mikeh64

Good idea on the old AI 8 format - that would do the trick for layers at least (still no live text)

Yes, technically PDF supports layers, but in my tests going from Affinity Designer to After Affects via PDF it is not usable. Make four layers and put one simple shape on each layer - import into After Effects. You'll get many of the shapes existing on multiple layers, some layers simply gone and merged with another layer, any type will be a vector shape (no longer live), etc. Could it be the the Affinity PDF export just needs help? Or maybe the PDF spec is just never going to work well?

It is true that there are many software titles that can export AI - though I do know it is proprietary. How can they and Affinity can't? It is such an important format for a vector app - though I would love to have Affinity be my primary app I simply can't until I can get a layered AI file in to After Effects. Would there be some other approach or file format that could accomplish moving a layered file in to other apps while maintaining layers?

another vote for AI file export - or some other way to get layers in to After Effects