Unsexy Clipping Mask query

...And believe me, this is particular and unsexy. I am working on a job with a few differnent clipping masks across different layers. Is there a way to toggle all clipping masks on and off? I guess what I mean is, is there a way to switch off the mask visually, whilst retaining it?

If you're working in Illustrator you can click the eye icon to the left of the mask in the layers panel to deactivate/activate it. Don't know if that's what you mean.

The "A" in this image:
 

Edit: Missed that you wanted to disable all masks... have no idea if that's possible. Let me know if you find a solution! 

(Edited on 2012-05-04 12:48:43 by cajoer)

Hi Cajoer, yeah, it may not be possible, I have not come across anything yet. Although I do appreciate your reply!


 

You can relese it.  Right cilck and use relese clipping mask. The mask is still there but it have no stroke nor fill. Its hard to find it again... sometimes.

(Edited on 2012-05-11 01:20:58 by medobear)

I just use the quick key Cmd+7 to make the clipping mask and Cmd+Option+7 to release it. You could do that but unfortunately only one at a time, and if you deselect it you will have to find the mask again as medobear mentioned. But if you hide edges it is an easy way to quickly see what your object looks like with a mask vs. not.


(If you're on a PC, I believe the quick keys would be Ctl+7 and Ctl+Alt+7)

Hi all, yeah the problem is that I have a few different masks on differnent layers, and i didn't want to go through and release them all separately to view the entire art without them. I wanted to be able to hide all and show all in one fell swoop. It doesn't look like it can be done. Sigh.

Here's a possible workaround:


Do the menu command - "Select/Objects/Clipping Masks" to select all of the clipping masks in the document


Then click cmd+3 (I think it's ctl+3 on a PC) to hide all of the clipping masks. This will have the same effect as releasing them without actually releasing them. To reapply them click cmd+opt+3 (ctl+alt+3 PC). The only downside is that if you had any other elements hidden they will be revealed as well when you click cmd+opt+3.

(Edited on 2012-05-11 09:51:31 by crandym)