Placing vector objects into Photoshop are automatically rasterized...

[jsparker614]

So I've been trying to copy and/or place vector objects from Illustrator into Photoshop but every time I try do so it always automatically converts them into pixel-based objects. No matter which option I choose (i.e., Paste: Smart Object, which should keep the object as vector-based) or even when I try to Place the file (linked or embedded), the object is always rasterized. Is there a setting in my Preferences in either AI or PS that is preventing me from doing this? I'm really not sure as to how I can fix this. Any help would be appreciated.

THANK YOU!

[Chuck Uebele]

When you double click on the smart object that was placed, does it open IA? It should. Smart Object displays are pixel based, but their contents can be vector based, so increasing  the size of a SO with vector base will not produce the same results as a vector based layer being scaled in PS.

[jsparker614]

Yes, double clicking the smart object does open it in Illustrator. This was helpful because your response led me to discover other things, so thank you. I noticed that whenever I would paste a smart object into PS and zoom in I would see pixelated results, but if I scaled the smart object to a larger size it's edges would remain smooth, whereas placing an object as pixels would do the opposite. So yes, double clicking the object and seeing it open in AI did indeed confirm that it kept its properties.

I've only been working in AI for about 2 months now so I'm still relatively new to this. But thank you for your response and pointing that out!

[Conrad_C]

jsparker614  wrote

I noticed that whenever I would paste a smart object into PS and zoom in I would see pixelated results….

When you zoom in, if the vector object pixels appear at the same resolution as pixels in the regular Photoshop layers in the document, nothing is wrong. The object is not actually being rasterized, but the preview of the object is rasterized to match the Photoshop document resolution, because that's the resolution of the document (according to how you set it up in the Image Size dialog box). If your Photoshop document is 2 x 2 inches at 100 ppi and you change it to 2 x 2 inches at 200 ppi, vector objects will seem to have finer pixels and you'll be able to zoom in further before pixelation is visible.

Photoshop does the same thing with the vector shapes and paths you can draw in Photoshop itself.

I think the point is that on final output the vector object must be rasterized to the document resolution, so for accuracy, that is how it's showed to you.

By the way, Illustrator does something similar when you have Pixel Preview turned on. With Pixel Preview (intended for web/screen designers), all Illustrator vector objects will appear to be rasterized to 72 ppi even though everything is still vector.

[JJMack]

Normally Photoshop renders pixels for the smart object for these layer content and these pixels can not be changed with Photoshop.  The  layers content is resizes via interpolation there are no vectors.  You might say there is an exception Adobe does.   When you place in an Illustrator file like an .ai or .svg file Adobe state these are vector objects.  Actually Photoshop does not support .ai and .svg file  but can open them as a pixel layer scaled correctly via vector graphics during the open process.   So you can scale placed .svg and .ai objects via vector graphics Photoshop  just reprocess the object's Illustrator file like its opening it at a different scale.   There are no vectors in Photoshop for those Illustrator files. Other then the vectors in the smart object layer's object which you can get at by opening the object in Illustrator if you have it installed. I do not.

[jsparker614]

Thank you, everyone! All of your responses have been more than helpful for this issue and I definitely have a much much better understanding of what's going on. As I stated earlier, I'm relatively new to AI and so my experience with this software and the world of vector art is still fresh, and going back and forth between AI and PS is new territory for me. Your responses have helped tremendously so once again THANK YOU!