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Fiadh Brinn
Participating Frequently
July 17, 2023
Answered

Vectors scaled down 75% when saving SVGs

  • July 17, 2023
  • 3 replies
  • 4794 views

For context, I am using migrating from CorelDRAW to Illustrator to create vector drawings for use with a laser engraver. I noticed after a couple tests that every SVG being saved out of Illustrator is coming in at 75% size on my laser cutter. I double-checked this by saving a 10mm x 10mm box as an SVG in Illustrator and opening the SVG in CorelDRAW. It comes in at 7.5mm x 7.5mm.

Settings in attached image: Illustrator on the left, CorelDRAW on the right. I think I have the settings as close to identical as I can considering the different options. How can I get my SVGs to save at the correct size in Illustrator?


    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Brad @ Roaring Mouse

    "I can't figure out a way to make Illustator bake millimeters as the unit of measure in the SVG files "

     

    You can't.

    Illustrator, like any other Postscript-based page description language desktop application is stores objects based on POINTS.

    Even if you set your UI to millimetres, all objects will be converted to points.

    When you exported your SVG, your selection for Responsive was unchecked. This hard codes the dimensions for display purposes, whereas checking responsive allows it to be scaled in CSS. Illustrator's default display resolution is 72px per inch. Hence, your 10mm object = 28.44 POINTS =  28.44 pixels. This is indicated in that ONE line near the top, and only that line. All other numbers in your file are points, NOT pixels.

    So, why the 75%??  SVG's newer versions have since reestablished that the default for display purposes is 96px per inch.

    72 divided by 96 = 75%

    So, UNCHECK Responsive and try that. You will see in an SVG exported that way the hard-coded px dimension line is missing.

    3 replies

    Brad @ Roaring Mouse
    Community Expert
    Brad @ Roaring MouseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    July 25, 2023

    "I can't figure out a way to make Illustator bake millimeters as the unit of measure in the SVG files "

     

    You can't.

    Illustrator, like any other Postscript-based page description language desktop application is stores objects based on POINTS.

    Even if you set your UI to millimetres, all objects will be converted to points.

    When you exported your SVG, your selection for Responsive was unchecked. This hard codes the dimensions for display purposes, whereas checking responsive allows it to be scaled in CSS. Illustrator's default display resolution is 72px per inch. Hence, your 10mm object = 28.44 POINTS =  28.44 pixels. This is indicated in that ONE line near the top, and only that line. All other numbers in your file are points, NOT pixels.

    So, why the 75%??  SVG's newer versions have since reestablished that the default for display purposes is 96px per inch.

    72 divided by 96 = 75%

    So, UNCHECK Responsive and try that. You will see in an SVG exported that way the hard-coded px dimension line is missing.

    F
    Fiadh BrinnAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    July 26, 2023

    I tried a bit of an experiment. I saved my 10mm box a bunch of different ways to see what happens when I open it in Corel.
    Artboard set to 99mm (my laser's maximum working area), responsive checked. 21.808mm
    Artboard fit to 10mm box, responsive checked. 208.543mm

    Responsive unchecked. 7.5mm
    No matter which way I save, the square comes to 8mm in my laser software.
    It's not helpful, but it's informative I guess. When you check responsive the artboard is set as the size in the header, and the box is drawn to scale with it. Whatever the size in the header, Corel sets that size to about 208mm and scales the drawing inside to match. Unresponsive just means the box gets rendered at 96ppi.
    My laser software doesn't seem to care about any of that and is rendering it at 90ppi.

    Since there doesn't seem to be a solution, I'm just going to mark Brad's comment as the correct answer and put in a feature request.

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    Fiadh BrinnAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    July 26, 2023

    For anyone else who finds this in the future, if it isn't fixed please head to UserVoice and chime in.

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    Fiadh BrinnAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    July 24, 2023

    As a workaround, I tried scaling all my files to 133.333% before saving as SVG. (96/72 x X/100) Now the files import into Corel at the correct size, but my laser engraver shows them coming in slightly too large. I am baffled at how poorly Illustrator handles this seemingly simple task.

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Mike_Gondek10189183Community Expert
    Community Expert
    July 24, 2023

    You never provided the steps of how you are determining your illustrator files are scaling 75%. Hence your post has 10 replies and you have not gone far in solving this.

     

    The only way this would happen in Illustrator is if you were to use File >> Export >> Export For Screens.

     

    Effects >> Document >> Raster Effects settings is where you store your resolution. Illustrator is at industry standard of 72 dpi. Vector files are the resolution to infinity on vector elements, but if you include bitmaps in your .svg then that setting is important. You should avoid bitmaps in .svg if you can. Maybe your files are entirely bitmap and you are wanting the pixel amount for your measurement at 96dpi? Once you go to pixels I belive the width and height appear are not used, just the pixels. Again we cannot see a screenshot of your work so have to guess at how far off you are from the correct workflow.

     

    To change to millimeters. This is where you embed units of measure. You have everything you need in Illustrator, you are just familiar with Corel Draw, so you do not know where everything is.

    I have to second guess what you did, but guessing the problem is Corel importing your images at 75%.  Try opening the .svg back in Illustrator and turn rulers and you should see the exact same size before saving.

     

    B
    Community Expert
    Bobby HendersonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 24, 2023

    When I use Illustrator's default settings and simply save some artwork in SVG format via the Save As command certain applications import the SVG artwork at the correct size (Illustrator and Affinity Designer for instance). CorelDRAW imports the art at 75% of normal size and Inkscape oddly imports it at 76%. Pretty weird.

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      Community Expert
      Bobby HendersonCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 17, 2023

      This is a dumb question, but I'll ask anyway: if the SVG files you're exporting from Illustrator import into CorelDRAW at 75% of the intended size what happens when you import the SVG files into the laser engraving software application? Is the size still reduced to 75% of normal size? I'm wondering why the SVG artwork has to be brought back into CorelDRAW.

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        Fiadh BrinnAuthor
        Participating Frequently
        July 17, 2023

        "...what happens when you import the SVG files into the laser engraving software application?"

        The files import into my laser application at 75%. I noticed this during the tests, and used CorelDRAW to confirm that Illustrator was saving my SVGs at 75% scale.

        B
        Community Expert
        Bobby HendersonCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        July 17, 2023

        That's strange. Since you're exporting the SVG files in millimeters I assume the units in your Illustrator document are set up using millimeters too, correct?

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