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Thefourknightkids
Participating Frequently
June 1, 2022
Answered

saving a graphic: to CC Library for indesign? Or save as png? or Save as svg? what's best ?

  • June 1, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 248 views

hello friends.

so i have a small graphic made in illustrator. I will be placing it in Indesign.

it's so easy to just add it to the library and place it from library in Indesign.  but are there any drawbacks with that?

when i place it from the library, it's not manipulable; is it placed as a certain type of graphic? Is it embedded in my file? is it better to export it as an svg or png?

 

thanks so much. i appreciate all the help here.

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Correct answer John Mensinger
quote

when i place it from the library, it's not manipulable

A Placed graphic isn't editable in InDesign; that's normal.

quote

Is it embedded in my file?

Does it appear in InDesign's Links panel? If not, it's embedded.

quoteis it better to export it as an svg or png?

No. InDesign supports placement of native .ai files, which is the best format in case you need to revisit for editing in Illustrator. Saving in other dedicated-purpose, "delivery" formats should only be done with a copy, so the editable .ai file is preserved.

3 replies

John Mensinger
Community Expert
John MensingerCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
June 1, 2022
quote

when i place it from the library, it's not manipulable

A Placed graphic isn't editable in InDesign; that's normal.

quote

Is it embedded in my file?

Does it appear in InDesign's Links panel? If not, it's embedded.

quoteis it better to export it as an svg or png?

No. InDesign supports placement of native .ai files, which is the best format in case you need to revisit for editing in Illustrator. Saving in other dedicated-purpose, "delivery" formats should only be done with a copy, so the editable .ai file is preserved.

    ThefourknightkidsAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    June 1, 2022

    TF & JM - i did not know about the linking and editability of file saved into CC libraries. Thank you. I just watched a video on how to edit/save a graphic in the CC library, and it changes the link everywhere.  THANK YOU SO MUCH for this! i wouldnt have known to even  look up this info had you not mentioned it being editable. What a treat and time saver!

     

    seriously - when you answer these simple questions for us beginners, it saves us so much time and effort and frustration. again, thank you.

    Ton Frederiks
    Community Expert
    Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 1, 2022

    It is always better to keep the Illustrator file as vector. When saved as an image it will loose its scalability and quality.

    And depending how you place it from the CC library it is editable in Illustrator (place linked) or non editable (place copy).

     

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