illustrator (AI) to AD: Trials, solutions, questions

[Jim Monson]

Bringing Illustrator (AI) docs over to Affinity Designer (AD, 1.5.4) has been a joy and a dread. Here is what I have found by trial and error. I would appreciate any correction, advice or comment. Hopefully, this will help others since I find little in AD's Help that addresses this AI to AD transfer. I regret the length of this post, but I have tried to be explicit. Jim

 

1. Thanks to those working on AD for doing as much as they can to make the AI--->AD transition possible, even with the restrictions that Adobe has built into Illustrator when it comes to opening AI files in other programs.

 

2. My AI docs are large with dozens of layers in my complex mapping projects, with up to four sub-layers under to top layer, and with a myriad of graphic objects and tons of text (names, text on an AI "path," etc.)

 

3. Problem #1: In the beginning my many AI layers did not transfer over into AD. All AI objects and texts came into AD as a seemingly endless list of objects, texts or individual SVG letters under one top layer. I set about creating new layers in AD and then putting all of these objects under their proper AD created layers. Long and tedious task, but helped by the fact that similar type of objects appeared one after the other in the long list. 

 

4. Solution #1 and Question: After attempting various failed "solutions" I finally moved my AI layers to a higher level by eliminating my main top layer and consolidating layers as much as possible. My AI layers then appeared in AD, although named AI objects came into AD unnamed. I continued to tweak this solution, even bringing each AI layer into AD separately, together with its sub-layers and their objects. (As some of you know, in AI the layer panel has both layers and objects.) Individual texts on an AI "path" still came into AD as individual SVG letters, correctly placed and with a "path" (an AD "curve") which was no longer attached to the individual letters and thus no longer needed in AD, although it could be used for recreating and positioning text. Editing and repositioning each individual SVG letter is impossible, and thus to edit or reposition such text on a curve I must recreate it in AD as Artistic Text.

 

QUESTION #1: Is the above the only solution or is there a better one that could make the AI--->AD transition easier?

 

5. Problem #2: After bringing numerous AI docs into AD and doing all the work of reorganizing the layers and objects I felt that i would have a “master” AD doc from which I could copy and paste to other AD docs. I was careful to have the same DPI setting in AD’s Document Setup panel. Usually, my AD copy and AD paste would keep the same graphic size when pasting, but recently there are instances in which my paste graphically expands the layers and objects some 350%, far beyond the art board of the doc into which I am pasting. I quit AD to clear the memory, but it continued to do this. I also tried to group everything, but that did not solve the problem.

 

6. Solution #2 and Question: Since the above happened when I was copying and pasting a series of top layers with their various sub-layers and objects, I thought that I would try to copy each sub-layer separately, with its own sub-layers and objects. This method kept the size constant from AD copy to AD paste, but it meant that instead of having all my layers and sub-layers together and properly positioned, I had to reposition after pasting. 

 

QUESTION #2: Given Problem #1 and #2 above, it appears that something happens when copying/pasting too many top layers, each with sub-layers and many objects and texts from one AD doc to another. In the past this has not been the case with *native* AD docs (created originally in AD). The difference may be some artifact left over from AI that I cannot see nor correct. Any ideas on this that might help me and others who are in this situation? Many thanks!

 

END

[Leigh]

The issues you mention in 'Question #1' are related to the same thing. We can only read the PDF stream of an Illustrator file because their format is private. This means we're limited to PDF specs when importing the PDF stream - this is why your sub layers have been removed and text on a path is no longer editable. You seem to have found the best solution :)

 

If both AD documents are the same DPI your objects should remain the same size when copying and pasting. Can you provide a sample document showing this? Feel free to PM a link to your file if you don't want to make it public.

[Jim Monson]

Many thanks, Leigh. When I run across this again I will let you know with a sample doc.

 

I have become more and more adept at choosing the right layers or sub-layers within the Illustrator doc and dropping them in AD in order to maintain sub-layers. It is not always consistent but is far better than having to sort out all of the texts and graphics in one long layer.

 

It might be helpful for someone in the AD team to make up a list of "realities" with suggestions for your frustrated former Illustrator users since others appear to have these issues. You folks are so good at what you do that I'm sure such a list would be very clear and helpful, especially for the AD new-comer. It might even win more over to AD and its very user-friendly approach to what has become somewhat of a jungle in Illustrator.