Illustrator object import options

Layers manage all the items that make up Illustrator artwork. By default, all items are organized in a single, parent layer. Import all items in a given parent layer as a single, flattened bitmap, or, individually select each object and specify import options specific to the type of object it is (text, path, group, and so on). The AI Importer provides options to select layers in the artwork you are importing, and specify individual import options based on preserving the visual appearance of an object, or its editability in Flash.

Correcting incompatible graphic effects

To generate an incompatibility report, click Incompatibility Report. The incompatibility report lists items in the AI file that are incompatible with Flash.
Select Change Import Settings To Resolve Object Incompatibilities. Many incompatibilities between Illustrator and Flash can be automatically corrected using the incompatibility report, and the import recommendations suggested in the Import options area of the AI Import dialog box.

Select individual objects

Select the object to specify import options for. Illustrator objects that you can select include layers, groups, individual paths, text, and images.
Review the import options available for the type of object you’ve selected in the object options section of the dialog box. Note if any incompatibilities are listed, and what the recommended correction is to import the object.
Select the desired import options, and select another object to specify import options for, or click OK.

Selecting layers

The Layers panel lists the objects in a document. By default, every Illustrator document contains at least one layer, and each object in a given file is listed under that layer.

When an item in the Layers panel contains other items, a triangle appears to the left of the item’s name. To show or hide the content, click the triangle. If no triangle appears, the layer contains no additional items.

Note: You can expand or collapse all groups and layers using the AI Importer context menu. Right-click to display the context menu, and select Expand All or Collapse All.

Selection column

Controls whether items are selected for import or not. If an item is checked, you can select that layer and specify import options; if Edit is not checked, the layer is dimmed, and you cannot specify any import setting for the item in that layer.

Object Type column

An icon indicates what the Flash object type located on that layer will be when imported, and, if visible, that the item is selected. The object types are:

Text
Path
Group
Movie clip
Graphic symbol
Image

Text import options

Flash lets you import text as editable text, vector outlines, and a flattened bitmap. To maintain supported blend modes, AI effects, and transparency of less than 100% between Illustrator and Flash, use import text as a movie clip. Importing text as a movie clip preserves the editability of compatible visual effects.

Editable Text: By default, Illustrator text imports as editable Flash text. The appearance of the text can be compromised to maintain the editability of the text.
Vector Outlines: Converts text to vector paths. Use this option to preserve the visual appearance of the text. Some visual effects might be sacrificed—such as unsupported blend modes and filters—but visual attributes such as text on a path are maintained if the text is imported as a movie clip. The text itself is no longer editable, but opacity and compatible blend modes maintain their editability.
Note: To preserve the drop shadow, inner glow, outer glow, and Gaussian blur that AI effects applied to text as editable Flash filters, select Create Movie Clip Import to import the text as a movie clip.
Bitmap: Rasterizes the text into a bitmap to preserve the exact appearance of the text as it was in Illustrator. If filters or other effects are applied that are not compatible with Flash, importing the text as a bitmap preserves the visual appearance. Rasterized text is no longer editable.

Path import options

A path is the line that results from drawing in Illustrator. A path is either open, like an arc, or closed, like a circle. For an open path, the starting and ending anchor points for the path are called endpoints. Editable paths can be imported into Flash, however, if certain blend modes, filters, or other effects are applied to the path, those effects might not be compatible with Flash.

Bitmap: Rasterizes the path into a bitmap to preserve the exact appearance of the path in Illustrator. A rasterized image is no longer editable.
Editable Path: Creates an editable vector path. Supported blend modes, effects, and object transparency are preserved, but attributes not supported in Flash are discarded.

Image import options

Bitmap images are the most common electronic medium for continuous-tone images, such as photographs or digital paintings. Illustrator creates bitmap effects by using filters, effects, and graphic styles. While many of these effects are compatible with Flash, some might need to be flattened—or rasterized—to preserve their visual appearance.

Note: If a raster file in Illustrator is linked, only JPEG, GIF, or PNG is imported with their native format preserved. All other file types are converted to the PNG format in Flash. Additionally, the conversion (to PNG) depends on the version of QuickTime installed on your computer.

Flatten Bitmap To Maintain Appearance: Rasterizes the image into a bitmap to preserve the appearance of blending modes and effects that are not supported in Flash. A rasterized image is no longer editable.
Create Movie Clip: Imports the Illustrator images as movie clips.

Group import options

Groups are collections of graphic objects that are treated as a single unit. Grouping lets you move or transform a number of objects without affecting their attributes or relative positions. For example, you might group the objects in a logo design so that you can move and scale the logo as one unit. Groups can also be nested. That is, they can be grouped in other objects or groups to form larger groups.

Groups appear as <Group> items in the Import panel. When an item such as a group contains other items, a triangle appears to the left of the item’s name. Click the triangle to show or hide the contents of the group. If no triangle appears, the item contains no additional items.

Import As Bitmap: Rasterizes the group into a bitmap to preserve the appearance of the objects as they appeared in Illustrator. After a group is converted to a bitmap, the objects in it cannot be selected or renamed.
Create Movie Clip: Encapsulates all objects in the group into a single movie clip.

Current page: http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/UsingFlash/WSA3AB1C66-4159-4ca2-98C9-1ADD2C16041B.html

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