convert a InDesign to Illustrator file?

[_Johnny_R_]

Hello,

the graphic designer at my work uses InDesign to create any graphic they make... I want to be able to encorparte these design into my videos... but I do not understand indesign and it doesn't work well after effects. Is there a way i can convert this file into a .ai file? my hope be to still work with the shapes and text layers.

I've seen some post about converting a indesign file into a pdf then importing that to Ai but that doesn't give me the options to edit the shapes and text.

Thank you! 

[Peter Spier]

It won't be a perfect conversion because the text engines are a bit differnt, but have you tried just copy/paste from InDesign into Illustrator?

[_Johnny_R_]

maybe i'm doing something wrong but I'm not able to copy and past anything! thats my whole problem... Normally from photoshop or illistrautor I'm able to copy and past things and it seemlessly works! but not with indesign

[Steve Werner]

The best way to retain the appearance of an InDesign layout is to export as PDF (Print).

But PDF is intended as an end format, and not intended to edit.

You can copy some individual objects (vectors and text) from InDesign to Illustrator but not entire layouts.

Trying to edit an InDesign PDF in Illustrator is very problematic. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. It's just not something Illustrator was designed to do.

Is this a one-time project or something you'll be doing again and again? If you must have Illustrator, it would be best to get someone to learn Illustrator. 

[_Johnny_R_]

its indesign i have a problem with... the real issue is InDeisgn doesn't really work with other adobe programs. 

I've spent some time to learn indesign but it's not really helpful because ideally i want to import a lay out as a comp in AE and start to add motion design to it. 

[Willi Adelberger]

Opening a PDF in Illustrator will destroy text and cann affect the color profile. The less destructive method in my experience is to make CC Library elements and use them in Illustrator. 
But take care with bullets and autonumbers. You might convert those lists before making a library element into text. Right mouse click on the paragraph style with lists and you find a command to convert ul and ol to text.