Combining Illustrator Files -

[brnamibia]

I am sure this is too easy - but how to combine two Illustrator files together.  I have two files of maps for Namibia, each with several layers (one of them being a linked layer to a TIF file).  How do I combine those into one file so I can turn on and off appropriate layers.  Sorry this is probably intuitively obvious, but I can not seem to find the answer.  Thanks for your help.

[_scott_]

Layers Panel Menu > Paste Remembers Layers

Be certain that is checked.

Then Copy > Paste between files.

You might want to make things slightly easier on yourself first though by moving all the layers in file 1 to a new layer (creating sublayers), then copy > paste to file 2.

[Ed@SF]

Using CS5 now...just wondering if this is still the only way to do this?

Was thinking/hoping an option to drag (or copy) a layer (not just each object/artwork) is possible (and I just don't know about it)?

Thanks!

Ed

[CarlosCanto]

Ed, you can certainly drag a layer to another file, or mimic it by selecting all artwork in that layer, but I prefer copy and paste (in Front or Back) to maintain placement.

[Ed@SF]

@Carlos ~

Thank you for you time....can't seem to do that - I can't click on a layer and copy the layer (File -> Copy is greyed out), nor can I click a layer and drag it anywhere outside of the file/document (I can drag the entire layer to rearrange - within the same document only).

CarlosCanto wrote:

Ed, you can certainly drag a layer to another file, or mimic it by selecting all artwork in that layer, but I prefer copy and paste (in Front or Back) to maintain placement.

Ed

[CarlosCanto]

click on the Radio button next to the Layer name in the Layers Palette to select all artwork in that layer, then copy and paste.

[Monika Gause]

That's not a radio-button, but the target-symbol (and -button)

While you can use it to select objects, its main use is to assign appearances. Using it for selection purposes may in some cases lead to irritations.

[Kurt Gold]

That is not the target symbol, court lady. It's a pan, waiting for the meatballs.

[Monika Gause]

(me) facepalm ... of course you're correct, Kurt.

[Ed@SF]

I had to Google this "meatballs" term (really out of curiosity....are they just horsing around?) and voila!, it apparently is "official"......yet another thing learned from this forum (target or empty circle turning into meatballs).....

(Adobe engineers refer to these filled circles as meatballs).
http://www.adobepress.com/articles/article.asp?p=435193&seqNum=5

Thanks! Everyone here has been extremely helpful!

Ed

Kurt Gold wrote:

That is not the target symbol, court lady. It's a pan, waiting for the meatballs.

[CarlosCanto]

radio button/target-symbol/meatball pan...I'm getting dizzy.

[Kurt Gold]

Nares. Some call it nares.

[tromboniator]

Nares. Some call it nares.

Naris, if it's only one. I have a nose for these things.

Peter

[Monika Gause]

In CS5 you could first create a symbol (it's possible to preserve layer structure) and then drag an instance of that symbol

[Ed@SF]

@Monika,

Thank you for your time ~

Interesting idea, I'll see if that works without losing any editability...

Maybe it's worth it to give everyone an "overall" idea. The OP's workflow is basically it - but in my case, I'm part of a team - there is a "master" template and is shared by X people. Each is assigned a "portion" of the overall project.

Ergo at the end of the "scrum" each person submits their part....now its time to consolidate for output (Catalyst -> Flash Builder, some sections will be print, etc.)....

So with all these files, while its workable to keep selecting each and every piece of artwork in a layer, then copy/paste with "remember layers", it would be really nice to simply:

• select a layer and drag it (to the "main consolidated document")
  
• or, at least select a layer which then (auto-selects) all its contents - this is a sub-question to the forum - can't seem to do this either...it seems you really need to select each "part" (artwork) of the layer and copy/paste it.....

Monika Gause wrote:

In CS5 you could first create a symbol (it's possible to preserve layer structure) and then drag an instance of that symbol

Ed

[Monika Gause]

Could you post a screenshot of the layer palette of this document? With everything visible of course.

What exactly do you do to select objects via layer palette?

[Ed@SF]

@Monika,

Nothing special about the document.....just text, artwork on separate layers. But your question made me slap myself - of course, the keyboard "secret handshakes"!

I don't see it mentioned here, so hopefully this helps others, if it's common knowledge to all, still maybe helpful to the few:

Windows:

• (SHIFT) + ALT + click on layer/s (the shift is if you want to select multiple layers)
  
• Still can't drag the layer (from layer palette), but;
• you can drag the selected artwork in the document to (anywhere)

Don't have time to boot my Mac, but it should work same with the usual command/option combinations.

THANK YOU MONIKA!

Monika Gause wrote:

Could you post a screenshot of the layer palette of this document? With everything visible of course.

What exactly do you do to select objects via layer palette?

[nuttersanonymous_]

I did this just the other day. just selected the layers by left clicking on the meatball/radio thing and use shift click or control click, depending if you want to select a lot in a row or individual layers, and then just control C to copy and then control V to paste it into whatever file you want. making sure the paste remembers layers is checked in the layers menu, like they said above.

Doing the control c shortcut has worked for me in the past even when it's greyed out in the edit menu.