opening .ai files does not retain canvas size information

[Steven Rice]

Hello,

I am trying to open some .ai files in Inkscape. However, the printable area information doesn't transfer, which means that the graphics in each file are misaligned. Even after I change the page size to be correct, the graphics are no longer centered.

Inkscape seems to custom define a page size to fit the size of the graphics. I would like to keep the images centered and the printable area the same, which would save hours and hours of time and frustration. If I open the .ai file directly, then the canvas size is defined by the objects. If the objects did not fill up the page, then the page size is smaller than it should be. If there were objects off the canvas, inkscape expands the canvas to encompass them.

It doesn't work either way. If I open a file and then import, the canvas size that was already defined pertains.

Either way, the objects are misaligned.

Using Document Settings --> Document size --> resize document , both manually inputing the correct paper size doesn't work (misaligned) and "resize page to drawing or selection" doesn't work (wrong page size and misaligned).

The problem MIGHT be that inkscape is set up to automatically "resize page to drawing or selection" and that steps on the appropriate page size, but I can't find anything about this in inkscape preferences.

OR

The problem might be that there is a bug with opening .ai files.

Thank you for your time and consideration!

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Please provide information about your OS/platform and Inkscape version (see Inkscape menu 'Help > About Inkscape'), and attach sample AI files to allow further investigation.

[Steven Rice (k-info-d)]

Platform: OSX 10.8.3

Inkscape 0.48.2 r9819

.ai file attached

[Steven Rice (k-info-d)]

.pdf of same file

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Just curious: did you also file a radar report for Apple's Preview.app? On OS X 10.7.5, Apple's 'Preview' application renders the AI file like Inkscape does, i.e. the same page size (63.83 × 48.1 cm, or 1809.17 × 1363.36 pt), and the same amount of objects on the page.

Note I: testing different 'Clip to' options in Inkscape's PDF import dialog does influence which objects are visible on-canvas when opening the file in Inkscape, but AFAICT it has no effect on the page size and the absolute position of the objects on that page size. Possibly Illustrator stores different information in different portions of the AI file (AI files are PDF (readable by Inkscape) + embedded binary data proprietary to Adobe Illustrator (PGF data), which AFAIU cannot be parsed by Inkscape).

Note II: I don't own a copy of Adobe Illustrator, and cannot test what custom information about the page size it stores in the provided AI file.

[Steven Rice (k-info-d)]

suv-ip,

Thanks for this reply. Yes, preview renders the .ai file as you describe in 10.8.3, also. I'll look into filing a report for preview.

Yes, it would make sense if this info was stored in the PGF data, and if so, I can see how this isn't really a fixable problem in any reasonable amount of time.

I've recently wanted to move away from AI, but perhaps it's not going to be possible right now.

Thanks again for doing the testing. Awesome, even though it wasn't a solution. So helpful. Thank you.

[Beluga (buovjaga)]

Still looking wonky (with internal or Poppler/Cairo).

Arch Linux 64-bit, KDE Plasma 5
Inkscape 0.92+devel 15099 (GTK3)