Using rulers


    Illustrator can display rulers, one along the top and one along the left side of the illustration window.

    When you open a new file, the rulers are not visible, but you can display them at any time. These rulers are a tool for accurately placing and measuring objects on the artboard. As you scroll and zoom around the file, the rulers adjust accordingly.

To show or hide rulers:

    Choose View > Show Rulers or View > Hide Rulers.

    The point where 0 appears on each ruler is called the ruler origin. When you open a file, the position of the ruler origin depends on the options in the Setup section of the Print dialog box. Generally, the default ruler origin is located at the lower left corner of the artboard.

    When you change the ruler setting, the new setting becomes the default for the file whenever that file is opened. You can change the origin for the rulers at any time. For example, you may be working on a 3-inch-by-5-inch card that is centered on an 8.5-inch-by-11-inch page. Setting the ruler origin to line up with the 3-by-5-inch artwork rather than the 8.5-by-11-inch page can make precision editing easier for you.

    Note: Changing the ruler origin affects the tiling of patterns and the display of artwork in the Print dialog box.

To change the ruler origin:

  1. Move the pointer to the upper left corner of the rulers where the rulers intersect.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • Drag the pointer to where you want the new ruler origin. As you drag, a cross hair in the window and in the rulers indicates the changing ruler origin.
    • Double-click the upper left corner where the rulers intersect to restore the default settings.