Importing Adobe Illustrator Files

You can import single layer and multilayer Illustrator files. When an Illustrator file is imported into combustion, it is automatically converted into a Paint operator. The Illustrator objects can then be edited and animated in the Paint operator. The Illustrator file appears in the Workspace panel as a layer.

To import an Adobe Illustrator file:

1. From an existing composite, choose File | Import Footage.

The Import Footage dialog appears.

2. Navigate to the Illustrator file you want to import, then click OK.

The file appears as a layer in the Workspace panel with a Paint operator. The Illustrator objects are converted to Paint objects within the Paint operator.

When importing multilayer Illustrator files, there is no import options dialog (like when you import a multilayer Photoshop or RPF file). If there are multiple layers in the imported Illustrator file, the Illustrator layers appear as separate layers within the same Paint operator. If there are multiple objects that have been grouped in the Illustrator layers, the objects are placed into groups in the Paint operator.

When you import an Illustrator file that has an object filled with a pattern, the pattern is placed in a separate branch in the workspace:

You can now edit and animate each pattern independently of the Illustrator object.

The aspect ratio of the new Paint layer is determined by the size of the Illustrator object. If it is smaller than the aspect ratio of the composite, you may need to enlarge the Paint layer to accommodate any animation applied to the Illustrator object. For more information, see Cropping Footage.