File formats for exporting artwork – Adobe Illustrator CC 2015 User Manual
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Importing, exporting, and saving
Last updated 6/5/2015
File formats for exporting artwork
Note: You can export multiple artboards only to the following formats: SWF, JPEG, PSD, PNG, and TIFF.
AutoCAD Drawing and AutoCAD Interchange File (DWG and DXF)
AutoCAD Drawing is the standard file format for
saving vector graphics created in AutoCAD. AutoCAD Interchange File is a drawing interchange format for exporting
AutoCAD drawings to or importing drawings from other applications. For more information, see
.
note: By default, white strokes or fills in Illustrator artwork are exported to the AutoCAD formats as black strokes or fills;
and black strokes or fills in Illustrator are exported to the AutoCAD format as white.
BMP
A standard Windows image format. You can specify a color model, resolution, and anti-alias setting for rasterizing
the artwork, as well as a format (Windows or OS/2) and a bit depth to determine the total number of colors (or shades
of gray) that the image can contain. For 4-bit and 8-bit images using Windows format, you can also specify RLE
compression.
Enhanced Metafile (EMF)
Widely used by Windows applications as an interchange format for exporting vector graphics
data. Illustrator may rasterize some vector data when exporting artwork to EMF format.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
Commonly used to save photographs. JPEG format retains all color
information in an image but compresses file size by selectively discarding data. JPEG is a standard format for displaying
images over the web. For more information, see
. You can also save an image as a JPEG file using
the Save For Web & Devices command.
note: Artifacts, such as wave-like patterns or blocky areas of banding, are added to a file each time you save the file as a
JPEG. Always save JPEG files from the original image, not from a previously saved JPEG.
Macintosh PICT
Used with Mac OS graphics and page-layout applications to transfer images between applications.
PICT is especially effective at compressing images with large areas of solid color.
Flash (SWF)
A vector-based graphics format for interactive, animated web graphics. You can export artwork to the
Flash (SWF) format for use in web design, and view the artwork in any browser equipped with the Flash Player plug-in.
For more information, see
. You can also save an image as an SWF file using the Save For Web &
Devices command (see
), and you can export text as Flash Dynamic or Input
text (see
). In addition to exporting artwork in Flash format, you can copy Illustrator artwork
and paste it into Flash. The fidelity of artwork is maintained across the clipboard.
You can create vector artwork for Flex skins in Adobe Illustrator and export it using the Create Flex Skin script. Flex
skins and extensions for Illustrator are available from
For more information
about Flex skins and Flex Builder, see the Flex documentation on Adobe.com.
Photoshop (PSD)
The standard Photoshop format. If your artwork contains data that cannot be exported to Photoshop
format, Illustrator preserves the appearance of the artwork by merging the layers in the document or by rasterizing the
artwork. As a result, there may be times when layers, sublayers, compound shapes, and editable text are not preserved
in the Photoshop file, even though you selected the appropriate export option. For more information, see
PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
Used for lossless compression and for display of images on the web. Unlike GIF, PNG
supports 24-bit images and produces background transparency without jagged edges; however, some web browsers do
not support PNG images. PNG preserves transparency in grayscale and RGB images. For more information, see
. You can also save an image as a PNG file using the Save For Web & Devices command.
Targa (TGA)
Designed for use on systems that use the Truevision® video board. You can specify a color model,
resolution, and anti-alias setting for rasterizing the artwork, as well as a bit depth to determine the total number of
colors (or shades of gray) that the image can contain.
Text Format (TXT)
Used to export text in an illustration to a text file. (See