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Collect assets and export in batches

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Illustrator

Illustrator

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  1. Illustrator User Guide
  2. Get to know Illustrator
    1. Introduction to Illustrator
      1. What's new in Illustrator
      2. Latest performance enhancements
      3. Illustrator release notes
      4. Work with Illustrator (Beta)
      5. Common questions
      6. Illustrator system requirements
      7. Illustrator for Apple silicon
      8. GPU performance
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Create documents
      3. Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
      4. Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
      5. Toolbar
      6. Default keyboard shortcuts
      7. Customize keyboard shortcuts
      8. Introduction to artboards
      9. Manage artboards
      10. Customize the workspace
      11. Properties panel
      12. Set preferences
      13. Touch Workspace
      14. Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
      15. Undo edits and manage design history
      16. Rotate view
      17. Rulers, grids, and guides
      18. Accessibility in Illustrator
      19. View artwork
      20. Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
      21. Files and templates
    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
      2. Select tools
        1. Selection
        2. Direct Selection
        3. Group Selection
        4. Magic Wand
        5. Lasso
        6. Artboard
      3. Navigate tools
        1. Hand
        2. Rotate View
        3. Zoom
      4. Paint tools
        1. Gradient
        2. Mesh
        3. Shape Builder
      5. Text tools
        1. Type
        2. Type on a Path
        3. Vertical Type
      6. Draw tools
        1. Pen
        2. Add Anchor Point
        3. Delete Anchor Point
        4. Anchor Point
        5. Curvature
        6. Line Segment
        7. Rectangle
        8. Rounded Rectangle
        9. Ellipse
        10. Polygon
        11. Star
        12. Paintbrush
        13. Blob Brush
        14. Pencil
        15. Shaper
        16. Slice
      7. Modify tools
        1. Rotate
        2. Reflect
        3. Scale
        4. Shear
        5. Width
        6. Free Transform
        7. Eyedropper
        8. Blend
        9. Eraser
        10. Scissors
        11. Dimension
    4. Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
      1. Illustrator generative AI FAQs
      2. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
      3. Generate vector patterns using text prompts
      4. Generate vector shape fills using text prompts
      5. Generate graphics to expand artwork and fill the bleed area
      6. Recolor your artwork using text prompts
    5. Quick actions
      1. Retro text
      2. Neon glow text
      3. Old school text
      4. Recolor
      5. Convert sketch to vector
  3. Illustrator on the iPad
    1. Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
      1. Illustrator on the iPad overview
      2. Illustrator on the iPad FAQs
      3. System requirements | Illustrator on the iPad
      4. What you can or cannot do on Illustrator on the iPad
    2. Workspace
      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
      3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the iPad
      4. Manage your app settings
    3. Documents
      1. Work with documents in Illustrator on the iPad
      2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
    4. Select and arrange objects
      1. Create repeat objects
      2. Blend objects
    5. Drawing
      1. Draw and edit paths
      2. Draw and edit shapes
    6. Type
      1. Work with type and fonts
      2. Create text designs along a path
      3. Add your own fonts
    7. Work with images
      1. Vectorize raster images
    8. Color
      1. Apply colors and gradients
  4. Cloud documents
    1. Basics
      1. Work with Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
      3. Share documents for review
      4. Upgrade cloud storage for Adobe Illustrator
      5. Illustrator cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshoot create or save issues for Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Troubleshoot Illustrator cloud documents issues
  5. Add and edit content
    1. Drawing
      1. Drawing basics
      2. Edit paths
      3. Draw pixel-perfect art
      4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
      5. Draw simple lines and shapes
      6. Draw rectangular and polar grids
      7. Draw and edit flares
      8. Trace images
      9. Simplify a path
      10. Symbolism tools and symbol sets
      11. Adjust path segments
      12. Design a flower in 5 easy steps
      13. Create and edit a perspective grid
      14. Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
      15. Use objects as symbols for repeat use
      16. Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
    2. Measurement
      1. Measure distance and area
      2. Measure and plot dimensions
    3. 3D objects and materials
      1. About 3D effects in Illustrator
      2. Create 3D graphics
      3. Map artwork over 3D objects
      4. Create 3D Text
      5. Create 3D objects
    4. Color
      1. About color
      2. Select colors
      3. Use and create swatches
      4. Adjust colors
      5. Use the Adobe Color Themes panel
      6. Color groups (harmonies)
      7. Color Themes panel
      8. Recolor your artwork
    5. Painting
      1. About painting
      2. Paint with fills and strokes
      3. Live Paint groups
      4. Gradients
      5. Brushes
      6. Transparency and blending modes
      7. Apply stroke on an object
      8. Create and edit patterns
      9. Meshes
      10. Patterns
    6. Select and arrange objects
      1. Select objects
      2. Layers
      3. Expand, group, and ungroup objects
      4. Move, align, and distribute objects
      5. Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
      6. Snap objects to glyph
      7. Snap objects to Japanese glyph
      8. Stack objects    
      9. Lock, hide, and delete objects
      10. Copy and duplicate objects
      11. Rotate and reflect objects
      12. Intertwine objects
      13. Create realistic mockups
    7. Reshape objects
      1. Crop images
      2. Transform objects
      3. Combine objects
      4. Cut, divide, and trim objects
      5. Puppet Warp
      6. Scale, shear, and distort objects
      7. Blend objects
      8. Reshape using envelopes
      9. Reshape objects with effects
      10. Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
      11. Work with Live Corners
      12. Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
      13. Edit clipping masks
      14. Live shapes
      15. Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      16. Global editing
    8. Type
      1. Add text and work with type objects
      2. Add basic formatting to text
      3. FAQs on fonts in Illustrator
      4. Fonts and typography
      5. Create type on a path
      6. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      7. Manage text area
      8. Add advanced formatting to text
      9. Format paragraphs
      10. Character and paragraph styles
      11. Special characters
      12. Tabs
      13. Scale and rotate type
      14. Line and character spacing
      15. Hyphenation and line breaks
      16. Spelling and language dictionaries
      17. Format Asian characters
      18. Arabic and Hebrew type
      19. Composers for Asian scripts
      20. Reflow Viewer
      21. Preview, add, or replace missing fonts
      22. Import and export text
      23. Identify the fonts used in images and outlined text
      24. Creative typography designs
      25. Create text designs with blend objects
      26. Create a text poster using Image Trace
    9. Create special effects
      1. Work with effects
      2. Graphic styles
      3. Appearance attributes
      4. Create sketches and mosaics
      5. Drop shadows, glows, and feathering
      6. Summary of effects
    10. Web graphics
      1. Best practices for creating web graphics
      2. Graphs
      3. SVG
      4. Slices and image maps
  6. Import, export, and save
    1. Import
      1. Place multiple files
      2. Manage linked and embedded files
      3. Links information
      4. Unembed images
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmap images
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator 
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save and export
      1. Save artwork
      2. Export artwork
      3. Create Adobe PDF files
      4. Adobe PDF options
      5. Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
      6. Collect assets and export in batches
      7. Package files
      8. Extract CSS | Illustrator CC
      9. Document info panel
  7. Printing
    1. Prepare for printing
      1. Set up documents for printing
      2. Change the page size and orientation
      3. Specify crop marks for trimming or aligning
      4. Get started with large canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overprint
      2. Print with color management
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print presets
      5. Printer's marks and bleeds
      6. Print and save transparent artwork
      7. Trapping
      8. Print color separations
      9. Print gradients, meshes, and color blends
      10. White Overprint
  8. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  9. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. Repair damaged documents
    6. Safe mode
    7. File issues
    8. Supported file formats
    9. GPU device driver issues
    10. GPU performance issues
    11. Wacom device issues
    12. DLL file issues
    13. Memory issues
    14. Preferences file issues
    15. Font issues
    16. Printer issues
    17. Media issues
    18. Missing plugin issues
    19. Share crash report with Adobe
    20. Unable to apply effects in Illustrator
    21. Improve Illustrator performance

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. 

Adobe Illustrator deeplink

Try it in the app
Set up the Export for Screens preferences in a few simple steps.

Open Illustrator

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
  • WebP
  • Ai
  • EPS
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 the output file format.

    Prefix

    Provide Artboard Number, Increasing Number, File Name or a Custom string as prefixes for 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 the output file format.

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.

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, and 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.

When you measure from one point to another, the distance measured is displayed in the Info panel. To display the Info panel, go to Window > Info. All measurements except the angle are calculated in the units of measurement currently set for the document.

Provide format-specific settings in the Format Settings dialog.
Provide format-specific settings in the Format Settings dialog.

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