.ai file export

[7immer]

Illustrator .ai file export would be nice. Exporting to EPS files for After effects just don't cut it. You can't edit the vector paths or access layers. :(

Thanks for considering :)

[TonyB]

Sorry but this isn't something we can add as the AI format is private. Does After effects import PDF?

[7immer]

Oh no that sucks :(
I can import PDF's but I get the same issue. No layer or vector editing support (at least as far as I've tested).
This unfortunately this means my idea of an AD / APh / AfterEffects combo isn't doable. I was really hoping to get rid of illustrator :(

 

Thanks for replying TopCat :)

[7immer]

At least there is .PSD export for raster images, few! I'm very grateful for this, thanks!

[ronnyb]

What about vector SVGs, does AE import that format? You can also try copying and pasting the paths....

 

Oh no that sucks :(
I can import PDF's but I get the same issue. No layer or vector editing support (at least as far as I've tested).
This unfortunately this means my idea of an AD / APh / AfterEffects combo isn't doable. I was really hoping to get rid of illustrator :(

 

Thanks for replying TopCat :)

[NNN]

Sorry but this isn't something we can add as the AI format is private. Does After effects import PDF?

 

I'm sorry, but I don't understand that AI format is private. QuarkXPress imports AI files, so does CorelDRAW and I think a lot more apps import AI format files.

[Dave Harris]

Affinity imports AI files too. Illustrator includes a PDF stream in them, and PDF is a public format, we all read that. We don't read the native Illustrator data, and we certainly can't write it.

[TonyB]

What about mentor SVGs, does AE import that format? You can also try copying and pasting the paths....

 

Oh no that sucks :(

I can import PDF's but I get the same issue. No layer or vector editing support (at least as far as I've tested).

This unfortunately this means my idea of an AD / APh / AfterEffects combo isn't doable. I was really hoping to get rid of illustrator :(

 

Thanks for replying TopCat :)

 

If you can import PDF then we should be able to get this working. We are implementing our own PDF export soon so will include layer information. I will take us a few months but just keep a look out for betas.

[NNN]

But, as I know, PDF format does not support layers. So, what is the benefit of importing/exporting PDFs if it doesn't remember layers? Why not AI?

[ronnyb]

Of course PDF supports layers...

 

But, as I know, PDF format does not support layers. So, what is the benefit of importing/exporting PDFs if it doesn't remember layers? Why not AI?

[retrograde]

Hi Tony, will the Affinity PDF export format features include any security options to limit edit-ability on the receivers end?

 

For sending out proofs, documents or invoices that are secure and lockable.

[7immer]

Thanks Tony! :)

[TonyB]

Hi Tony, will the Affinity PDF export format features include any security options to limit edit-ability on the receivers end?

 

For sending out proofs, documents or invoices that are secure and lockable.

 

Yes we will support PDF security features.

[doppelklick]

We are using Illustrator 8 Files in our CAD Software so is this old file format privat as well? 

[TonyB]

v8 files are actually based on postscript so we could import them with some effect. The only problem is not many apps use such an old version of the file format so it would be difficult to justify.

[AndreaR]

AI is Adobe proprietary format, and it is very unlikely Adobe will license the format to a competitor.

 

That is the very reason it is already some years it were put so much effort on "open" file formats.

 

Imho, it is better concentrate efforts on SVG and maybe propose updates to the specification, to be able add all info that still cannot be placed into SVG today, thus the need of proprietary formats.

 

I may be a visionary, but I really want see one day a digital world with very few file formats, all of them open, and every software developer concentrate more on its product than the file format of load and save. We still are far from it.

[Achim63]

So true, AndreaR. For now we should try to use SVG as much as possible. I still remember all the hassle we had with .ai and .eps 25 years ago when I was working as a typographer, and it's a pity that this Adobe legacy is still giving headaches to some. So I'd be strictly against supporting those really outdated file formats.

[halfnibble]

SVG is the standard for vector graphics--not .ai files. Adobe Illustrator and any other respectable vector graphics software should be able to import/export the SVG file format. Including the ability to edit paths, etc.

[retrograde]

Hi Tony any closer on those PDF Security features?

 

Thanks.

[C.biz]

v8 files are actually based on postscript so we could import them with some effect. The only problem is not many apps use such an old version of the file format so it would be difficult to justify.

just a side note: Maxon Cinema 4D uses this format to import vector art into their 3D programs too!

so it would be great and highly appreciated to export V8 files from Affinity Designer!!!

[Hokusai]

C.biz,

 

TonyB was explaining that it might be possible to import v8 .ai files into Affinity Designer, not to export them from Affinity Designer. As a side question, Cinema 4D can't import PDF files? I honestly don't know as I am not a Cinema 4D user. 

 

Hokusai

[anon1]

can you try to just change the .pdf to .ai?

cause ai also has a PDF stream and so your program might recognize the cheated PDF.ai just as a normal .ai

[C.biz]

thanks for the good suggestions guys!

@Hokusai

no PDF's or better C4D recognizes them as a picture format and opens it in the picture viewer and not as Spline to work with it in 3D.

 

@MBd

changing the suffix from .pdf to .ai didn't do the trick: Unknown file format!

 

SVG and EPS don't do the trick either and even from Illustrator the file has to be saved as V8 to work with C4D.

[Stephen_H]

Most 3D applications require vectors to be imported as an Illustrator 8 file. There also seems to be a lot of Illustrator 8 support, both exporting and importing. I get that a CC version would be a proprietory format, but 8 seems to be public.

 

If memory serves me, Illustrator 8 doesn't support images or transparency. It's practically postscript level 1 and hasn't been a master "working" file for over a decade. Are you guys sure version 8 hasn't been made public? It bears so little resemblance to any other Illustrator file format since.

[Dave Harris]

Illustrator 8 files are essentially EPS with several huge blobs of binary data. We can (now) import them, because we can import EPS. We can't export them because we don't know what should go in the binary data. You could try exporting as EPS and then changing the file extension to .ai, and you might find your other app can then import it as AI8. However, it would be dishonest for us to claim that as AI export, because it wouldn't contain Illustrator's private data and so would not be fully editable in Illustrator.