If you're creating maps and layouts in ArcGIS Pro that you intend to export to AIX, it's important to understand how they will be converted to graphics for editing in Illustrator. For best results, consider the map authoring recommendations and design notes in the following sections:
Content
The following map authoring recommendations and design notes apply to content:
- Geometries and geometry symbology—Point, line, and polygon features are all supported in .aix files.
- Points—All point data types are preserved once processed through the ArcGIS Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud extension. Shape markers are organized as editable vector layers for which the object's stroke and fill are preserved to match the data in your ArcGIS Pro file. Picture markers and 3D markers are processed as image layers.
- Lines—Line data works similarly to point data. Use the solid stroke layer property in ArcGIS Pro for the most flexibility editing the vector layer. Picture strokes and gradient strokes are converted to image layers in Illustrator.
- Polygons—Like point and line data, polygon feature organization is preserved in your .aix file.
Tip:
Complex datasets that include a lot of features are broken up in Illustrator the same way they are in ArcGIS Pro. When possible, simplify large datasets using ArcGIS Pro data management tools to improve your file's drawing time or reduce the number of vertices.
- Rasters—The AIX file format is intended for use in Illustrator, which is a vector-based design tool. Therefore, all raster data is brought into Illustrator as image layers that aren't editable like vector layers. If multiple raster layers are included in the ArcGIS Pro map, each individual layer is preserved in the AIX export (they aren't merged into one common layer).
- 2D versus 3D—The AIX file format is best suited for editing 2D maps with raster and vector layers.
- Basemaps—You can use basemaps as layers in the ArcGIS Pro export. A cached basemap is converted to an image and a vector tile basemap is converted to a collection of organized, structured, editable basemap layers. If you want to make a custom basemap, you can start with the ArcGIS Vector Tile Style Editor, then add your basemap to your ArcGIS Pro map.
- Charts—ArcGIS Pro charts (for example, bar, line, pie, and histogram) are processed as editable vector layers in your .aix file. Charts are organized into layers based on their elements (for example, bars and pie slices).
Map layers
The following map authoring recommendations and design notes apply to map layers:
- Projections—If a map is projected in ArcGIS Pro, your map will appear with that projection once processed in Illustrator.
- Queries and map extent—Layers that don't show features due to definition queries won't be present in the Illustrator file. Features that aren't visible within a map's extent won't be present in the Illustrator file. Only layers that have content in the current map extent will be in the Illustrator file.
- Visual effects—When you apply a blend mode in ArcGIS Pro that's also available in Illustrator, it's preserved in the exported AIX. If you apply a blend mode that doesn't have an Illustrator equivalent (such as Linear Dodge, Linear Burn, Linear Light, Pin Light, and Vivid Light), the applicable layer is rasterized (with all layers beneath it) and flattened into a single image in the result file to preserve the appearance of the blend when exported.
- Grouping and naming—The AIX file format is designed to maintain all
grouping and naming conventions from your ArcGIS Pro file,
including map and layout exports. Use a simple layer structure in
ArcGIS Pro when exporting an .aix file. Avoid unnecessary nesting of
layers into groups for a more editor-friendly experience. If names contain Unicode characters with a decimal value higher than 255, turn on font embedding in the ArcGIS Pro Export pane. This limitation applies to names for layers, symbol class labels (see the example), map frames, and other map elements such as legends, north arrows, and dynamic text. (See the Text section for more information about embedding fonts.)
Symbology
The following map authoring recommendations and design notes apply to symbology:
- Patterns—When using dashed or dotted line patterns, choose No constraint at line ends. This will prevent the line from splitting into multiple individual path objects. When converted, a polygon pattern fill splits into multiple path objects (such as one path for each dot in a dotted pattern). Apply pattern fills in Illustrator using an AI swatch to streamline your design work and reduce the potential for a large file.
- Character marker symbols—For best performance and a seamless graphic editing experience, turn on Convert character marker symbols to polygon in the ArcGIS Pro Export pane.
- Formatting symbology—Most symbology workflows are fully supported in AIX exports. Keep the following considerations in mind when symbolizing your maps in ArcGIS Pro:
- The processing and layer organization of your .aix file for graphic editing works best with Single Symbol, Unique Values, Graduated Colors, or Graduated Symbols symbology types.
- When applying transparency to multilevel layers, apply transparency to the sublayers if all layers are the same color.
- To maintain the layer order in your exported map, enable symbol layer drawing in ArcGIS Pro.
- For all geometries with multiple layers, each layer will be on
individual paths or compound paths once processed in
Illustrator.
Text
The following map authoring recommendations and design notes apply to text:
- Labels—Labels are carried over from ArcGIS Pro files and placed under Labels layers as editable text strings. Stacking labels in ArcGIS Pro will result in separated text strings under the Labels layer in Illustrator. When exporting from ArcGIS Pro 3.2 and later, individual labels containing ligatures, which combine two or more characters into one form without space between them, are converted to paths once in Illustrator. This also applies to ligature text in map elements such as charts and legends.
- Placement rules—The AIX file format retains the integrity of most labels as they're converted to type in Illustrator. However, advanced label placement rules or vertical text may result in grouped characters. For the best experience editing text layers in Illustrator, place text horizontally in your maps.
- Halos—Halos are processed as individual path objects rather than text strings.
- Outlines—Text with outline properties will get converted into paths once in Illustrator.
- Fonts—Names for layers, symbol class labels, map frames, and other map elements, such as legends, north arrows, and dynamic text are used for the corresponding layer names in Illustrator. If names used in ArcGIS Pro projects contain custom fonts or Unicode characters with a decimal value higher than 255 (such as non-Latin characters and some special characters), turn on font embedding in the ArcGIS Pro Export pane. (Otherwise, your map won't be processed properly and the resulting layers in Illustrator may not be well organized or could be missing features.) Embedding fonts allows the exported file to maintain those characters in Illustrator layers when converted. The font must be installed and available on the machine used to open the .aix file. For fonts that aren't readily available with an operating system or Adobe Fonts, check the permissions before embedding and sharing them. (Alternatively, you can use a placeholder character and then manually edit the name in Illustrator.)
Layouts
The following map authoring recommendations and design notes apply to layouts:
- Map series—Map series are currently not supported, so you may need to consider a script workflow.
- Colors—In the ArcGIS Pro Export pane, you can choose to embed color profiles in the .aix file to bring them into Illustrator.
- Map frames—Map frame organization is supported in your AIX export. Vector basemaps aren't clipped to custom map frame shapes, so your vector tile layer won't appear in the same shape as your map frame. For best results, edit map frame shapes in Illustrator.
- Layout elements—Map surrounding, text, and
graphic elements are processed as editable, organized vector
objects. When you add an image to a layout, it's processed as an
image layer. Dynamic elements that relate to a map frame are
prefixed with that map frame name.
Tip:
Use dynamic text for the data attribution of service layers to display the credits for all the map frames on the page. On the Insert tab, in the Graphics and Text group, click Dynamic Text. In the Layout section, choose Service Layer Credits and draw a box where you want the data attribution text to appear in the layout. The default text is replaced by the new dynamic text element. In the Element pane, expand General, and for Name, type Credits, Copyright, or another name that’s relevant to your workflows for acknowledging a data source in your designs.