import illustrator files in layers into Animate 3

Retired Products Animate Support and Troubleshooting
1

I did this about 6 months ago but not I does not work, and I can´t find a good tutorial on it.

  1. How do you save the settings from illustrator. Which settings and which version of ai?
  2. I have the script and when I run it it creates a tpl-folder in the folder where the ai-file is.
  3. I can open the folder as a library in Animate
  4. But can´t figure out how to add the Ai-layers into animate as layers.

What did I do wrong?

/ Mattias

2

You can use this way instead of using the script. First you got to save your illustrator ai-file as CS or CS2 version (PDF-compatible) to get them on separate layers. Then you can import the file into the animate library using file/import. Or go to the library view and right click mouse and check “Right to modify” and then use “Import files”. The file will be renamed “your_name.tpl”. If you then drag the tpl into your camera view you will see them on separate layers in timeline view.
If you save the file as newer versions you’ll get all of the illustrator layers on the same Animate layer. Could be handy if you intend to make a Frame-By-Frame animation.

3

Thank you for the quick help!

4

i have harmony 10.3 and save illustrator file in cs version not importing in layers but in same layer is importd
plz plz help there

5

I purchased Toon Boom only last week after several years as a Flash animator. The tutorials and the adverts really sold it to me, all of the problems I’ve ever faced with Flash seem to be a breeze according to the Toon Boom advert.

So, here I am, stage one of rigging my character after designing in Flash and then exporting to Illustrator. But, I can’t import all of those well organised groups and layers. I’ve attempted this script > http://www.toonboom.com/knowledge-base/2568 but received an error log

"Uncaught exception at /Users/willbaker/Library/Preferences/Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Animate/1050-scripts/Import Illustrator Layers.js:8: ReferenceError: Can’t find variable: Application
8 var pdfImport = Application.specialFolders.bin + “/Pdfimport”

All I want to do is import my layers, the video made this all look so easy, this is only the first stage and already I’m hours down.

Any help would be truly obliged, I thank you in advance.

6

Hello,

That script was written for version 2. You are using version 3 if you just purchased your software from Toon Boom.

Did you read each post in this thread? I just tried the method described in post #2 https://forums.toonboom.com/toon-boom-animate-family/support-and-troubleshooting/import-illustrator-files-layers-animate-3#comment-32473 and successfully imported a multi-layered Illustrator file which Animate Pro distributed to separate drawing layers. You should try it if you have not already done so.

It seems to only work when saved in CS and CS2 formats as described. Just to experiment I also tried saving as CS3 and CS5 without success.

NOTE: Make sure in both Animate 3 and Animate Pro 3 Preferences => Advanced => Advanced Options: “PDF/Illustrator Import as Separate Layers” is checked.