Problems importing AI files

[theotherguy]

I am trying to import a friends drawings into anime studio pro. He created them in Coreldraw and exported them as Adobe Illustrator files, when I go to import them I get . .

'There are too many points and curves in this file, only part of the file has been imported' it then adds 'consider converting this file to a .png image and import that instead'

The thing is, a .PNG file is a bitmap, and I want a vector. I've noticed the parts I have imported have thousands of 'points' - I guess I could get rid of some with the 'remove points' tool but that would take forever. Is there a way to simplify drawings before, or shortly after, importing to anime studio?

thanks

[lwaxana]

I'm not familiar with Coreldraw, so this is just a guess. But according to this: viewtopic.php?t=8862&start=30 when you import an AI file, AS will add points to approximate the vectors. But you're also converting it from Corel to AI, so maybe points are being added at that stage, too.

Do the original Corel files have thousands of points? If they do, you may be able to remove points there. If they don't, then it probably won't help much to remove points before the conversion.

If you have AI, you could see if the bulk of the points are being added when you convert from Corel to AI. If so, you could try a rasterized version of the Corel drawing and then trace it to vectors and export to AS.

Or you could always import the file to AS as an image and trace it in a vector layer. Kind of a bummer, but this is what I always do.

[dueyftw]

There is a point reduction script. I'm not sure if it still will work because of the changes made from AS 5.6 to 6.

Also a program called Vextractor will change raster to vector. But it cost 100 dollars. Use the center line vectoring as much as possible if you try the demo.

Dale

[slowtiger]

What do you want to do with that file anyway? If it's just one big illustration, a background, then PNG is the best option.

If you want to animate it, you need to reduce complexoity anyway. If it's not possible to import properly, it will most likely not animate easily.

Try to break it into parts. Multiply the file, then open each copy and erase everything but one useful part, then try to import that.

[oknai]

My experience with AI to AS...
I make different layers for each part I want animate, then Object > Expand appearance, I recommend that especially for lines or any complex shape, when expanding lines you'll get more paths, like one in the center and the outlining path. No panic. Keep that selected and Window > Pathfinder (Shift+Cmd+F9) > Merge, problem solved. Using Merge will reduce paths and nods in other messy situations too, also Object > Path > Simplify can help, if you adjust the parameters right. Then Alt Click on layer visibility icon and save that part as Illustrator 3 eps, think this one keeps the colors. Still not perfect, but close. EPS or AI, it depends what the drawing's like. Hope it helps.

BTW my first post

[theotherguy]

Now Anime Studio crashes when I try to import AI files! This is starting to feel like a Toonboom moment

[slowtiger]

Could you perhaps make a PNG from the AI file and post it so we can have a look? Since you didn't answer any of our questions, we can't give any more advive right now.

[theotherguy]

Slow tiger, I am trying to populate a scene with animatable characters, I use .png files for most things. Since the program now crashes I guess I will have to import and trace.

Thanks everyone for your help, I think I have my answer now