SVG Layers.

[TheMinahBird]

I searched the net but I couldn't find an exact answer,

So you import SVGs from Inkscape and the layers are all on one single layer. I'm assuming there's no way to avoid this.

[Maestral]

Layers in Inkscape are more like groups but called Layers. It works in Inkscape but I think many other programs would also, as AnimeStudio, see them as groups. I`m sure you`ll find more detailed explanations on Launchpad.

[TheMinahBird]

Whats Launchpad and grouping? Is there anyway to make it not a group? Thanks so much btw.

[heyvern]

What I did in the past when I needed to import EPS or Adobe Illustrator would be to save each "layer" as a separate document and import into Anime Studio.

Or you could split into layers in Anime Studio after importing. Duplicate the imported layer and delete the shapes you don't want on each layer.

Anime Studio is not very sophisticated when importing vector files (svg or AI or eps etc). It just puts everything on one layer. The best way to split things apart is to do this in Anime Studio.

Hope this helps.

[Maestral]

Whats Launchpad and grouping?...

Than, for what exactly did you

... searched the net ...

@ heyvern

Your comment made me try it again and it proved that AS still imports only .ai version 8 files. It`s a rather older type which has some limitations toward other applications and now a days even toward newer versions of Illustrator. Can`t really list them at the moment, it`s been a while, but when you Save As... file in CS(x) as the Illustrator 8 version, pop-up would warn you about losing some editing features.

In some cases, it happened to me that .ai file was distorted when imported in AS (changed curvature of line, overlapping shape fills were incomplete/paths were broken, more nodes were added...). I didn`t succeeded to find a proper way for importing a bit more complex drawings in .ai format (gradients, variable stroke widths, point/node curvatures...) and would like to know if anybody made it with taming .ai import.

[slowtiger]

I don't bother with that anymore, I'm much faster redrawing stuff in AS.

[heyvern]

@ heyvern

Your comment made me try it again and it proved that AS still imports only .ai version 8 files. It`s a rather older type which has some limitations toward other applications and now a days even toward newer versions of Illustrator. Can`t really list them at the moment, it`s been a while, but when you Save As... file in CS(x) as the Illustrator 8 version, pop-up would warn you about losing some editing features.

In some cases, it happened to me that .ai file was distorted when imported in AS (changed curvature of line, overlapping shape fills were incomplete/paths were broken, more nodes were added...). I didn`t succeeded to find a proper way for importing a bit more complex drawings in .ai format (gradients, variable stroke widths, point/node curvatures...) and would like to know if anybody made it with taming .ai import.

Well, you don't have to save and replace the older version of the AI file used for import. Just give it a different name. Anime Studio import never supported any of those features from Adobe Illustrator so you avoid them if you are planning to import. If you KNOW up front you will be importing into Anime Studio, don't use AI for anything except drawing and filling simple shapes and strokes.

I'm with Slowtiger, I don't bother using AI for drawing in Anime Studio. I love the Anime Studio drawing tools and am very comfortable using them. I am faster using Anime Studio than Adobe Illustrator. There's no point for me to import vector unless it's a simple static object like a logo or prop that I would not need to clean up. I simply treat vector import like image import that is resolution independent.

[Maestral]

Not sure if there`s some misunderstanding or not...
AS would not import .ai file if it`s not saved as Illustrator 8. AS would respond with "Unknown format.." or similar (didn`t memorized the exact message). This already limits the capabilities since features of newer AI versions are disabled during the saving in .ai ver.8.

On the other hand, I`m still not that comfortable with AS drawing tools but neither with AI`s. Lately, my favourite vector tool in fact is Inkscape and I find it`s tools as comfortable as AI with a pack of Scribe plugins. Aside of tools, AS does works better if imported vector files are simplified drawings. Which brought us back to OP...

@ TheMinahBird
There are some scripts for a batch export but I couldn`t made them work for me. Though, Inkscape has a Batch export for bitmaps (.png) so you can export all of the objects/items from your .svg file separately and than trace them in AS.

[heyvern]

Not sure if there`s some misunderstanding or not...
AS would not import .ai file if it`s not saved as Illustrator 8. AS would respond with "Unknown format.." or similar (didn`t memorized the exact message). This already limits the capabilities since features of newer AI versions are disabled during the saving in .ai ver.8.

Not sure I follow. Stripping out the features by saving AI to an older format is what you want. It's those "newish" features that aren't supported.

You simply "save a copy" out of AI to an older version for import in Anime Studio. Then you still have the original file open to work with the current version of AI if that file has features you want to keep.

Adobe really really changed the AI file format a while back. It's very different. As long as it saves to v8 (it does) it works fine with Anime Studio.

Original Question:
When importing EPS, SVG, AI multiple layers are "flattened". There is no way around this unless you save out separate files from layers. I don't know enough about Inkscape scripting to help with bulk saving of layers.