Converting anchors to simple curve

Question

I have exported an .ps file from a scientific visualization application (Tecplot) and i want to make some adjustments in illustrator but a have a problem. The exported file contains millions of useless anchor points (i suppose Tecplot export to eps is bad programmed). So a simple ellipse curve is exported as a hundred of simple anchor points that are connected together with straight lines. There are so may anchor points that the final result is a smooth ellipse. The file contains a lot of shapes and as a result there are million of anchor points, so practically cannot be edited because illustrator falters. Does anyone have any idea if there is a way to convert all these useless anchors to a simple curve?
Thanks in advance for any help!

Answer 1

Shouldn't that be feature requested?
It's been requested many times over the years in one way or another.
It's not that big a deal to press Ctrl and tap U a few times. The only reason I said to Ungroup repeatedly first is because exprorts from CAD programs often come in with the kazillion facet paths associated with a particular curve being grouped. Someone not well familiar with the problem selects such a Group and the display leads him to think it's a single path with a kazillion straight segments. Then he wonders why Simplify doesn't work on it, when in fact it's just a group of a kazillion 2-point paths that cannot be further simplified.
If, after ungrouping as much as possible it becomes clear that the imported "curves" are really just a huge number of individual facets, then the next step is to resort to some method trying to batch-join them before then trying Simplify. But all methods of joining paths are problematic because the auto routine can't intelligently decide where to stop and start joining. You're left with having to cut stuff after the joins, or tediously select arrays of segments which should be joined, etc. etc.
It's at that point that one often resorts to flood-filling (LivePaint) the visible voids, and/or flood-stroking the only visibly-connected strokes, Expanding the LivePaint Group, etc., etc. All of which is also problematic.
With some kinds of files, I'll resort to running an Action which:
Ungroups, Ungroups
Compound Path>Release
Simplify
Set stroke weight. Round endcaps.
Outline Stroke
Uniion
Copy
Paste In Front
Compound Path>Release
Union
Fill white, no stroke
Send To Back
That results in the line art for a particular discrete part (a bearing, a bracket, etc.) being a compound filled path (outlined along both sides of the original open strokes, rather than consisting of strokes) with a single white-filled path behind the line art. But as always, practicality of that method is also dependent on the consistency of the nature of the incoming file.
I have been facing files (often clip art) that are made of countless grouped paths.
There is no way to do a "total" ungroup, or an ungroup everything as you said, besides re-applying the command multiple times?
The similar problem one often runs into with clipart (and PDF files) is an excruciating conglomeration of nested Clipping Paths and/or Groups. Many of Illustrator's constructs result in sloppy nestings like that, especially when saved as PDF. The confusion and tedium when trying to bust it all down to base paths is compounded by the way Illustrator often shows Ungroup as an available selection (not greyed) when in fact it can't be applied to the selection. Up until just recently, Illustrator's Appearance palette labled a Clipping Path as a Group--further bewildering those not familiar with AI's less-than-intuitive interface.
JET