Keep Layers when Importing AI/SVG-File?

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DrNibbert
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:48 am

Keep Layers when Importing AI/SVG-File?

Post by DrNibbert »

Hello everyone!

I got an artwork in Adobe Illustrator, already broken up in the individual Layers ready to animate. But when I import the File into Moho it all gets put together on one layer, and i have to break it up manually again.
I found out about the "Break Shapes"-Skript, but for the times i want multiple objects on the same layer i still have to correct it manually.
Is there a way to keep the Layers from AI, when i import an AI or SVG File?

Thanks for your help!! :D
Showreel 2018 https://vimeo.com/254290989 - Moho 12.5.1, macOS 10.10, Adobe CS6
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synthsin75
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Re: Keep Layers when Importing AI/SVG-File?

Post by synthsin75 »

I believe there are AI scripts or extensions that allow you to export each layer as a separate AI file.
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Greenlaw
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Re: Keep Layers when Importing AI/SVG-File?

Post by Greenlaw »

Here's one:

https://github.com/davidderaedt/Illustr ... r-Exporter

It can export SVG, which may work better for Moho. It works will all layers or selected layers.

I haven't personally used this script but, coincidentally, I need something like this myself right now. :)

I'm assuming if the layers are broken down into 'groups' at the root level, you can get a separate SVG for each 'group'. Kinda like what happens when you import a layered .ai file to After Effects: each 'group' gets individually collapsed as separate layers. I have yet to test this script though, so I really am just guessing at the moment.
Last edited by Greenlaw on Thu Feb 07, 2019 6:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
DrNibbert
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Re: Keep Layers when Importing AI/SVG-File?

Post by DrNibbert »

Thanks a lot! Is there an exporter that works with AI CS6 ? The Link unfortunately only works with CC

Thanks! :)
Showreel 2018 https://vimeo.com/254290989 - Moho 12.5.1, macOS 10.10, Adobe CS6
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Maestral
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Re: Keep Layers when Importing AI/SVG-File?

Post by Maestral »

There`s also a way to trick AI to export .ai ver8 files - use artboards as layers and then use Save As... / Use Artboards... etc. routine to get individual files.

Eventual overlapping could still occur but that could be easily avoided by some additional planning - still, as animators we are not estranged from planning ahead ,) and I believe it is a timesaver.
DrNibbert
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:48 am

Re: Keep Layers when Importing AI/SVG-File?

Post by DrNibbert »

Maestral wrote:use artboards as layers and then use Save As... / Use Artboards... etc. routine to get individual files.
Thanks that sounds really promising! Can you explain more how this works? Does that work on CS6? How can i convert my Layers into Artboards? Thanks! :)
Showreel 2018 https://vimeo.com/254290989 - Moho 12.5.1, macOS 10.10, Adobe CS6
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Maestral
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Re: Keep Layers when Importing AI/SVG-File?

Post by Maestral »

Artboards tool works similar to crop tool and it is available in CS6.

Say you have a background, chair and a character in the scene. You may...

- use the existing one (each file by default has one) for a background, create 2 new artboards next to the existing one and place those other 2 elements on respective artboards. Save As / Use Artboards...

or...

- ... create 2 new artboards as if you`re "cropping" chair and a character. This is where overlapping happens but with some more planning ahead it`s easy to avoid it.

It`s worth mentioning Assets export which is available in CC editions. Assets have a separate panel which makes things easier and export options are similar to mentioned scripts (png, svg...). Select the desired elements and chose the export options which would be applied to each element separately.
DrNibbert
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Re: Keep Layers when Importing AI/SVG-File?

Post by DrNibbert »

Thanks a lot, thats a cool feature, i didn't know about that yet :-)

I found an Exporter-Script that allows to export layers as (SVG)-Files that works with CS6, here is the link if someone else finds this useful:
https://gist.github.com/TomByrne/7816376

Thanks a lot for all your support! :)
Showreel 2018 https://vimeo.com/254290989 - Moho 12.5.1, macOS 10.10, Adobe CS6
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