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Answered

Will .ai files placed into indesign remain vectors?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
August 24, 2018
5 replies
1314 views

I have a vector image in illustrator that I want to place into indesign for further editing. will this link remain as a vector? when i blow it up will it be pixelated at all?

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Correct answer Dov Isaacs

Actually, InDesign doesn't actually place Illustrator (.AI) files. It places PDF files. Thus, if you save an Illustrator file as a .AI file and disable the Create PDF Compatible File option, the placement will not succeed at all.

A better option is to never place Illustrator .AI files, but rather, save a copy of your Illustrator file as a PDF/X-4 file (maintaining live transparency and without any color conversions) and placing that PDF/X-4 file into InDesign. There is no lossiness in this form of placement. Vectors remain vectors, text remains text, etc. There will be no pixelation beyond whatever pixelation there would have been in Illustrator itself.

That having been said, whether you place .AI or .PDF into your InDesign document, the actual components of what you have placed (such as lines and polygons and text) will absolutely not be editable in InDesign.

- Dov

rob day

Community Expert

I have a vector image in illustrator that I want to place into indesign for further editing

Depending on the complexity of the vector, you can use cut and paste to move an editable path over to InDesign. Complex vectors, like mesh objects don't crossover very well. You have to set the clipboard preferences in both apps before you copy and paste:

In Illustrator check Preserve Paths

In InDesign uncheck Prefer PDF

Direct selecting the AI path

Luke Jennings

Inspiring

You can copy and paste simple vector images from Illustrator into InDesign. Use the Direct selection tool in Illustrator to select & copy the image, and turn off the InDesign preference> Clipboard Handling> Prefer PDF when pasting.

That said, Illustrator has better vector editing tools, so placing is often the preferred workflow.

BobLevine

Community Expert

You cannot edit that in InDesign. Finish it up in Illustrator.

Dov IsaacsCorrect answer

Legend

Actually, InDesign doesn't actually place Illustrator (.AI) files. It places PDF files. Thus, if you save an Illustrator file as a .AI file and disable the Create PDF Compatible File option, the placement will not succeed at all.

A better option is to never place Illustrator .AI files, but rather, save a copy of your Illustrator file as a PDF/X-4 file (maintaining live transparency and without any color conversions) and placing that PDF/X-4 file into InDesign. There is no lossiness in this form of placement. Vectors remain vectors, text remains text, etc. There will be no pixelation beyond whatever pixelation there would have been in Illustrator itself.

That having been said, whether you place .AI or .PDF into your InDesign document, the actual components of what you have placed (such as lines and polygons and text) will absolutely not be editable in InDesign.

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

K

kyriakinav41379920Author

Participant

how would i save it as a pdf/x4 file? when i go to save it it only gives me one pdf option.

Dov Isaacs

Legend

Simple!

Use Save as Copy and select the PDF file type:

(similar dialog on MacOS version)

After you press Save you will be prompted for the PDF options:

Select the PDF/X-4:2008 Adobe PDF Preset (which actually supports PDF/X-4:2010).

You are then “good to go!”

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

Abambo

Community Expert

Indesign shows you a proxy image according to your settings. While exporting, the image will be a perfect vector image.

You can change your preferences to preview images on an image base or an overall base. Switching on Overprint View will also render high quality previews.

High quality previews are more time consuming, therefore do I have them switched of if not needed.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

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