Export AI Bitmap Resolution

**FLySOLO** · 26 November 2013, 09:39 PM

Hey,

I done some illustration jobs lately and sometimes have to insoert some logos as bitmaps. when i export to ai everything gets there fine but the bitmap parts are very low res. can i set the bitmap handling somwhere in xara? pdf exports better but layers are lost and everything is grouped and clipped in a very complex way.

thx,

FLy

**gwpriester** · 26 November 2013, 10:55 PM

How are you exporting (what file format)? The bitmaps should be exporting at their current resolution.

**Albacore** · 27 November 2013, 09:45 AM

Just to check, use the Advance/Custom Options, then click on the "Objects" tab. You will see the default is set to 71 DPI just click on the "use custom DPI" I set mine to 1200. Hope that helps Fly.

**FLySOLO** · 27 November 2013, 09:36 PM

Hey Gary,

AI - Adobe Illustrator.

Hey Albacore,

this setting only exists in the PDF export dialog.

PDF is better for export for later usage in Adobe Illustrator. You can even get transparancies into Illustrator this way. But you lose Layers and everything is oddly grouped and embedded into lots of containers. Exporting in the AI format keeps layers and doesn't do lots of containers and groupings around my objects but transparancies are rendered to bitmaps.

My question would be if there is a way to apply options to control the way the AI-files are created.

BB,

FLy

**Albacore** · 28 November 2013, 08:49 AM

All images when opened in AI will be in my experience will be 96 dpi that''s why I talked about PDF. Make a container for your bitmap, if you want to do it in Xara, and export file, then when you go into AI place the bitmap into your drawing then using relevant layers. If you are going to print use .tiff as file type and your dpi will be maintained in AI when you place your file in as I know you have Illy. That's the only way to do it from Xara into AI as Illy is not the best place for bitmaps. Also I would keep transparencies out of any export if you are taking into Illy. If you are the only one that is editing the drawing and the illy file is for viewing/print by other people then why not save your Xara file as .tiff then place it in Illy

**mwenz** · 28 November 2013, 02:18 PM

A way to keep pseudo layers, and all bitmaps at their resolution as imported into Xara, is to export from Xara as an SVG.

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While it all comes into AI in a single layer, the three named groups as can be seen above in the red rectangle are the layer names in Xara. Layers can be created in AI accordingly, those groups moved to those new AI layers.

Bitmap effects (drop shadows, etc) done in Xara have to be redone in AI. So no point in even having them in the export, really. There will also be a bunch of paths that technically contain the bitmap effects but are "empty" paths. Once the SVG groups are moved to new layers, ungroup everything and delete them.

It all only takes a few minutes. For me, when I have to move something I start in XDP into AI, it is a small price to pay. Oh, when I know ahead of time that something has to hit AI in the end, I never do the drop shadows or other bitmap effects in XDP. Easier to do them in AI.

Mike

**FLySOLO** · 28 November 2013, 08:11 PM

Hey Mike,

interesting - never thought of svg. But still an answer from the developers might be nice. Maybe it's a bug that the bitmaps get into Illustrator in low res. A short test with your method worked with the bitmaps in their original resolutions. And the layer thing works too. :b

Thx,

FLy

**mwenz** · 29 November 2013, 03:07 AM

DPI means nothing in an image file. All that matters is the pixel dimensions. In that regard, a 1200px x 800px exports from Xara and is imported into AI at those exact dimensions. The two-byte (iirc) DPI value in the header of an image in theory allows a receiving application to "properly" size the image. But that is all it is. All that ever matters is pixel dimensions.

If an 1200px x 800px image has a 300 dpi value in it, I could strip the DPI value out of a copy. Place both images in AI, Xara, QXP, ID, PP etc., at 1200px by 800px, output the page to film at 175 lpi and I can guarantee the images will be identical.

In other words, the bitmaps exported out of XDP have neither lost resolution nor pixel dimensions. Just the reporting of the two-byte header has changed. To me, the layer issue is a greater issue--and the survival of bitmap effects and transparency. If Xara updated its AI filter to comply with at least cs4 format, I think these issues would be resolved.

**FLySOLO** · 29 November 2013, 06:52 PM

But the image get into Illustrator totally pixelated when exported as AI. The same file exported via SVG (or PDF) gets high res into Illustrator.

So i guess it's a bug in the AI export filter.

BB,

FLy

**mwenz** · 29 November 2013, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by FLySOLO

But the image get into Illustrator totally pixelated when exported as AI. The same file exported via SVG (or PDF) gets high res into Illustrator.

So i guess it's a bug in the AI export filter.

BB,

FLy

Not my experience.

I have a link below for a ZIP that contains a XAR file and the AI and SVG produced. Yes, the AI bitmaps are 96 dpi. They will produce a great PDF. Save a copy as a PDF from AI, then view the PDF at 100% resolution.

The SVG. Once into AI, ungroup the bazillion time needed. The bitmaps are 300 dpi and are not pixelated. Again, produce a PDF. It will image just fine.

While I don't think the AI filters are buggy, they are sorely out of date.

Mike

...Linky removed...

I'll leave the link live for a while today.