Import SVG / How to handle "Embedded Document" ?

[robert_muench]

Hi, I'm using artboards in a document that contains all my graphics for our web-site. On the web we use SVG. Hence, I drag & drop some SVG files into AD and export from there. When adding an SVG via drag & drop, it gets added to the artboard as [Embedded document].

 

Some questions:

1. How can I copy such a thing? When I do it the normal way and I edit the copy, the original gets changed too.
    
2. Is there a way I can convert the embedded document into a normal group?
    
3. Any documentation available about embedded documents? How to best edit these etc.?

[MEB]

Hi robert_muench,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

Embedded documents are just that - a layer that contains a full document enclosed inside - but that act like a single object to which you can apply adjustments, layer effects etc. To edit it double-click the embedded document on canvas (this will open it in a new document tab) make your changes and close the embedded document tab. The embedded document in your original source document will be updated accordingly to reflect the changes you have made. Currently there's no way to convert an embedded document into objects. You have to either open the SVG using the  File ▸ Open... command and copy the contents (layers/objects) of the file to the document you want, or double click the embedded document on canvas to open it in a new document tab, copy its contents (layer/objects) to the clipboard and then paste them in the original document deleting the embedded doc afterwards.

[R C-R]

To edit it double-click the embedded document on canvas (this will open it in a new document tab) make your changes and close the embedded document tab. The embedded document in your original source document will be updated accordingly to reflect the changes you have made.

What happens to the original source document if you do not save the changes made in its own tab to disk & then save the document it is embedded in?

[robert_muench]

Thanks, going to try the copy & paste from embedded doc approach.

[MEB]

R C-R,

You don't need to save changes made to the embedded document in its own tab. As soon as you change something, the original document where the embedded document is contained is immediately updated.

[R C-R]

R C-R,

You don't need to save changes made to the embedded document in its own tab. As soon as you change something, the original document where the embedded document is contained is immediately updated.

Thanks for the info. I am not sure that is the idea behavior but perhaps it is the only way it can be implemented ....

[MEB]

This behaviour allows you to work on a document (the design itself) and preview it in another in real-time (a mockup for example).

[R C-R]

This behaviour allows you to work on a document (the design itself) and preview it in another in real-time (a mockup for example).

 

I understand that. But I think I misunderstood your answer about not needing to save changes made to the embedded document as meaning that those changes would be saved to that document's file automatically, not just updated in the tab. That is what I was asking about, but not clearly enough for you to see that.

 

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[fdelaneau]

About saving the changes, I would love that when editing the embedded document, hitting cmd + S would save the source file. Right now I feel really insecure when I need to work more then a few minutes on the embedded document and having to switch to the source file and save breaks the workflow (worse, my reflex is to hit cmd + S but it does nothing).

 

It would be nice to be able to import the embedded document in one clic ! It would directly import all layers from the embedded file and apply the size, skew, and other effects that have beed applied to the file.

 

I also would like to see a way to export and embedded file directly as an affinity designer file (see dedicated post).

[MEB]

Hi fdelaneau,

I suggest you create a new thread for those improvements in the Feature Requests section as they may become lost here.

[Robby Poole]

So I am rather new to using Affinity Designer, and so far I am enjoying it.  I have a small issue regarding this topic.

 

I am not a true graphic artist.  But I use AD for some music type work. Creating music graphics and such, based off of music graphic exports from music notation software.  I am not sure if I am doing something wrong, but here is the problem:

 

I have imported an embedded document (both an SVG file, and the previous Affinity Designer file itself).  It is a rather blank music staff with a text description above such "A min".  Next to it, I have a drawn keyboard layout (showing the notes used).

 

When I export the file as an SVG, when I open it my music notation software, where the embedded file would be, is a black rectangle.  Almost as if AD wouldn't export the embedded document into the new document.  If I copy and paste from the original file into the current (as opposed to placing the graphic, or embedding it), the file exports perfectly.

 

Is there a function to turn on?  Or is this by design?

 

Robby

[apt]

On 6/7/2017 at 9:58 AM, MEB said:

Currently there's no way to convert an embedded document into objects

Is there any update on this? I’m trying to do the same thing with Affinity Designer on iOS.

[jamesholden]

1 hour ago, apt said:

Is there any update on this? I’m trying to do the same thing with Affinity Designer on iOS.

I haven't seen any

I'm currently having to open image  > double clicking > select all > cmd/ctrl X (cut) > closing embedded doc > pasting from clipboard

Voila, albeit an extended process but I get my file without it being embedded in the end.

[MEB]

On 7/13/2019 at 9:34 AM, apt said:

Is there any update on this? I’m trying to do the same thing with Affinity Designer on iOS.

Hi apt,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
No news here, sorry. You still have to open the file as a new document and copy paste to the one where you want the SVG objects as @jamesholden suggested.

[tmikaeld]

Not having a way to import an SVG curve directly is a real time-waster, this should be fixed.

[herrkjeldsen]

Just wanted to chime in as well. Like @tmikaeld said; this is a real time-waster. It's quite cumbersome to not have a simple menu option to "unembed" an embedded document.

For example - I have a sheet of icons to layout. All saved as SVG. I add them to the document via the Place command, set their scale and positions to match my grid based on their document boundaries (great). But now I need to manually(!) open each single icon, copy their contents, rescale by eye, position by eye, _and_ rename each layer to match their filename to boot! Holy manual labor batman!  

Edited November 23, 2020 by herrkjeldsen
added real life example

[Move Along People]

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[v_kyr]

Or open the SVG as a seperate doc, group the wanted curve layers and copy that group (or selected layers) over into the main doc.

[herrkjeldsen]

Thank you for the replies @haakoo and @v_kyr 🍻.

While dragging to the asset panel does not seem to work with already embedded documents, the asset tip is a great one for the next time around! Thanks!

nd the whole copying and pasting shebang is kind of what we're trying to avoid  The transform, positions and filename(/layername) would have to be redone in such a workflow. Thank you though!

 

[Move Along People]

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[herrkjeldsen]

Yup, got it  And it's a great workaround!

[the.legend]

Well, I got a better workaround for you guys. Less than ideal of course, but much better than doing everything manually.

0. Have Inkscape installed on your system (which is an open-source vector design software).
1. Select all SVGs and drag them on Inkscape
2. If a dialog pops up, make sure it is set to "Include SVG image as editable object(s) in the current file" (which is the default).
3. (optional) Click the top menu "Object", then "Arrange", then in the panel that’ll open on the right, scroll down and click "Arrange". It’ll arrange your SVGs in a nice grid.
4. Copy paste to Affinity.

I don't like this workaround, but it works. 

 

[TrentL]

Chiming in to say that this feature would be very helpful. Yes, it isn't that hard to copy-and-paste 1 SVG file. But when you have a library of 50 SVG files that you want to bring into a document, the fact that they are only embedded is really frustrating. 

[tototomo]

Is there a way to use macro or script to automate this?

[ziplock9000]

So there's still no quick and easy way to do this?