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I've been using Affinity Designer and really enjoyed it.

The problem is that I am unable to create usable files.

The kind of work that I do requires a layer of grouped die lines to be placed over a layer of art. The manufacturers I work with need to be able to rearrange the dies and corresponding artwork. The manufacturers all use Illustrator. When I export files as .PDF or .EPS, they open in Illustrator with every piece grouped together, in a single layer, within a clipping path. I can't submit files like that. SVG's preserve the layer structure, within another layer, but the dimensions are way off. 

To be fair, I am aware that these problems are not unique to AD. I've tried separating out the layers in Inkscape with the same result. Another colleague creates his die lines in AutoCAD, but still uses Illustrator to set up files for output. Is there a legal reason for this lack of compatibility? If so, how come SVG's almost work? Is there some sort of workaround? Any plan to change this? I think anyone who works with die lines; packaging, for example, would have the same issue.

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On 2/18/2019 at 1:06 AM, vonBusing said:

I usually uses a PMS color that I rename for the die. With separated spot colors on export, it usually works out for the printers i work with. 

Thank you for your response. I have had no problem with printing "dyes", meaning colored inks. Rather the issue is with keeping layers of "die lines" separated. The words sound the same in English, but have totally different meanings. Die lines are lines that indicated how steel plates should be bent and inserted into wooden panels, which will be used by a machine to stamp out and score paper or cardboard. My files need to indicate where they will fall on a printed page. A simple set of dies looks like this:
Related image
 

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Nice set of dies! The trick with the PMS colors, if overprint of spot colors is enabled, is that they can be enabled/disabled in the color manager to print the actual artwork only without the die-line. In my case, with custom-shaped labels, but also designs to be applied on cardboard boxes, I only had one contour line to take into account. If one needed to separate several die-lines, they could be assigned one spot color each, I suppose. 

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