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SVG

  1. Illustrator User Guide
  2. Get to know Illustrator
    1. Introduction to Illustrator
      1. What's new in Illustrator
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    2. Workspace
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      2. Create documents
      3. Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
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      8. Introduction to artboards
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      11. Properties panel
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      15. Undo edits and manage design history
      16. Rotate view
      17. Rulers, grids, and guides
      18. Accessibility in Illustrator
      19. View artwork
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      21. Files and templates
    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
      2. Select tools
        1. Selection
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      3. Navigate tools
        1. Hand
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      4. Paint tools
        1. Gradient
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        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
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        4. Anchor Point
        5. Curvature
        6. Line Segment
        7. Rectangle
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        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. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
      2. Generate vector patterns using text prompts
      3. Generate vector shape fills using text prompts
      4. 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 web (beta)
    1. Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
    2. Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
    3. Troubleshooting issues FAQ
    4. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
    5. Create and combine shapes on the web
    6. Add and edit text on the web
    7. Apply colors and gradients on the web
    8. Draw and edit paths on the web
    9. Work with cloud documents on the web
    10. Invite collaborators to edit on the web
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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 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 art 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. Reflow Viewer
      3. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      4. Manage text area
      5. Fonts and typography
      6. Convert text within images into editable text
      7. Add basic formatting to text
      8. Add advanced formatting to text
      9. Import and export text
      10. Format paragraphs
      11. Special characters
      12. Create type on a path
      13. Character and paragraph styles
      14. Tabs
      15. Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
      16. Arabic and Hebrew type
      17. Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
      18. Creative typography designs
      19. Scale and rotate type
      20. Line and character spacing
      21. Hyphenation and line breaks
      22. Spelling and language dictionaries
      23. Format Asian characters
      24. Composers for Asian scripts
      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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  10. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. Safe mode
    6. File issues
    7. Supported file formats
    8. GPU device driver issues
    9. Wacom device issues
    10. DLL file issues
    11. Memory issues
    12. Preferences file issues
    13. Font issues
    14. Printer issues
    15. Share crash report with Adobe
    16. Improve Illustrator performance

Learn about working with SVG to use XML and JavaScript to create web graphics that respond to user actions with sophisticated effects such as highlighting, tool tips, audio, and animation.

Adobe Illustrator deeplink

Try it in the app
Apply SVG filters in a few simple steps.

About SVG

SVG is a vector format that describes images as shapes, paths, text, and filter effects. The resulting files are compact and provide high-quality graphics on the web, in print, and even on resource-constrained, handheld devices, unlike GIF, JPEG, WBMP, and PNG, which are bulky. Users can magnify their view of an SVG image on‑screen without sacrificing sharpness, detail, or clarity. In addition, SVG provides superior support for text and colors, which ensures that users see images as they appear on your Illustrator artboard.

The SVG format is entirely XML-based and offers many advantages to developers and users alike. 

You can save artwork in SVG format using the Save, Save As, Save A Copy, or Save For Web & Devices commands. To access the complete set of SVG export options, use the Save, Save As, or Save A Copy command. The Save For Web & Devices command provides a subset of SVG export options which are applicable to web-oriented work.

Apply SVG effects

You can use SVG effects to add graphic properties such as drop shadows to your artwork. SVG effects differ from their bitmap counterparts in that they are XML-based and resolution-independent. In fact, an SVG effect is nothing more than a series of XML properties that describe various mathematical operations. The resulting effect is rendered to the target object instead of the source graphic.

Illustrator provides a default set of SVG effects. You can use the effects with their default properties, edit the XML code to produce custom effects, or write new SVG effects.

Note:

To modify Illustrator’s default SVG filters, use a text editor to edit the Adobe SVG Filters. svg file in the Documents and Settings/<userdir>/Application Data/Adobe/Adobe Illustrator <version number> Settings/<location> folder. You can modify existing filter definitions, delete filter definitions, and add new filter definitions.

  1. Select an object or group (or target a layer in the Layers panel).
  2. To apply an effect,do one of the following:

    With default settings

    Go to Effect > SVG Filters > Apply SVG Filter.

    With custom settings

    1. Go to Effect > SVG Filters > Apply SVG Filter.

    2. In the dialog box, select the effect and then select the Edit SVG Filter   . Edit the default code and select OK.

    create and apply a new effect

    1. Go to Effect > SVG Filters > Apply SVG Filter.

    2. In the dialog box, select the effect and then select the New SVG Filter  . Enter the new code and select OK.

When you apply an SVG filter effect, Illustrator displays a rasterized version of the effect on the artboard. You can control the resolution of this preview image by modifying the document's rasterization resolution setting.

Note:

An SVG effect must be the last effect when an object uses multiple effects; in other words, it must appear at the bottom of the Appearance panel (just above the Transparency entry). If other effects follow an SVG effect, the SVG output will consist of a raster object.

Import effects from an SVG file

  1. Choose Effect > SVG Filter > Import SVG Filter.

  2. Select the SVG file you want to import effects from and select Open.

SVG Interactivity panel overview

The SVG Interactivity panel lets you see all the events and JavaScript files associated with the current file.
You can use the SVG Interactivity panel (Window > SVG Interactivity) to add interactivity to your artwork when it is exported for viewing in a web browser. For example, by creating an event that triggers a JavaScript command, you can quickly create movement on a web page when the user performs an action, such as moving a mouse cursor over an object.

Delete an event from the SVG Interactivity panel

You can use SVG Interactivity panel to delete one or all events.

To delete one event

  • Select the event and select Remove Selected Entry   .

To delete all events

  • Select Clear Events from the panel menu  

List, add, or remove events linked to a file

Select the Link JavaScript files   and select Add to add additional JavaScript files, whereas to remove the selected JavaScript entry, select Remove.

Add SVG Interactivity to artwork

  1. In the SVG Interactivity panel, select an Event. (See SVG events.)

  2. Enter the corresponding JavaScript, and press Enter.

SVG events

onfocusin

Triggers the action when the element receives focus, such as selection by the pointer.

onfocusout

Triggers the action when the element loses focus (often when another element receives focus).

onactivate

Triggers the action with a mouse click or keypress, depending upon the SVG element.

onmousedown

Triggers the action when the mouse button is pressed down over an element.

onmouseup

Triggers the action when the mouse button is released over an element.

onclick

Triggers the action when the mouse is clicked over an element.

onmouseover

Triggers the action when the pointer is moved onto an element.

onmousemove

Triggers the action while the pointer is over an element.

onmouseout

Triggers the action when the pointer is moved away from an element.

onkeydown

Triggers the action when a key is pressed down.

onkeypress

Triggers the action while a key is pressed down.

onkeyup

Triggers the action when a key is released.

onload

Triggers the action after the SVG document has been completely parsed by the browser. Use this event to call one-time-only initialization functions.

onerror

Triggers the action when an element does not load properly or another error occurs.

onabort

Triggers the action when the page loading is stopped before the element is completely loaded.

onunload

Triggers the action when the SVG document is removed from a window or frame.

onzoom

Triggers the action when the zoom level is changed for the document.

onresize

Triggers the action when the document view is resized.

onscroll

Triggers the action when the document view is scrolled or panned.

Tips for creating SVG files

  • Use layers to add structure to an SVG file. Each layer is converted to a group (<g>) element when you save artwork in SVG format. (For example, a layer named Button1 becomes <g id="Button1_ver3.0"> in the SVG file.) Nested layers become SVG nested groups, and hidden layers are preserved with the display="none" SVG styling property.

  • If you want objects on different layers to appear transparent, adjust the opacity of each object instead of each layer.

  • Raster data isn't scalable in the SVG Viewer and cannot be edited like other SVG elements. You can just avoid creating artwork that will be rasterized in the SVG file. Use SVG effects to add graphic effects without causing rasterization.

  • Use symbols and simplify the paths in your artwork to improve SVG performance. Also, avoid using brushes that produce a lot of path data, such as the Charcoal, Fire Ash, and Scroll Pen, if performance is a high priority.

  • Use slices, image maps, and scripts to add web links to an SVG file.

  • A scripting language, such as JavaScript, opens unlimited functionality to an SVG file. Pointer and keyboard movements can invoke scripting functions such as rollover effects.

Web-optimized SVG export options

A new SVG Export (File > Export > Export As > SVG) option is available. The new workflow allows you to generate standardized, web-optimized SVG files for your web and screen design projects. For more information, see SVG export options.

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