export .ai & psd text layers to CS3

[1luckydog]

Hello,

Well I've wrestled with this over an hour. I want to create text layer files and export to Photoshop and After Effects as a .ai and .psd.

Once I figured out out to create the layers I exported the two formats but Photoshop & After Effects crashes when it tries to open them. I then try to view the .psd with one of my picture viewers and it just show up as a white rectangle with no text.

Am I spinning wheels or is this possible? I'm looking to get vector layer text into the apps.

Thanks,

david

[Regular]

I've tried this before and had to convert AI exports from Xara in Adobe Illustrator, in order for them to work in After Effects.

Legacy AI files from other applications tend not to work well in AE.

Screen shows AE CS3 import of PSD file from Xara and AI file from Xara after it was converted in Illustrator. Nice and crisp as one would expect.

[1luckydog]

That's too bad. I wanted to bring the .ai text layers into AE so that I could animate each vector letter. I hesitate to have to get AI to do this with. But we'll see. Somewhere I hope is a less expensive alternative.

What I can do is use the Xara shape editor tool, create a frame shape, export as .ai and use it in Cinema 4D to act as a spline. I can then use it's Extrude Nurbs tool for modeling. Once extruded I can add texture and other stuff.

[Regular]

Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

However, the image of the 3D object will still be raster and subject to the jaggies in AE. Can do some motion blur or create a mask in PhotoShop to make the edges crisp again.

Don't forget that SWF can be used in After Effects. SWF utilizes vector paths and can handle most of what Xara Xtreme exports.

Xtreme exports Flash.

You'll just have to perhaps layer some of the fine details of feathering, transparency and fills, etc. in After Effects and export those separately because Flash doesn't handle everything Xara Xtreme does.