Illustrator files into Vegas

[Steven Reid]

Originally Posted by Renton Maclachlan

Steven...Thanks. I'll watch the tutorial tonight and have a go at it all.

One clarification. You talk of 'exporting' from AI. Under 'Export' I have no option for exporting in EPS. However in 'Save As' I do. Is that what you were referring to?

As I said, I have BCC on the computer for evaluation. It is full functional. I will very likely be buying...especially if it does this.

Sorry, Renton, but I dashed off a reply so quickly that I mistakenly use the word "EXPORT." Obviously, "save" or "save as" within AI will allow you to save native AI files. No need for AI's export function.

Since none of us here are quite clear on what exactly you're trying to achieve, I guess you'll have to decide which of these workflows makes the best sense for you. If I wanted to dump a mountain of AI files of all different sizes into Vegas, would some kind of batch export/save to PNG make better sense? On the other hand, if you really want control over a sensible number of AI files, I think the AI-->BCC-->Vegas route looks good.

There are ways to overcomplicate tasks. I'm a master at finding them. I hope I didn't give you one. :)

-Steve

[Renton Maclachlan]

What am I trying to do? I'll explain...

I'm producing an illustrated teaching DVD. My main illustrations I've done in Ai. One of them in Ai has around 75 layers, each individual element in the illustration being its own layer.

As the talk progresses, this illustration will be built up by the addition of one element at a time at its appropriate place in/when it is being discussed in the talk.

The illustration in total with its layers doesn't need to be brought into Vegas. Each element will be brought in and overlaid over the earlier elements. Also, the earlier elements can/could be incorporated into one picture/imported file at certain points as the picture builds up - to save having heaps of individual files.

What is critical is that I want the illustration in all its elements, to be sharp, as it is in Illustrator...

The 75 layer illustration is going to be spread over four separate talks so each talk will have about 20 or so elements brought into its .veg file...

Is that clear enough?

[Renton Maclachlan]

Steven...I must be missing something...

I save my illustration as an .EPS file. > Go to my empty video track > open track FX and pick BCC Extruded EPS > go to 'External file' and select the file I want > AND...

...nothing happens...no file appears on the video track...

OPPS...just remembered the tutorial...maybe that will contain the answer...

[Renton Maclachlan]

Well...I discovered that you had to have an empty event on the time line...then tried adding my Ai and eps files to it and they came in as black lines only...so only partial success so far...

Also...eps files are large, as are Ai files...hmmmm

[Renton Maclachlan]

Thanks David: When you say you use 'the 1280x720 Video template' to make your Ai files on, where do you find that?

I made my illustrations about 10 years ago - not long after CS2 came out - and was not aware of templates at that stage...I just did my drawings...I think...on...whatever was there...

Perhaps I can put them on a 'template' now...can I? Actually in 'Document Setup', it tells me the 'Artboard' is 444mm wide x 250mm high. Clearly at some time I must have defined the artboard because it looks like the widescreen size...

If I try exporting as a png, what goes out is the drawing in a transparent box that conforms to the outside extremities of the drawing, not the size of the artboard. Same goes if I export as a psd...

[Steven Reid]

Renton, now I see what you're trying to do. I can't explain the "only black lines" problem, unless your AI files are too old, i.e., not saved in CS5 flavor.

So, you want to animate on your AI drawing elements, one-by-one, layer-by-layer, upwards of 75 of them per illustration, in a selective fashion, and maintain graphic integrity. Right? Just totally forget my idea. Chuck it. BCC and Vegas is a dead end, as far as I can see, assuming I've got a bead on your situation.

Why the bleepin' heck don't you use After Effects for this? AE will ingest AI files, natively preserve all AI layers, and if you wish re-rasterize your vector images as you resize or scale. In essence, AE will do exactly what you're after. This sounds like a massive making for a headache within Vegas. If you don't have AE, I'm not trying to persuade you to BUY it, but having the right tool for THIS job will make your life so much easier.

One POSSIBLE alternative is to save an AI file as a LAYERED Photoshop file, then drop the PS file into Vegas, each layer getting its own track. In principle, this can be done. I have not done it in practice.

-Steve

[David Jimerson]

Originally Posted by Renton Maclachlan

Thanks David: When you say you use 'the 1280x720 Video template' to make your Ai files on, where do you find that?

I made my illustrations about 10 years ago - not long after CS2 came out - and was not aware of templates at that stage...I just did my drawings...I think...on...whatever was there...

Perhaps I can put them on a 'template' now...can I? Actually in 'Document Setup', it tells me the 'Artboard' is 444mm wide x 250mm high. Clearly at some time I must have defined the artboard because it looks like the widescreen size...

It's in the new document setup. It's a template.

I'm sure you can select all the layers and copy it over.

If I try exporting as a png, what goes out is the drawing in a transparent box that conforms to the outside extremities of the drawing, not the size of the artboard.

That is normal. But the ppi you choose will make the image larger or smaller (and more or less detailed).

[Renton Maclachlan]

Steven: Thanks. I don't have CS5 and I don't have AE.

Would I like them? Yes, I would. however I am doing this on what I consider the smell of an oily rag and have spent too much already over the last 7 years on this project, and have no returns yet. Buying CS2 years ago allowed me to digitize my images but it seems like it is out of the upgrade loop now...

But then...perhaps I've got this far and for the next stage I need some more appropriate tools...I want the thing to be top rate when done...

I did play with importing layered Photoshop files ages ago when that feature became available in vegas but was not at the stage I need to use it...I am now so I'll have another look...

[Steven Reid]

Originally Posted by Renton Maclachlan

Steven: Thanks. I don't have CS5 and I don't have AE.

Would I like them? Yes, I would. however I am doing this on what I consider the smell of an oily rag and have spent too much already over the last 7 years on this project, and have no returns yet. Buying CS2 years ago allowed me to digitize my images but it seems like it is out of the upgrade loop now...

But then...perhaps I've got this far and for the next stage I need some more appropriate tools...I want the thing to be top rate when done...

I did play with importing layered Photoshop files ages ago when that feature became available in vegas but was not at the stage I need to use it...I am now so I'll have another look...

Renton,

1. When you export an AI file as a PNG or whatever (yes, using the "Export" command under the File Menu), the save dialog box has a checkbox called "Use Artboard." If that is ticked, then your exported image, e.g., a PSD file, will have the same dimensions as your artboard, not your artwork.

2. I think now you probably know what you need, per a number of options:

a. Copy and paste your AI file (all layers at once) onto a new document using a video-sized template within AI. Export as layered PSD, ingest as layered PSD into Vegas, animate, lather, rinse, repeat. Deal with any resolution hits.

b. Go directly from AI to AfterEffects, animate each layer to taste, export final animation(s) as PSD sequence, import into Vegas for finishing touches, e.g., sound.

3. It sounds like, at a bare minimum, you'll need to give your software lineup a fresh coat of paint. I guess you'll have to decide how much coin "top rate when done" should command.

Post back. I'd like to know what you decide to do. :)

-Steve

[Renton Maclachlan]

Thanks Steven...very helpful.

I've thought about cs5 and done some looking on the web tonight and my system won't run it...I'm using 32 bit...don't fancy a complete system upgrade!!!

cs4 will run on 32 bit but am not sure how to get that. Asked my son in law if he can access it...

Further, while I'm a bit familiar with Indesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator, I have no idea what After Effects does. Also, I need to do some cartoon animation and I believe Flash can do that...

Just looked on the web for CS4 and this came up...know anything about it?

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Will check out how many layers I need for each talk. I'll be able to reduce the work vegas does by doing this...

There was no 'Artboard' tick box in my psd export window. I can change that in photoshop...

[Renton Maclachlan]

[QUOTE=David Jimerson;1723835]It's in the new document setup. It's a template.

Can't find it.

Tried 'New' and there were no template options.

Tried 'New from Template' and it put me in a template folder...with a heap of other folders...but couldn't see anything about video templates in any of them. Maybe cs2 doesn't have it...

Maybe I can make a template...

[Steven Reid]

Originally Posted by Renton Maclachlan

Thanks Steven...very helpful.

I've thought about cs5 and done some looking on the web tonight and my system won't run it...I'm using 32 bit...don't fancy a complete system upgrade!!!

cs4 will run on 32 bit but am not sure how to get that. Asked my son in law if he can access it...

Further, while I'm a bit familiar with Indesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator, I have no idea what After Effects does. Also, I need to do some cartoon animation and I believe Flash can do that...

Renton, if you found the websites below, then you could probably discovered what AE is/does. In brief, it is a powerful compositing and visual effects tool that operates somewhat like an NLE. That's why I suggested it for your project. Acquiring a rudimentary working familiarity with AE takes some time (at least it did for me!). If the prospect of learning another application doesn't appeal to you, then you might consider a non-AE option for completing your project.

Just looked on the web for CS4 and this came up...know anything about it?

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Haven't a clue about these sources. Also, I'm pretty sure it's gauche for me to remark on them in this forum. I don't think they are a forum sponsor.

There was no 'Artboard' tick box in my psd export window. I can change that in photoshop...

Can't find it.

Tried 'New' and there were no template options.

Tried 'New from Template' and it put me in a template folder...with a heap of other folders...but couldn't see anything about video templates in any of them. Maybe cs2 doesn't have it...

Maybe I can make a template...

No artboard tick box in the export dialog window? Really? It's very small right at the bottom. Maybe CS2 lacked that extremely basic feature.

I don't mean to sound insensitive in the least, but your replies of late generally suggest that you're bumping against limitations of old software that really could benefit by updating. After all, your project started the better part of a decade ago, which might as well be the stone age so far as software and hardware is concerned. I'm not familiar with CS2 (as I jumped in with CS5.5), but everything that I have suggested should be (or could be if pointed in the right direction) rather obvious to a user of CS5 (and probably CS4) family of applications. I'm merely getting at what likely are improvements or features in CS 4/5 that are not in CS2.

Yes, you can make an AI template. But even if not in CS2, you can make an AI file with a particular artboard size, then copy/open/"save as"/rename as many instances of this file as you like. That's pretty ghetto, but it would work.

Finally, just wanted to say that I've bought and expanded my menu of applications, sometimes in response to creative needs for a particular project, then discovered that the applications became more or less essential. This applies to Vegas plugins, too. Yeah, you can just get by for years with a single adjustable wrench (= "spanner" in New Zealand?), but it's so much better to have a variety of wrenches. Right tool for the job.

[Renton Maclachlan]

'I don't mean to sound insensitive in the least, but your replies of late generally suggest that you're bumping against limitations of old software that really could benefit by updating.'

Steven...Thanks, you're probably right, but I don't think I can justify a total rehash of everything at the moment, and I think/hope I can do everything I need with what I have.

Sure it would be nice to have the latest but the project has not returned anything as yet. (Perhaps after it makes my first million dollars I'll upgrade!!! Everything so far has been justified on eventual returns!!!) If I really have to, I will, but I've done everything on the smell of an oily rag so far and am seeking to continue that...

I think I know enough now to proceed. Thanks so much for your help...

[Renton Maclachlan]

I'm just trying to process all this hardware software stuff we've been addressing and that I could running up against some limitations....

I have:
- A gigabyte S-Series Ultra Durable 2 motherboard
- an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU - E6850 3.00 GHz processor...so that looks alright as far as I'm aware.
- 2 GB of memory...hmmm
- an ATI Radeon HD 2400series video card which apparently has 256 mg of memory and drives my two monitors etc...
- a sound card...
- Misc harddrives - 2 lots on Raid - internal up to something like 3 TB

- run Window 7 Home...
- 32 bit
- Vegas 11
- looking buying Boris FX BCC

What could be done to improve processing speed? A graphics card with >1 GB memory? More memory?

Any suggestions?

[Dennis Vogel]

Originally Posted by Renton Maclachlan

however I am doing this on what I consider the smell of an oily rag ...

Getting OT here, but "smell of a oily rag"? Must be a New Zealand colloquialism. Anyone care to translate to American English?

D