Known Participant

Question

How to make InDesign snap to placed Ai path's nodes?

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
February 17, 2018
3 replies
1677 views

Hey there!

Is there a way to make InDesign intreact with the placed Ai path by snapping to it?

I mean the nodes, not the object frame.

I can even edit the path 's nodes in InDesign by opening it - but no snapping when out of this mode.

So far the only solution I found is to open the placed path in InDesign, and in that edit mode - draw the guides by snapping to nodes. But that just seems silly, when I already have the path.

It would be useful for me with packaging designs - I have to rely to the path (dieline/punch).

Thanks!

indesign snap placed ai path nodes

This topic has been closed for replies.

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

Seems to me to be more in the realm of Illustrator's strengths (and where Illustrator is augmented by plugins by AstuteGraphics).

Mike Witherell

M

mojo-risinAuthor

Known Participant

Anybody any ideas?

It just seems very weird.

If in fact there is an ability to snap to placed Illustrator path (with guides when in direct selection tool mode), then why isn't it available for normal workflow (to use with other objects)?

It just seems like this should have been added as an option in object menu (sth like enable snap to anchors in object menu) but has been overlooked.

Jongware

Community Expert

I think people are mystified at your insistence that a path copied into InDesign is still an "Illustrator path". The only reason you can edit it is because it's now an InDesign path. And InDesign does not have the snapping-to-nodes feature of Illustrator.

M

mojo-risinAuthor

Known Participant

Right - it doesn't have that option - only question - why get rid of this functionality?

I was sure it's hidden somewhere.

@ Michael - I want to snap objects, as mentioned.

In order to design packaging - imagine a box dieline. I need ot refer precisely for example to find center of a box, drawing guidelines is a workaround. using Illustrator is out of question due to big database automation.

jane-e

Community Expert

To confirm I understand, you placed a file from Illustrator and now want to snap to the anchor points in InDesign, correct? No, you can't do that on a placed file.

If it is a simple Illustrator graphic, you can copy and paste it into InDesign. Don't do that with a complex graphic.

M

mojo-risinAuthor

Known Participant

Yes, as I wrote, I placed an Ai path into InDesign - drag and dropped the path from Illustrator, If I just place the file effect is the same.

It's a dieline - a simple overprint path which shows how the machine will fold/cut the packaging.

Based on these lines, the packaging is designed.

It's just hard to comprehand that there's no such option, having in mind that the path is recognised - because as I wrote - You can even edit the nodes in Indesign, and snap guides to it, but only in editing mode. When I go out of the mode - the nodes get unrecognised (not snapping), so I can't rely to them precisely.

So the usable data is there just not to be used in the way I need it.

Seems like a serious flaw. Unless there is a way.

Right now I need to go into open path mode (of the placed Ai path) in InDesign and redraw the dieline by adding/snapping guides to nodes - so later I can rely on them when placing graphics precisely. This way just seems like wokring twice,

I hope this is clear now

jane-e

Community Expert

When you say "editing mode", do you mean you are using Illustrator to make the edits?

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