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Participating Frequently
February 6, 2019
Answered

Export to DXF / SVG multiplies vector points

  • February 6, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 5038 views

Hello,

I want to export an AI drawing for use in Autodesk Fusion 360. There I can directly import in DXF or SVG format. I now have the problem that exporting from Illustrator, the vector points mulitply. Inside Illustrator, I have 10 points, after exporting it's 30 or more. Is there a way to export the drawing 1:1?

Also, when I export a drawing with only one outline (no fill) Illustrator exports it as two vectors - one for the outline and another for the fill. And it groups the two vectors. Which is disturbing since like that they aren't editable in Fusion 360.

Any way to get the export compatible without multiplying vector data?

Thank you for any idea!

Best, Ralf

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Monika Gause

    Is the stroke aligned to the inside or outside?

    Width profile applied?

    A brush applied, but the stroke width set to 0? Or color set to None?

    All of this might seem as no effect to you, but throws Illustrator off.

    I would need to see what's inside those layers.

    1 reply

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    February 6, 2019

    Illustrator will convert stuff when you have applied effects or brushes.

    Please show your artwork. Please show the layers panel. The problematic object needs to be selected.

    Participating Frequently
    February 7, 2019

    Hello Monika,

    thank you very much. However, I'm not using effects, brushes and not even fills. Just plain lines and outlines. Fills are set to transparent. I am working on Illustrator CS6 Mac OS X 10.11.

    We are talking about this plan for an electric bass guitar, that I would like to import to Fusion 360, convert to 3D and mill out with a CNC machine:

    I am now trying to export every layer as a separate SVG file. Those are my settings (pretty much Illustrator standards):

    When I open the exported SVG, Illustrator has added a) a group b) a combined path that consists of two individual paths, one for the outline, one for the fill. The path for the fill is slightly smaller than its neighbor. And, even worse, Illustrator has added points.

    This is a detail from the original AI File (green layer, 4 vector points // it's one vector that has outline and fill):

    And that is the exported version. a) Layer structure:

    b) exported vectors. It's now 2 vectors and instead of 4 vector points I have 13 ...

    When I try to work with that stuff, Fusion is doing a whole mess. Impossible to work with. May be that Fusion 360 is the problem. But. I'm trying to keep my drawings as clean as possible and if Illustrator is then multiplying my vectors by factor 3 ...

    Is there a solution? Anyone? Thank you in advance! Ralf

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    February 7, 2019

    Is the stroke aligned to the inside or outside?

    Width profile applied?

    A brush applied, but the stroke width set to 0? Or color set to None?

    All of this might seem as no effect to you, but throws Illustrator off.

    I would need to see what's inside those layers.