Problem opening a ai file

[snavebelac]

I hope someone may be able to let me know if there is a solution to this issue.

A designer I work with is trying to send me some artwork from illustrator.  A shape on his system is a simple path with a stroke.

When imported into affinity designer, the path is being converted into a compound path which is not what I want.  Are there some options to prevent this or is it something to do with the artwork itself?

Thanks

[Alfred]

38 minutes ago, snavebelac said:

When imported into affinity designer, the path is being converted into a compound path which is not what I want.

I wonder whether it’s actually being converted or whether the path was always there but simply not shown within Adobe Illustrator. Anyway, the Affinity apps can’t read the proprietary AI format, so what you’re seeing in Affinity Designer is whatever has been included in the PDF stream which is created when a design is saved from Illy as a PDF-compatible file.

44 minutes ago, snavebelac said:

Are there some options to prevent this or is it something to do with the artwork itself?

I don’t know of an option to control the initial appearance of the imported file, but from your screenshots it looks as though you can simply use the ‘Separate Curves’ command (on the ‘Layer > Geometry’ submenu) and then delete the unwanted inner layer.

[MEB]

Hi @snavebelac,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Do you mind attaching the AI file for inspection. I can provide an upload link if you wish to keep the file private - just let me know.
Anyway, the suggestion Alfred gave you above should help to get rid of it the extra line.

[Old Bruce]

What are the little blue dots near the curve? I doubt this is a simple path with a stroke.

[MEB]

These are corner widgets to round the corners live as with Affinity Designer Corner Tool.

[snavebelac]

Thanks for the advice.  I broke the curve apart and by aligning the stroke inner or outer (depending on which curve is removed) I can get the desired result. Now to export to SVG, optimise and them animate.

Assuming the artwork in illustrator is in fact a centrally aligned stroke, I'd love to know if it is possible to get this pulled over.  The designer will be happy to change export preferences and would like to know as well.

Attached is the ai file.

YPG Icon Border (path).ai

[Wosven]

If your end result is animated SVG, why not exporting from the start to SVG from Illy?

[snavebelac]

Should have said - tried exporting to SVG as well.  Had the same issue.

Spotted a forum post about stroke pressure that could cause this issue so am also looking into that

[snavebelac]

Stroke pressure was not the issue.

Interestingly, the designer opened up his exported EPS file back in illustrator and the path was still a path. It only seems to get converted to a compound path in affinity designer.

While we can work around it using the advice from Alfred.  I'd like to know if there is something I am doing wrong or some export setting at the other end that could be causing this in case it crops up again in future.

[Wosven]

It's probable, looking at complexe designs exported to EPS from Illy, that those contain extra data or even Illy's code, and not only EPS strict code, so they'll open as they were in Illy prior export.

There's no other or few app able to open those files correctly or without rasterising or using the image preview.