*** From the Archives ***
This article is from February 23, 2009, and is no longer current.
Saving AI versions as layers and accessing them in InDesign
Sure, Version Cue is great for tracking changes made to a single placed AI graphic in InDesign. But what if you have several ideas for a graphic and would like to test them all out at once? For example, let’s say you create a logo in Illustrator but are not sure which colors you’d like to use. The best way to help make that decision is to preview the different colors as they are applied to the logo in your InDesign layout, right?
Rather than saving and placing multiple versions of the AI file, each with different fill and stroke colors applied to the logo, try placing each version on its own layer within the same AI file. Then place the AI file in your InDesign layout and view the different layers using Object Layer Options.
To do so, select the placed AI file and choose Object Layer Options from the Object menu. In the Object Layer Options dialog box that appears, click the Preview option and proceed to turn the visibility for each layer in the AI file on and off. The placed graphic updates itself in the layout as you adjust the layer visibility in the Object Layer Options dialog box. When you find the one you like best, click OK. If you change your mind, you can always access these layer visibility options later and make an adjustment.
 |
Layers are a good way to do this and I’ve done that before. One other way I’ve done this is to use spot colours in Illustrator and name them uniquely. Then I can map those colours to other colours in indesign. With overprint preview turned on I can change the colours that are mapped, and they change in the indesign layout. Handy? Dangerous? Probably safer way you’ve done it Ted.
If there’s one thing I hate it’s when I get an illy file with different logos, but they insist on placing them all over the page and it’s one large image file. Rather than give me 8 logos on a page, put them on separate layers and I can pick the right layer for the layout as needed.
In fact, I have some files in work that I could use this for, thanks for the tip Ted, you just gave me a cunning plan.
You’re very welcome Eugene. Yes, that happens to me all the time. Clients will provide one Illustrator file with several logos on one page and expect you to scroll through them in InDesign with the Direct Selection tool. Using AI layers is a much better way to handle it.
CS4 users can also use artboards as opposed to layers. However, I like layers better because you can easily control their visibility in ID through Object Layer Options.
David wrote up a tip on how to switch artboards in a placed Illy file here: https://creativepro.com/how-to-choose-a-different-artboard-in-an-ai-file.php.
Basically you choose Relink and choose the same file, then switch artboards in Options before placing.
Still Object Layer Options is easier!
One of my CS5 wishes is for an Object Page Options dialog box (for PDFs, other ID files, and multiple-artboard Illy files).
Take care not to delete or add layers to the .ai file. This will break the object layers option in your InDesign doc.
Does this only work for PDF files saved from Illustrator with “Create Layers from Top Objects” turned on? Because I’ve tried a lot of things in Illy as saving as .ai and it’s not working. I am saving as PDF compatible, but I can’t change my default pdf setting so that it’s Acrobat 6 or above – it’s just using the Illustrator Default setting, which is Acrobat 5, i.e., no layers. I’m using CS2, so maybe that’s why I can’t change the default setting, and possibly I’m forgetting to click a button.
CS3 is the minimum requirement for controlling AI layer visibility in ID. Also, the AI file must be saved as CS3 compatible, not CS2 or lower.
You can access PDF layers in CS2, but I have not yet found a workaround for exporting CS2 Illustrator files so that you can control layer visibility in ID.
You may want to try exporting the Illustrator file as a PSD and preserving the layers.
Thanks Ted, it was driving me round the bend.
I knew I had done the layer visibility with .ai file at some point, but I must not have been with someone else’s files.
As a sidenote someone should update the livedoc on Adobe help files too.
I know this is an Indesign environment, but everyone here really knows their stuff and there isn’t an Illustrator equivalent that I’ve found, so here goes:
With Illustrator CS4, is anyone getting “Can’t save preview, other info saved fine” errors?
Thanks for sharing this awesome tip, can’t wait to try it out!
Is it possible to write a script that would change the ‘Object Layer Options’ for each page of a PDF export of a book?
Such a helpful tip. I’ve always wondered whether this would be possible, and I finally got around to checking… Thank you!!!