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Collect assets and export in batches

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Learn how to collect assets and export them in batches.

The Export for Screens workflow is a new way to generate assets of different sizes and file formats in one action. The ability to quickly export makes the generation of imaging collateral (icons, logos, images, mockups, and more) simpler and faster - especially for web and mobile workflows.

For example, in a mobile app development scenario, the User Experience Designer may want to frequently regenerate updated icons and logos. He can add these icons and logos to the Asset Export panel, and then export them to various file types and sizes in one click of a button. 

Useful features:

  • Export to multiple formats and sizes in one quick action. 
  • Export to typical or custom sizes (scales): 1x, 2x, 3x, 0.5x, 1.5x, and more.
  • The algorithm to generate PNG files has been revised to:
    • Generate PNG files faster than before. 
    • Produce better transparency in PNG-8 files.

Formats available: 

  • PNG (PNG-8, PNG-24)
  • JPEG (JPEG 100%, JPEG 85%, JPEG 50%, JPEG 25%)
  • SVG
  • PDF
  • OBJ
  • USDA
  • GLTF
The Export for Screens dialog (Assets tab).

Exporting assets (Export for Screens workflow)

To export entire artboards or individual artwork, follow the steps.

  1. Do one of the following:

    • Go to File> Export > Export for Screens.
    • Right-click the selected artwork and select Collect for Export.

    In the Export for Screens dialog, edit the settings that you want to use while exporting your artwork.

  2. Select the scope of what you want to export. Two tabs are available:

    Artboards

    Choose from the artboards available to export. Click an artboard to select or de-select it. Also, use your mouse and the Shift key to make multiple selections.

    Assets

    Choose from the assets that you've collected in the Asset Export panel.
    Note:

    Click the thumbnail or list icons to view the items differently.

    The Export for Screens dialog (Artboards tab).

  3. Based on the tab you are in, choose what you want to export as files. A check mark indicates whether the artboard or asset is selected or not.

    Artboards tab

    • All: Select all artboards. Each artboard will be exported individually.
    • Range: Select individual artboards to export, from those available in the document. For example, 1, 2, 4-6 selects artboards 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6.
    • Full Document: Exports the entire document as one artwork.

    Assets tab

    • All Assets: Select this option to export all the assets collected in the Assets tab.
    Note:

    To start afresh, click Clear Selection to deselect all the collected assets. You can start selecting specific artwork by clicking on thumbnails.

  4. Specify the settings for the exported files.

    Scale

    Specify the scale factor for the output file.

    Export to

    Specify the folder location where exported files will be placed.

    Open Location after Export

    Select this option to specify if you want the folder that holds the exported assets to be opened using a file browser (Explorer or Finder).

    Suffix

    Provide a suffix to ensure output files have unique names.

    Format

    Specify if you need .png, .svg, .jpg, or .pdf file output.

    Prefix

    Provide a string that will serve as the start of the file names generated.

    Add Scale

    Select    Add Scale to add an additional output scale or format to export.

    Delete

    Select     to delete an output type.

    Presets
    • iOS: Select to add the preset file output types generally required for iOS projects.
    • Android: Select to add the preset file output types generally required for Android form factor projects.

    To specify the output settings for exported file formats, select settings   .

  5. Select Export Artboards or Export Assets.

Asset Export panel

The Asset Export panel displays assets that you collect from your artwork. These assets are, typically, the art that you want to export frequently.

Scale

Specify the scale factor for the output file.

Suffix

Provide a suffix to ensure output files have unique names.

Format

Specify if you need .png, .svg, .jpg, or .pdf file output.

Add Scale

Select    Add Scale to add an additional output scale or format to export.

Delete

Select     to delete an output type.

Presets
  • iOS: Select to add the preset file output types generally required for iOS projects.
  • Android: Select to add the preset file output types generally required for Android form factor projects.

Settings for exported presets
  • Save As Preset: Lets you save your export settings as a preset.
  • Save Changes: Once you edit the export settings in your preset, you can save it.
  • Delete Preset: Lets you delete the selected.
  • Import Preset: Lets you import your preset.
  • Export Preset: Lets you export your preset.
Asset export panel with an asset and export settings.
The Asset Export panel

Collect artwork for export

You can collect objects in the Asset Export panel for export as multiple assets or a single asset.

Collect artwork for export as multiple assets

To collect objects/ layers for export as multiple assets, add them to the Asset Export panel (Window > Asset Export). Do one of the following:

  • Right-click an asset and choose Collect for Export > As Multiple Assets. 
  • Drag artwork into the Asset Export panel.
Note:

Each time you drag artwork into the Asset Export panel, the asset is ‘collected’. This does not create a duplicate object on your artboard or in CC Libraries. When you update the artwork in your document, the corresponding asset is automatically updated in the Asset Export panel.

Collect artwork for export as a single asset

To collect objects/ layers for export as a single asset, do one of the following:

  • Right-click an asset and choose Collect for Export > As Single Asset.
  • Press Alt/ Option while dragging artwork into the Asset Export panel.

Exporting assets (Asset Export panel workflow)

To export assets using the Asset Export panel, follow the steps.

  1. Select Window > Asset Export, to launch the Asset Export panel.

  2. View the collected assets in the Asset Export panel. A border indicates whether the asset is selected for export or not.

    Note:

    Only assets with a border are exported. Click a thumbnail to select or deselect it.

  3. Specify the Export Settings.

  4. Specify the output settings for exported file formats, select Format Settings from the Asset Export panel menu   .

  5. View the exported files immediately after an export workflow and select Open Location After Export from the Asset Export panel menu   .

  6. To generate files, select Export.

    While exporting assets, Illustrator creates subfolders at the export location by default based on the scaling options you choose. For example, if you select multiple scale formats in the Asset Export panel, say 1x 2x, and 3x to export a file as PNG, Illustrator creates subfolders named 1x, 2x, and 3x for the exported files. For formats that don't support scaling options, Illustrator names the subfolders based on the file formats selected for exporting—for example, SVG and PDF. 

    To export files in a folder without creating any subfolders, deselect the Create Subfolders option from the Asset Export panel menu   or the Export For Screens dialog box.

    Note:

    To change the folder location of the asset you're exporting, or to specify details like a file prefix, use the Export for Screens dialog. Click   to open the Export For Screens dialog. All options set in the Asset Export panel are retained in the Export For Screens dialog.

Output settings for exported assets

The Format Settings dialog allows you to specify the output settings for each file type you can export to:

  • In the Export for Screens dialog, select Settings    to launch the Format Settings dialog.
  • In the Asset Export panel, select the Assets Export panel menu   and choose Format Settings.
Provide format-specific settings in the Format Settings dialog.
Provide format-specific settings in the Format Settings dialog.

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