Using Help | Contents | Index Back - Adobe ILLUSTRATOR 10 Using Manual

Adobe Illustrator Help
Using Help | Contents
Loading and saving variable libraries
In a collaborative environment, coordination between team members is essential to the
success of a project. Take, for example, a company that creates Web sites. The Web
designer is responsible for the look and feel of the Web site, while the Web developer is
responsible for the underlying code and scripting. If the designer changes the layout of
the Web page, those changes must be communicated to the developer. Likewise, if the
developer needs to add functionality to the Web page, the design may need to be
updated.
Variable libraries enable designers and developers to coordinate their work through an
XML file. For example, a designer can create a template for business cards in Illustrator and
export variable data as an XML file. The developer can then use the XML file to link
variables and data sets to a database and write a script to render the final artwork. This
workflow can also be reversed, where the developer codes the variable and data set
names in an XML file, and the designer imports the variable libraries into an Illustrator
document.
To import variables into Illustrator from an XML file:
1 Choose Load Variable Library from the Variables palette menu.
2 Select the XML file from which you want to import variables, and click Open.
The loaded variables and data sets appear in the Variables palette.
To export variables from Illustrator to an XML file:
1 Choose Save Variable Library from the Variables palette menu.
2 Select the folder where you want to save the file, and enter a name for the file, and
click Save.
Saving templates
When you define dynamic data in an Illustrator document, you are creating a template for
data-driven graphics. You can save the template in SVG format for use with other Adobe
products, such as Adobe Altercast (available only in English) and Adobe GoLive 6.0.
For example, a GoLive user can place an SVG template in a page layout, bind its variables
to a database using dynamic links, and then use AlterCast to generate iterations of the
artwork. Likewise, a developer working with AlterCast can bind the variables in the SVG
file directly to a database or another data source.
To save a template for use with other Adobe products:
1 Save the artwork in SVG format. (See
2 Click Advanced, and select Include Extended Syntax for Variable Data. This option
includes all information needed for variable substitution in the SVG file.
3 Click OK.
Using Help | Contents
| Index
"Saving artwork in an SVG format" on page
| Index
Creating Templates for Data-Driven Graphics
Back 291
324.)
Back 291