Sark

Hi all.

In PS6 it is only possible to import Paths from Illustrator via the Clipboard or by Drag & Drop (one path at a time).

A vector program other than Illustrator, even one that can export .ai files, cannot export its Paths to PS6, at all.

I moved from Corel products to Adobe for its better integration with other apps and yet it can't even import an .ai file with Paths & Layers intact (not rasterized) from its own stablemate.

Just wondering if this problem has been improved on in any of the more recent versions of PS?

Thanks

Sark

Welles

Hi Sark,

I was curious about your question so I did a simple test or two to see if I could help answer your questions. (This is by no means an 'authoritative' response. )

Anyway my most used transfer of images from Illustrator 10 to Photoshop CS (for only a couple of weeks now but I had the PS7 update from the first release date) is by drag and drop. That always places a transform box around the image/paths and rasterizes the result upon hitting Return/Enter.

The way to copy paths is via the Clipboard. To transfer paths in PS7 and CS (I'd have to reload PS6 to check there) you go into Illustrator preferences and in Files and Clipboards turn on the AICB check box. If you are using Illustrator to modify Photoshop paths it is advised to turn on the Preserve Paths radio button.

With that it is possible to copy multiple paths to the Clipboard in Illustrator, including paths on multiple layers and paste them into Photoshop. When you do an options window appears with placement options. (see below) Although all the paths selected from different layers are pasted in the PS window, they are all on one layer in the paths palette, not multiple layers. Similarly, if you paste your paths as pixels or shapes they are all placed on one layer.

Now you know what's behind door #3!

Sark

Welles, Hi.

I don't own Illustrator at the moment and am still using CorelDraw, which to be honest, I prefer for its simpler shape creation and node editing functions.

I read in one of my PS6 books that Illustrator paths could be dragged & dropped or clipboard pasted into PS6, one path or group of paths at a time.

Seperating different paths from the group and copying & pasting to their own path layer in PS would be far from tidy. This didn't seem worth making the jump to Illustrator for.

I was hoping upgrading PS would enable paths to be brought in on their own layers (ideally from .ai files which CorelDraw is capable of exporting). Even if I (reluctantly) purchased Illustrator it seems from your comments that this is not possible.

I'm suprised at this, particularly from Adobes own Illustrator.

Buying Illustrator to import one path or group of paths on a single layer, is no better for my needs than using the path tools in PS. I guess I will have to work around this one for now.

Thanks again for posting, it's much appreciated.

Sark