Adobe Illustrator reading Affinity Designer files

[waldridge]

So here's my dilemma.  I'm taking a Digital Art class this semester...and they use Adobe Illustrator.  I would really like to not have to purchase both programs during the semester and I am wondering if Illustrator will be able to read Affinity Designer files on the college Macs.  I'd like to be able to do my school work at home on Designer...and be able to open the file at the school on Illustrator.  I know that Designer will read the .ai files...but i'm not sure whether or not Illustrator will read Designer files.  Any help or direction would be fantastic!!

[MEB]

Hi waldridge,

Welcome to Affinity Forums

No, Adobe Illustrator will not open Affinity Designer files. Like Ai, the Affinity Designer native format (.afdesign) is proprietary/closed. No other app is able to read it. Technically Affinity Designer also doesn't open Ai files for the same reason (they are proprietary) however we are able to access the PDF stream contained in the Ai file (when it's saved with Create PDF compatible file checked). If the Ai file doesn't contain this stream we are not able to load anything from it.

Also note the PDF stream/PDF files don't support all native Adobe Illustrator features (like gradient mesh fills for example) so this data will be converted or rasterised when saved to PDF and as such cannot be edited as in the original file.

[waldridge]

Thank you for the quick response!!

[arkinien]

One option is to export your work as an EPS or PDF (For Export) from Affinity Designer. It has some limitations, but basic objects export well and you should be able to open it back to edit with Illustrator.

 

Keep in mind that many features are not supported and just like opening illustrator files, like mentioned above, some objects will be rasterized. Examples are Gradients, Effects, Custom strokes, Pressure, and many others. Symbols will lose their synching abilities and shapes (hears, water drops, etc.) will be converted to curves. If you want to know in advance what will break, you can export your project as an EPS from Affinity, then open it right back in Affinity. You'll see what's there and what's not. Be sure to actually analyze your file, as everything may look fine, but not be editable the way it was created.

 

This can, however, be a good option for working on logos or simple vectorial geometry where all your curves and filling will translate nicely. It really depends on the nature of your projects.

 

Same procedure in Illustrator, except that you need to save as a PDF and uncheck "Preserve Illustrator Editing Capability". Otherwise, things will look like they are editable, but they may not be back home. That said, PDFs are often more editable in Affinity than in Illustrator... So you'll need to try them at home as well.

[R C-R]

If you are taking a class that uses Adobe Illustrator exclusively, I think you do not have much choice here if you want to get the most out of it. 

[firstdefence]

Check out eBay This may only be Adobe Illustrator CS2 but at least you'd have a fairly modern version.

[arkinien]

8 hours ago, firstdefence said:

 

Check out eBay This may only be Adobe Illustrator CS2 but at least you'd have a fairly modern version.

 

CS2 was release in 2005.  It’s likely not to run at all on modern OS and will be even less compatible than Affinty is right now.

 

Going to CS6 from CC is a often challenge and so many incompatible fearure already existed  between CS2 and CS6. Simple things like gradiends were already collapsing between  CS3 and CS4, not to mention artboard that did not exist before CS4 or CS5. Variable Line width, perspective and much more were not even on road map back then. 

[firstdefence]

4 hours ago, arkinien said:

CS2 was release in 2005.  It’s likely not to run at all on modern OS and will be even less compatible than Affinty is right now.

 

Going to CS6 from CC is a often challenge and so many incompatible fearure already existed  between CS2 and CS6. Simple things like gradiends were already collapsing between  CS3 and CS4, not to mention artboard that did not exist before CS4 or CS5. Variable Line width, perspective and much more were not even on road map back then. 

 

valid points.