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Illustrator question re: exporting
- Thread starter GVP
- Start date
The Vector Doctor
Chief Bezier Manipulator
No option that I know of. I woud copy and paste into a new document and then export. Or delete everything else and save/export the file with a new name
WildWestDesigns
Active Member
Pretty much how I would do it. Copy and Paste method that is.
NazGraphics
New Member
have ur graphics ready open a new page select ur graphics and drag it to the new page ?
The Vector Doctor
Chief Bezier Manipulator
The export selection is limited to jpegs, pdf, svg and a few others but no ai or eps.
Martin Denton
New Member
Put the object you want to export on a different layer and switch the other layers off ? Haven’t tried it but would imagine that would work...
I agree . This works in Photoshop. Just turn off layers you don’t want to export.
The Vector Doctor
Chief Bezier Manipulator
No that won't work. In Illustrator there are no ai/eps export options. Many other formats can be exported but not ai/eps. If you want to retain the same ai/eps format you just save the file instead. And hiding layers does not get rid of the other shapes. The OP is wanting to have a new file with only certain objects contained within
Pippin Decals
New Member
Just use the "Save As" command... no need to export anything. Delete or hide layers of what you don't want... and Save As, rename the file to what you want it to be.. and you can go AI or EPS as desired.Well, that's disappointing. I really want to like Illustrator, but things like this sure don't make it easy.
shoresigns
New Member
Well, that's disappointing. I really want to like Illustrator, but things like this sure don't make it easy.
Do you just want to export selected graphics as one-offs at various points in your workflow, or are you trying to batch process a bunch of items at once? If you can more thoroughly explain what exactly you're trying to do, we might be able to help you figure it out.
Pippin Decals
New Member
Well, that's disappointing. I really want to like Illustrator, but things like this sure don't make it easy.
Send me a pm Bud. Just to let Everyone know so i dont get anymore more hate mail, Is i offer one on one help to alot of people instead of doing tons of posts to the one asking questions on help .Some people cant understand how to do things by reading ,Some people understand it better when they are shown instead. So if im wrong for offering a hands approach directly , forgive me for being more personal with helping someone on my own time....
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For example, a file contains a logo that we need in another job. In Corel, I can select the logo, export it in a suitable format, and leave the original file intact. Then just import it into Signlab, or whatever. It seems from what I'm reading, there is no direct approach like this in Illustrator. I have to delete everything else in the file (hopefully not accidentally any parts of the required logo) and save what's left over as a new file. It just seems a bit clunky.
Rick
Certified Enneadecagon Designer
Having used both, you can still mess up your export on Corel if you miss a section of the logo you are selecting.
Would I like exporting a "selection" in Illustrator, HECK YEAH!, some files I generate have, go to CNC routers, water-jet cutters, vinyl cutters, printers and traditional print - from a single file.
It would keep me from my current work flow of saving a copy and removing what I don't need then naming as needed. But that feature is still a minimal timesaver in my current work flow, and does not overcome the benefits I get from Illustrator.
GAC05
Quit buggin' me
Copy and paste into a new file seems about the easiest way but there are others.
Not sure how functional multiple art boards are in CS4 but as clunky as they seem to a Corel user they are useful for this type of thing.
You can drop a second art board in have it snap to the size of the element you want to export - do a "Save AS" -> "use art boards" -> Range -> # of the art board your logo sits on - done.
Only issue (I think) is if a masked object(s) overlaps your art board or is too close for some arbitrary reason - the mask will go with the logo. Extra objects will only show up if it is opened back up in Illustrator - Corel & Flexi won't see them.
This is with the latest version of Illustrator but I checked with my copy of CS5 and it works there so it may in CS4.
Art boards are a big time saver for me when I get a single ai or eps file that has 40 or 50 show cards in it that all have different print counts. I name the art boards for each item with the number of copies needed as part of the name. A single save as gives me the 40 to 50 individual files that I drop into Flexi's production manager. Set the quantities for each and then nest all of them to fit the material I am running. I used to set the multi copies of each layout up in AI (and Corel, Flexi) but because of the way the files were set up by the designer I'd get multi gig files that would either take forever to rip or choke the PM and crash.
wayne k
guam usa
Not sure how functional multiple art boards are in CS4 but as clunky as they seem to a Corel user they are useful for this type of thing.
You can drop a second art board in have it snap to the size of the element you want to export - do a "Save AS" -> "use art boards" -> Range -> # of the art board your logo sits on - done.
Only issue (I think) is if a masked object(s) overlaps your art board or is too close for some arbitrary reason - the mask will go with the logo. Extra objects will only show up if it is opened back up in Illustrator - Corel & Flexi won't see them.
This is with the latest version of Illustrator but I checked with my copy of CS5 and it works there so it may in CS4.
Art boards are a big time saver for me when I get a single ai or eps file that has 40 or 50 show cards in it that all have different print counts. I name the art boards for each item with the number of copies needed as part of the name. A single save as gives me the 40 to 50 individual files that I drop into Flexi's production manager. Set the quantities for each and then nest all of them to fit the material I am running. I used to set the multi copies of each layout up in AI (and Corel, Flexi) but because of the way the files were set up by the designer I'd get multi gig files that would either take forever to rip or choke the PM and crash.
wayne k
guam usa
shoresigns
New Member
Illustrator does have a dedicated function built exactly for this. The Asset Export panel allows you to drag and drop any number of objects to queue them up for exporting. Then you choose your format and Export them all at once.
If you just want to export one object, you would instead go to File > Export Selection. This will open basically the same set of options as the Asset Export panel, but for the one object you've selected.
The only catch is you have to export to PDF, not AI. That shouldn't be an issue since any application that can import AI files should be able to import PDF files. Most apps that import AI files are actually reading an embedded PDF file that's saved inside AI files by default.
EDIT: if any of this isn't available in CS4, it'll be there when you upgrade to CC, which I'm assuming you would do if you were going to use Illustrator on a regular basis for opening client files.
Rick
Certified Enneadecagon Designer
When I expert or save, most of the file types are .eps and dig/dxf
I like this solution, most of the work I do can have 80-100 artboards to a single project - I can make artboards for files to send to vendors and either "save as" or "export" accordingly to separate artboards and keep them all at a centralized location for easier archiving.