SVG: need an option to allow absolute sizes

[Hobbes0022]

When I create an image and save it as an SVG, its size is specified in px. Illustrator uses a conversion factor of 72 dpi to convert the artboard and artwork sizes. If I create an artboard that's 100x100 mm, the SVG will render its size as: width="283.46px" height="283.46px"

This creates problems, because other programs use a different assumption for dpi (often 96 instead of 72), so when I import an SVG, it will be rendered a factor of 72/96 too small. This conversion factor cannot be changed in Illustrator.

In the Save options dialog, when I check the 'Responsive' check box, the units are removed from the viewport size.

In other programs, I can export SVG files with absolute units (viewport set to mm instead of px), which avoids this issue.

There are 2 ways to solve this:

1. add an option to specify SVG sizes in absolute units.

2 .allow us to change the dpi setting.

[Test Screen Name]

Illustrator doesn't work in pixels at all. If you select pixels in any dialog Illustrator simply translates this as "points". This is unlikely to change. So work to scale.

[Hobbes0022]

I'm not working in pixels, I do all my artwork in mm.

The point is that no matter what units I specify in my document, Illustrator creates an SVG that uses px.

[Mylenium]

Yupp, AI sucks at creating SVGs, despite Adobe once having invented the format. Not much more to say about it. I'm just not clear what you would do by modifying the DPI. After all, you'd still need to change the document DPI and raster effects DPI beforehand to get sufficiently high resolution on pixel elements in the SVG.

Mylenium

[Hobbes0022]

Changing the dpi would create its own headaches, I agree. Not something I'd considered yet because the SVGs I've made so far had no pixel elements, just vector content.

That would be a complicated situation anyway: if you insert two pixel elements into you SVG at different scales, you'd have to do resampling somewhere.

The goal is to have the SVG displayed at the size I specified in Illustrator.

The workflow in this case is Illustrator ->document management system->publication via HTML+CSS Paged Media to PDF.

[Merche36928273sp2u]

As of 2024, this feature is still missing. It reflects poorly on Adobe that users have to rely on free software like Inkscape to get the correct dimensions while paying a monthly subscription for Adobe Illustrator. This functionality is essential for laser cutting software and should be a priority for future updates.

[Monika Gause]

If you want to have that I would suggest you post it there: https://illustrator.uservoice.com

The engineers do not read this community.