Houdini 20.5 Import and export

Reading Adobe Illustrator™ and EPS files

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Overview

EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) is an interchange file format for PostScript 2D vector illustration data.

.ai files are the native file format of Adobe Illustrator. Technically they are annotated EPS files.

EPS file import uses an external utility program (geps) to convert the .ai or .eps file to a Houdini geometry file in the same directory and then uses a File node to load the converted file.

Importing AI and EPS files

  • Use File ▸ Import ▸ Geometry to create a new object from the imported file.

  • Inside a geometry object, a File node can import the geometry from the file into the object.

Limitations

  • Only imports path data. Convert text to paths before saving.

  • Currently only works with uncompressed AI files. Turn off compression before saving.

  • Currently will not import open curves.

Import and export