Import SVG as editable (not embedded) with AutoHotkey

[the.legend]

Hello there,

What I wanted

For the longest time I wanted to be able to import SVG icons into Affinity Designer and Publisher and be immediately able to modify them, especially changing their color.

 

The problem

The problem is that the file is embedded. What you have to do it double click on the SVG from inside Affinity, which will open the file. Then you copy all the individual elements and paste it back in your original document. I find that to be pretty tedious, especially if I'm important 10+ icons. I'm on Windows 10.

 

My solution

I found this solution online: 

 1. Select the SVG (works on multiple SVGs as well)
 2. Cut it (CTRL+x)
 3. Go in the top menu and click Edit, then Paste Special
 4. Ungroup it (CTRL+SHIFT+g)

That was too long for me, so I wrote a simple AutoHotkey script that automates that.

Note: I manually assigned a shortcut to "Paste Special", and you’ll have to do it as well. Open Affinity, go to Preferences (CTRL+,), then Shortcuts. Then you select "Edit" and scroll down to "Paste Special...". There, add the new shortcut ALT+v. This is important if you want the script to work without having to modify it yourself.

It literally does steps 2-4 I mentioned above. I bound it to Alt+Middle mouse button.

 

How to use it

 1. Install AutoHotkey from the official site. (Windows only)
 2. Download and unzip the compressed file attached
 3. Double click on "quick import SVG"
 4. You’re good to go.

Note: I modified the icon for the script. if you want it to work, you’ll have to keep the "white-logo" file in the same folder than the "quick import SVG" script.

 

I hope it’s helpful to you!

Olivier

quick import SVG.zip

[Return]

You still can drag/drop svg files to the assets panel and it will become groups of objects which you can simply drag to the canvas of a document and edit in place.

[loukash]

On 11/16/2022 at 5:14 PM, the.legend said:

I wanted to be able to import SVG icons into Affinity Designer and Publisher and be immediately able to modify them

No offense, but that sounds to me like the equivalent of "having the cake and eat it, too".
There's a reason why the "Import" and "Open" commands are two different things.

[loukash]

12 minutes ago, Return said:

You still can drag/drop svg files to the assets panel and it will become groups of objects which you can simply drag to the canvas of a document and edit in place.

Now that's an interesting workflow. I didn't know this yet.  

[the.legend]

21 minutes ago, Return said:

You still can drag/drop svg files to the assets panel and it will become groups of objects which you can simply drag to the canvas of a document and edit in place.

I never knew that! Thank you so much for sharing the knowledge!

10 minutes ago, loukash said:

No offense, but that sounds to me like the equivalent of "having the cake and eat it, too". There's a reason why the "Import" and "Open" commands are two different things.

Isn't the difference more about whether you want to deal only with that file ("Open") or if you want to use it in a larger design ("Import")?

But anyway: a solution was found so I'm happy. I wish it was simpler somehow, but I'm satisfied with @Return's answer.

 

[loukash]

33 minutes ago, the.legend said:

Isn't the difference more about whether you want to deal only with that file ("Open") or if you want to use it in a larger design ("Import")?

If you want the content to be directly editable – and this is what I want most of the time – then my usual workflow always was to:

1. open original
2. copy whatever you need to the clipboard
3. paste into layout
4. close original

That applies to PDF or EPS just as well, and is usually just a matter of a few seconds.

Compared e.g. to InDesign, this is much easier with Affinity because to "crack open" PDF/EPS/SVG to get the editable vector data into ID, you also need Illustrator. ID can't do it alone, you can only place/import such data.
Whereas any of the three Affinity apps can open SVG/EPS/PDF just by drag and drop e.g. on the app icon (at least on Mac, no idea about Windows).

On the other hand, the import/place workflow is particularly useful if you need to use the same design element across multiple layout documents and being able to change them all in one go just by updating the linked original.

So for example in all my years doing InDesign layouts, I would "crack open" all logos and other small vector files I'd receive from clients as AI/EPS/PDF by using Illustrator first, clean them up a bit if needed, copy and paste the curves into a blank InDesign document and save them into my "Logos" InDesign Library document for further direct use in subsequent layouts as editable vectors.

The Assets panel in Affinity is in fact comparable to the Libraries panel in InDesign. (Except that as of version CS5.5, ID libraries couldn't be used in Illustrator or Photoshop, whereas Affinity Assets are available and since v2 also shared in all three apps…)

[the.legend]

19 minutes ago, loukash said:

On the other hand, the import/place workflow is particularly useful if you need to use the same design element across multiple layout documents and being able to change them all in one go just by updating the linked original.

Thank you for your explanation! That makes a ton of sense. I've never had to work on such a scale just yet. I'll remember that workflow for sure.