's running and see if there's anything that could possibly be intercepting the keys. I had a similar problem and it turned out to be the control panel for my video card. Another possibility is interference if you're using a wireless keyboard. Cell phones sometimes interfere with them if they're sitting close by.

[D_Andr...@adobeforums.com]

It is the Intous3, a known bug. If I make sure the
intous pen and mouse are not near the tablet, then I can
use a regular mouse and all the modifiers work fine. That
is the only existing workaround I know of.

[Kevi...@adobeforums.com]

My right click doesn't work in AI, but it works in PS, so this points to problem in AI.

Also right click works fine in basic windows apps like explorer.

Using Win XP SP3, Adobe CS4 and Intuos3 tablet

[Harron_K....@adobeforums.com]

My right click doesn't work in AI, but it works in PS, so this points
to problem in AI.

Are you talking about right-clicking on the tools in the toolbar?

If so, that is not a problem with Illustrator so much as PEBKAC.

[Maaike_...@adobeforums.com]

I'm also having this problem of the shift key not working in Illustrator (most of the time). I'm using Illustrator CS4 on Vista and an Intuos 3 tablet. If I use a regular mouse, everything seems fine. So it's definitely a Wacom problem. Very annoying. Does anyone know if Wacom or Adobe are working on a solution for this?