Layer structure not preserved when bringing Illustrator files from a different app with new update

[ighavidel]

For years, I've been enjoying the fact that I can create a file in CorelDraw (which is a faster design program, in my opinion) and can export it as an Illustrator file for people and products that can only accept  Illustrator files. However, since yesterday, with a new Illustrator update, the layer integrity does not hold in illustrator anymore. All the graphics will show in one layer only now and I have to make new layers and move the specific objects to their own designated layer. Does anyone know a workaround by any chance or as to why this has changed? And please don't leave a smart comment like "you should be using Illustrator, to begin with"? 🙂 

Cheers

[Monika Gause]

So you are saving as an AI file from CorelDRAW?

Which AI file version does CDR support currently? Last time I sued it it was CC2019 - is that still the case? These files should open without issue in Illustrator. We are talking about main layers, right? Not sublayers (if that is even possible in Draw).

How do you exchange the files?

[ighavidel · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your response, Monika. I checked, and the option I was using is the latest in Corel and it was showing as "Adobe Illustrator 3JP". I don't know what 3JP version is. However, I changed it to Illustrator 8.0 (the legacy version) and it brought in all the layers like before! I wonder what had changed. 

Thank you for reminding me to change the version. And yes, usually you export to Illustrator from Corel and open the file (file.ai) in Illustrator. The layers and objects from Corel stay intact in Illustrator. Corel also does a great job opening (not importing) the Illustrator and PDF files. 

Thanks again and hopefully they'll fix this on later updates.

[Monika Gause]

I've never heard of 3JP, maybe Illustrator 3 Japanese? Which is also an option in the Illustrator Save dialog box.

Glad you could solve it.