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AE does not keep illustrator files in same order
Hello all,
If anyone could help me at all with this problem i would be very very greatful.
Im working on a project, animating a character, and ive been using illustrator to make it. So it comes to the time where i need to import it into after effects to start working on the animation side, and i import it as an illustrator file->Composition: Croped layers, idouble click the composition to view it and all the layers are not in order!!!ive checked loads of different forums and tutorials but no-one seems to be having the same problem. Is it an illustrator issue or an AE import issue? As well as that all the Tutorials i have found on importing seem to breeze straight through it and not have an issue.
Theres not more i can say but it works with photoshop documents but not Illustrator ones at the moment, and its also changingthe dimentions of some of my objects in the layer, but it appears fine in illustrator.
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5 Replies
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Hi Ken,
I’m an Illustrator guy (been in prepress for years), and so I try to bring a lot of things into AE with AI if I can… these *may* be answers, or I may have to see a file…1. Layers not in order
I’m assuming that you did frame animation, and each layer (above) is the next frame. Did you rename the layers? If not, do you see behavior where frames 1-9 are out of order (bad, but normal computer sort)in addition to other layers. I mean, if your highest level of layers is 3 digits, does it seem to sort correctly if you think about 1,10-19,2,20-29,3, etc? If so, then you need to name your layers differently (I think there’s a javascript out there, with a little searching). Of course, none of that *should* matter, but describe in more detail exactly what happens in AE. I use both platforms, and am currently on a PC, but am unable to replicate this error.2. Changing dimensions
That’s the “cropped layer” choice. Don’t pick that. I would also assume that you’re copying the layer you’re working on making an adjustment, ad nauseum (that’s the way I’ve done it). Next time, I recommend on your start layer making a rectangle the size of your comp (I use 720X540), and making it a crop box which propogates to each succeeding layer; AE likes that. -
Hey Ken,
Did you find a solution to this one? I have tried labeling the layers numerically and they still don’t come in the right order.
Can’t figure out if this is AI or AE. Its driving me nutty.Matt
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Hey Matt,
Eventually i DID manage to find a work-around to this incredibly random problem.
I messed around with everything possible, and after a post on the adobe forum, it became clear that it actually could be an issue with the CS3 Illustrator + CS3 After Effects Compatability.What I’d suggest is just having a mess around with the export/save as settings in illustrator. When you do the ‘Save as…’ option, choose to save it as an earlier illustrator version (i.e: Illustrator 10.0/Illustrator 9.0) and just keep checking against each one in after effects and one will eventually work (i hope).
Do post back if it works/doesnt work out for you.
Ken
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I’m not sure I’m having the same problem as the girl before, but when I importa an .ai file into AE, all the layers seem to center in the middle of the screen, instead of keeping their original ubication they had in Illustrator. I’ve already set cropmarks in AI which are the same size of the video (1280×800), but it doesn’t work anyway. Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?
I’ve tried export by double clicking the project area, the import Composition-cropped layers, but when I double click the Comp to see it, the composition size is too little (around 3 x 400 px).
In advance, thanks!!! -
Did you try to save the document as an earlier version type?
Use the ‘save as..’ option and change the file version to Illustrator 10 to begin with.
If that does not work, save as a version 9 type, and test again.
again, if that fails, then try to save as version 8 type.Keep trying until it works.
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