Global/Master artboard templates (pin objects across all artboards)
Ability to have a single object (or group) break out of its artboard and cross multiple artboards within a single prototype. The simplest use case is the creation of a global navigation bar that spans across multiple screens. This object's interactive elements would also work across multiple screens as well, and any edits to this object would update across the rest of the screens.
Easy interaction management and editing. Also provides consistency with consistent elements within an experience.
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Anonymous commented
Other apps do this and have done this for a long time. It has been since 2016 since this was first requested as a feature. So crazy that this baseline feature has not been completed by Adobe.
And no comments from any Adobe admin in a long time. Adobe has its head buried in the sand on this one.
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Vuk Ninic commented
As Janna NL mentioned below, this should be similar to InDesign Master pages or build upon that idea. Sure, we can have symbols but is not the same. I am really surprised that Adobe wouldn't copy some of the obvious functionalities from other apps.
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Janna NL commented
This could be used functionally like InDesign Master pages, or you could attach the prototype linking to the component, as well, so that anywhere the component is used the prototype links carry through. The copy/paste in prototype mode workaround is insufficient. I just had to change the way my nav bar was structured in a project with 50+ artboards, and all my global links are fried. Searching and copy/pasting is going to be a time suck.
Please get this one released!
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Twist commented
Seems like a no brainer to me, surprised you can't already do this.
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Renuka commented
Without this feature, its hard to take up this tool to create any complex web applications.
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Brom Sulaiman commented
Yep. I'm in the process of evaluating XD to replace teams current toolset. This is a massive blocker for me.
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Anonymous commented
This has been under review for a long, long time. Any status update to this much needed item?
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Tobias Kopp commented
Yes, this is a much needed feature!
I imagine this to be like InDesign – you can create one or multiple masters. Everything that you put on them will appear on all screens where this master is selected. In the case of XD this would mean that the interactions on this master also work everywhere the master is in use. You would probably need the ability to create different instances of one master in order to make, e.g., a navigation bar with accordion menus.
You would probably have the ability to select different options in the right menu bar when you have a whole screen selected: Make this screen a master (same principal as an overlay, only it doesn't deactivate the interactions on the "background " screen) or select a master out of a list of all your masters, including, of course, selecting no master.There is two reasons why this is badly needed:
1. Consistency throughout all your screens – no screens will be forgotten when you update something that applies to multiple screens
2. Better usability, saving time: E.g., changing the menu bar means it will update on all screens, so you don't have to copy & paste on A LOT of screens. Also, you can see how a changed object plays out on multiple screens in a second.Yes, this is a much needed feature! -
YOSHIKI commented
アートボードのロック機能を追加してほしい。
オブジェクトだけでなく、アートボードにおいても固定できるようにしてほしい(XDをプレゼン資料として活用している)。アートボードが固定されることで、オブジェクトのみの選択もしやすくなり、使いやすくなる。 -
Dana Shelton commented
Like in InDesign, where you can set up guides, navigation elements, footers, or whatever components must remain consistent throughout your art boards.
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EssZett commented
Needed! Simple reason: statusbar of phone prototype need to stay fixed on all artboards.
The mentioned workaround (via copy&paste) is no real one. If using a transition like slide to side will move the statusbar as well... not convenient
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MaMaLy commented
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MaMaLy commented
While we wait for this, here's a workaround. You simply link up a component, and while in prototype mode you copy, and then select all the artboards where you want it pasted, and then paste. It pastes the component in place on all artboards at once with all prototype links intact. The only PITA part of this is that you have to remember to do that again every time you make a change, and if you have a different on-state visual for each link those would have to be updated per instance (or else maintain a different master component for each on-state.)
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NJA commented
@Jody - There is no way of pinning interactive elements, it's not solved at all. I have to manually link up every single item in a (global) navigation menu across every single page.
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Jody commented
Components will solve this. The older version with symbols also solved this.
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Freelance 1 commented
how was this even released without masters etc ? its a no-brainer
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Anonymous commented
New 2019 update for XD...and still DON'T have the ability to have a global navigation that will retain set wires in a symbol or Master Artboard when using that element across multiple artboards.
Still can't use Adobe XD until this is fixed. And it is still listed as only under review. Adobe frustrates again.
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Nick Freeman commented
"Feature-Under Review" since Dec 2016
Holy crap, this is a major oversight. This is really frustrating, and its something that should have been included in the first release. Would be nice to actually have a global nav that get perpetuated across the project would be an improvement.
For everyone else fighting this problem, my hack for this, which works reasonably well, is to make my navigation menu on a separate artboard, and treat it like a modal/overlay on click. Then I have one artboard to change if the client has changes and all my wires still point to the same artboard, making those changes global.
You can then copy and paste your nav button anywhere you like, (with the prototype tab active) and it should retain the wires and position. Would love an option to define an artboard as a global layer, and then have a check box to select "use global layer XXX" whenever a new artboard is created.
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Shivram Mahendran commented
Incase its not considered already- Responsive & fixed options please.
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Anonymous commented
I cannot use Adobe XD until there is either a Master Artboard or Symbols that will keep their wires when used across multiple artboards. I will not waste time having to make global navigation wires or having to edit global navigation wires across multiple artboards when I need to make a change. I don't understand how Adobe has been so short-sighted in this basic prototyping need. And how this need has been stated for so long and it is still in and under-review state. It is the one thing that keeps me from using XD. Adobe likes its bells and whistles while forgetting the fundamentals. Also a lack of urgency and priority for such a fundamental item is frustrating. Adobe continues to stack up its mis-steps. ie latest changes and user issues with Illustrator and Photoshop that are also frustrating so many long time users.