Cineversity

I am trying to export a DNA helix and other complex objects to illustrator.
The items line thickness and shading are exported but I am getting massively long layers for both the lines and the shading.

I have unchecked everything in the export options that’s not relevant to the export, is there someway in cinema to flatten the model to help with exporting a flat vector image to illustrator?

The reason is I am trying to export an SVG from illustrator for web related coding.

Hi CreativeRaul,

Each shape has normally at least a sub-layer in Ai (if nothing has changed since I worked heavily in it.)

It is based on the file structure in Ai, not a decision that MAXON has made.

What I normally like to do is to Path>Outline my graphic to have the stroke stable.

Do you have more layers in your file? (See attachment)

All the best

Sassi

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/Vh_tERo4j_76LU-5lh3IT_ye_LZaVGENRbXwAtMrxXs

Dr. Sassi,

Thank you for your reply. I do not see any attachments in your post but here is the AI file as exported from cinema4D…

As you will see in the screen shot provided with in the zip file. I used a connect object to have one single modeled dna helix for the export. As you can see in the .AI file the export is taking all the polygon points to generate the vector image.

which is translated in illustrator as tons of path layers for both the outline and the fill. I have no way of flatten this in illustrator and I was trying to see if I can do something in cinema4D to facilitate a flatten of the export information.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l7vl3p9x5v4h4zn/dna.zip?dl=0

Thanks for the file, CreativeRaul.

I can’t remember (at least in the past years) to have not used my naming convention, except for todays file, and yours has the same name, I shouldn’t be that sloppy. Proper naming is crucial. Perhaps a reason why you couldn’t find my file after using my link above.

I can see clearly that my file had no color inside of the DNA. So it was smaller.

In Ai, Select>Path>Same>Fill and Stroke will help to select all from the same and you can merge them. In that way you get way less sub-layers. Then Pathfinder> ShapeModes>Unite (like Boole in C4D) and you reduce the amount of path again. 
To my knowledge that is the least amount of Sub-layers possible in Ai.

So far I understood Ai in the past ~20 years of using it (or Freehand for that matter as well), it is practically a Post Script “editing tool”, with lots of features added since the introduction in ‘80s of course. But the underlaying structure is based on the Post Script “language” (easily to see on the native use of EPS—encapsulated post script), and the structure of the language shows in the layers. I do not see a change coming in that area, but then again, we all might only guess what Adobe is up to with PostScript.

How much the SVG exporter will allow you to create outlines or other “compression” of “merge” function, I can’t tell, not my area of interest nor expertise.

As a side note, the Object>Path>Simplify (see image will certainly help, how much is certainly an artist call.

Good luck

Sassi

The file is not even 10% of the original file size. I think some Clean Up would even improve it more. (Smooth Tool for example for the straight areas)
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/oWD1rIKxDoZLNZrkpgw_LAdgpdczFYW9TDaw1IT7T2w

Dr. Sassi,

Your a genius.

Thank you so much for your guidance. This has solved my issue for simplifying the illustrator file for output to SVG.

- R

You’re welcome, CreativeRaul.

Illustrator is a great app,  certainly one of my best investment returns in the 2D area (investment in time and money); I guess around 100:1. There is certainly some passion left for this app. :o)

Have a great weekend and good luck with the project.

Sassi