Placing AI files Bounding Box vs Crop

I've wished and not found a global preference for AI files to place with Crop To set as Bounding Box.
Using Bridge to drag files into a layout is not helping as ID is defaulting the image frame to the AI page size. I've got strong objections to leaving a frame three to ten times the image size and of course Fitting > Fit Frame To does not respect the bounding box, but rather the page frame.
Is there a best way to handle a large number of AI files (with cryptic names) needing to be placed?
Along these lines, things I would like to change;
In the Place dialog, Show Import Options is unchecked by default.
Using Preview during Place isn't that great for an AI image one inch square in a letter size page.
PC running Creative Suite 4, InDesign CS3

I don't use Bridge, but the first time I Place an Illustrator file, I set the import options to "Art", and then the next time I Place one I uncheck the box and the import options remain set on "Art" until I change them again (or restore preferences). Doesn't dragging from Bridge work the same way?
Ken Benson

Similar Messages

Bounding box of placed pdf 'reflecting' objects of parent Ai file... Not what I want!

As a self-taught Illustrator CS3 user I keep running into confounding issues. The latest is this:
Artboard is US letter size. I have a placed jpg image in the top half that extends beyond the artboard on one side. Only want 3/4 of the jpg content
in the final product.
Some text at the bottom.
All in all a basic poster.
A clipping mask hides the part of the image that extends past the arboard.
I save this 'parent' Ai file as a copy PDF - no layers - no editing - no thumbnails ect. Keep original Ai parent file for later editing.
I want to put this PDF into another ai document, but when I do, the bounding box extends past the pdf content out to
where the jpg image is in the parent Ai file.
Why? Why can't I save a pdf that produces a stand alone img/doc without any apparent connection to its 'parent'? Why can't this just happen without me having to crop the original jpg in photoshop to fit the parent Ai document perfectly and or somehow crop the image in the parent Ai.
Oh, and I have tried the crop tool and "make" crop area under the Object menu that contains only what is showing on the artboard.
Same result.
PDF that in Preview shows correctly but when placed in another ai file somehow 'becomes' larger with a bounding box that includes much more than what is actually there.
This is maddeningly stupid IMO.
Hope someone can be that patient professor of the design/Illustrator course that I can't afford, but that I need so desperately all the time.

Why?
I don't know; I just chalk it up as another instance of the sloppiness that permeates Illustrator, and the convoluted multiple nested clipping paths so common in PDFs.
If I place the PDF as a Link, its bounding box corresponds to the clipping mask of the PDF.
If I place the PDF embedded, not linked, then I get the result you describe.
That arguably sort of makes sense in that, when you "place" (but embed) a PDF in Illustrator, you're really importing its content, including the nested clipping paths; and AI CS3 and prior always displays the bounds and edges of masked portions of clipping paths. When you "place" the PDF as a link, it's a preview that displays on the page, as if you were just linking a raster image.
In CS4 and CS5, Adobe finally fixed the silliness of displaying edges of masked portions of the content of clipping paths, so in those versions, it probably acts the way you want whether linked or embedded. (I only have CS3 on this laptop, so can't verify right now.)
JET

Illustrator files not getting cut off in bounding box of InDesign

Hello,
I have a page in illustrator full of vector images. I bring it into InDesign and crop them by putting each piece in it's own window. Then, I make a pdf. When I open the pdf in Illustrator it looks fine but when I hit the preview/artwork option, I can see that all the images from that original Illustrator doc with it. Is there any way to have just the vectors I have revealed through each InDesign window come in? The InDesign Files contains multiple pages and each window contain only ones part of that illustrator file...but all the other pieces in the illustrator file stay outside that cropped area of the window when brought into Illustrator again...anyone know how to avoid this?
thanks
babs

I think it should work the way she is doing it I would say this is a bug of either ID or Illustrator but you have a work around, however if she changes her mind or is asked to recrop she now has one lousy time.
The way she was doing it is the logical way and what the feature in ID was about.
Perhaps before hitting the preview artwork she can flatten the art or maybe by placing the the pdf in a blank Ai document instead of opening it would do the trick.
I see what she is saying, the solution is is simple when you get the pdf into AI select all the art and open the pathfinder and hit the second icon on the bottom row which is trim that will clear the art work outside of the bounding box now when you hit outline preview or select all the art you will see only what you have showing in ID.
But I would place this in a already existing or in a new document rather than opening it because if you accidentally save it without renaming it I think you might lose the ability to use that pdf to edit the clipping mask which is what you are creating in ID and it is translated that way in ID as well.
Unless of course you really want to lose the rest of the artwork for sure.

I have a png that I've placed on a solid color background and it looks fine on the screen. When I print it, I see the faded ghost of it's bounding box.

I have a png that I've placed on a solid color background and it looks fine on the screen. When I print it, I see the faded ghost of it's bounding box. Basically, it losing at least part of the transparency in the file, but only when it goes to print. This happens whether I print it from illustrator, Indesign, or a pdf. If I open and print it from Photoshop it's fine. Is there some sort of setting that needs to be changed?
I'm posting a photo of the result.

Can you post the png so we can take a look at it?

I have 4 equal oblong shape created with borders How do I go about knowing what size the selection area is so that I can crop an image to fit. I don't want to use paste in then adjust the bounding box to suit

I have 4 equal oblong shape created with borders How do I go about knowing what size the selection area is so that I can crop an image to fit. I don't want to use paste in then adjust the bounding box to suit

What do you mean a moderator

Can an image in the slideshow widgets be moved around inside the bounding box as can be in a normal image placed into Muse (double clicking on a placed image gives the functionality to move the image around - as per Indesign functionality)

Can an image in the slideshow widgets be moved around inside the bounding box as can be in a normal image placed into Muse (double clicking on a placed image gives the functionality to move the image around - as per Indesign functionality)

Can an image in the slideshow widgets be moved around inside the bounding box as can be in a normal image placed into Muse (double clicking on a placed image gives the functionality to move the image around - as per Indesign functionality)

Bounding box crops my glow!

Hi,
Maybe I'm being dumb here, but...I want to animate several glowing rings. I've used the Circle tool to draw my rings, but when I apply a Glow filter I find the glow is cut off at the edges of the bounding box. Surely this is an effect that must be possible in Motion... Is there any way of expanding the bounding box? Or will I have to work around by creating the rings in Photoshop with a larger bounding box?
Help...Thanks
Nick
Relative Newbie

I believe what you want is to apply the glow filter to the LAYER which contains the items you want to glow. Select that LAER GROUP, then o to the INSPECTOR and then go to the GROUP tab. From there just select FIXED RESOLUTION.
As long as you don't scale the group then all should be good.
Good luck.

How do I disable Illustrator (CS6) from recognising TIFF paths inside placed TIFF files?

Hi all,
I have recently output a job to print that was supplied .AI with a simple .TIFF image placed on an artboard at its desired crop.
After referring to the original TIFF file I have realised whilst inside illustrator my image suddenly has a clipping mask attached to it, and a lot of it is missing. (however in outline, illustrator only see's a single TIFF bounding box)
Looking more closely at the TIFF in Photoshop, i've found it has x3 paths inside it!)
Illustrator is picking these up and masking my photo. Is there a default function or process that can stop this from happening in the future, so it ignores any paths within the file?
It's concerning how many jobs may be ruined because of this auto feature.
I look forward to your response
Thanks
Matt

haha, it's not an easy one to describe.
So when checking the TIFF initially, it is a flat locked image: (image below)
when placed into Illustrator CS2 and outputting a PDF, I get this correct result: (image below)
When placed into illustrator CS6 and output to PDF I get this incorrect result: (image below)
Close up detailing masking effect: (image below)
When looking more closely in photoshop at my TIFF, it has this inside of it: (image below)
However, in illustrator there is nothing I can release anywhere as it still treats it as a flat image: (image below)

Is it possible to reset a layer's bounding box to exclude alpha?

I searched the forum before asking.... I'm not even sure how to ask this properly... I have imported several layers from a photoshop file. Many of the layers are in groups to give me some pre-comp options in AE. On import, I did NOT choose to retain the layer size (or whatever that third option is) — I brought the file in just preserving the layers themselves. The precomps (when placed inside my master comp) have a bounding box that is limited to JUST that PSD's group content. However, if I open the pre-comp itself, all of the layers bounding boxes are scaled/sized to the size of the comp (in this case, 640x960). This means that the smaller layer items (say, a hand) has it's anchor point in the middle of the comp and the handles are on the perimeter of the comp. SO, even though the hand layer is only 200x200px in total size, I've got all the negative space included in my bounding box.
What I'm wondering is this: do I need to move everything out of groups in my PSD in order to be able to see the relatively appropriate bounding box? Or, is there a way to "crop" the bounding box so that it finds the widest and tallest distances of a layer's content (excluding the alpha) and then trim/crop/reduce/adjust/resize itself accordingly?
I'm not sure how else to ask it. Sorry.

Okay... so, I had the import types reversed in my head. Importing as "Composition", will force the bounding box of every layer to fit the width/height of the comp itself. Importing with "Composition: Retain Layer Sizes" will actually crop the bounding box down to the layer's content.
I thought retain layer size meant that it kept the size of the canvas, regardless of transparency in the layer.
Still, it would be nice to know if there is anyway to address that scenario in AE....

Enlarged bounding box around imported vector images (InDesign/Illustrator CC 2014)

Hi all, I've searched the forum for an answer but can't seem to find one. Hopefully someone can help.
Ever since my upgrade to CC2014, whenever I import a vector image from Illustrator into InDesign, the image comes in with an expanded bounding box. Unlike in the old days (i.e., the moment before I upgraded), when the bounding box would exactly enclose my image with no extra white space on any of the sides.
Sometimes the bounding box is small and sometimes it's gigantic. I cannot determine any rhyme or reason why it varies. Sometimes it's wider on the sides than on the top/bottom. Other times it's gigantic on one side but not the others. Basically, it's all over the place with no consistency that I can determine.
I find it incredibly visually distracting to have these weird-sized bounding boxes around my art, and it sucks to have to constantly resize them on every imported image.
I promise there are no guides, stray points, etc. in the Illustrator files. There is absolutely nothing "invisible yet there" that would create these expanded bounding boxes.
Two samples are below.
Note on this first one that the bounding box is wider at the right than the left.
On this second sample, note that the bounding box is gigantic in general, but especially at the top, and it's smaller on the sides/bottom. Huh?
Any ideas? I desperately want this to stop. Just want a bounding box that exactly encloses my artwork after I import it.
Thank you for your ideas or suggestions,
Laurie

Hi Bob, thanks very much for this info. I figured there was a checkbox hidden somewhere...
I tried all of the cropping options and although it seems like this would be a fix, it's unfortunately not fully resolving the issue.
The option that gets me closest is "crop to art." However, as you can see from the sample below, there's still a pretty large gap at the bottom, as well as a small one at the left side. (The top and right actually are cropped to the art, as requested.)
Do you have any other suggestions of things I can try? Or does anyone else have any ideas?
Thanks again,
Laurie

Bounding box and pdf export

Hi all,
I'm using Illustrator CS4 and I have interest in the bounding box of a figure when I export it as a pdf. I'm using the crop area tool (also called ArtBoard, ToolShift+O) to set-up by hand the bounding box and then export the figure as a pdf. The problem is that I can observe spurious small white margins in the exported pdf. It seems that the bounding box is not perfectly set-up. Are you aware of this problem? Is there a work-around?
Thank you

I don't think there is per se any problem nor is AI doing anything wrong. Sounds like your bog standard antialiasing/ transparency blending, if elements are not placed and shaped in such a way that their rasterized output perfectly coincides with whole pixels plus the usual issues with trapping, overprint etc., which Acrobat will obey based on its own settings and the properties defined in your AI document and which particularly become relevant if blending modes, partial opacity and raster effects are involved. You need to look into those things more than anything else and find the right combination of settings...
Mylenium

Can you change the colour of an 'image' bounding box?

This concerns bounding boxes not 'strokes'.
Is it possible to customise the default colour of a bounding box around an image?
I know that the default 'rectangle image frame' matches the Layer colour (eg: Layer 1 - Light Blue, with an the image bounded by a brown box) which is easily changed by moving it to another layer (eg: Layer 2 - Red, which displays an image bounding box of Cyan). What defines the colour of the bounding box of an image that is placed inside the 'rectangle image frame' and can it be changed?
I have no real necessity to change it, I just wondered if it was possible?
Steve

I'm not sure you understand the terminology.
The bounding box is an imaginary rectangle that encloses the shape of an object or group of objects. For a simple graphics frame this is the same size and shape as the frame and is poisitioned on the frame edge (and it's what you see when you select the frame). The bounding box is used for calculating object positioning. When dispalyed, it takes on the color assigned to the layer.
The frame edge is also fictitious. It's a screen display aid that can be tuned on or off to help you locate objects and also uses the color assigned to the layer. It corresponds to the path that describes the edge of the frame, so might not be rectangular (a bounding box is always rectangular).
The stroke is an attribute assigned to the path describing the perimeter of a closed object or the path itself of an open path. Stokes can be assigned a weight, color, and stroke style such as dotted or striped.
An image placed inside a frame has it's own bounding box, but not a frame edge or stroke. To see the image bounding box use the direct select tool to select the image inside the frame. If you crop an image so it is larger than the containing frame, or or enlarge the frame so the image does not completely fill it, you can see the differnce between the bounding boxes very easily. The color of the image bounding box is also tied to the layer color and is not editable by the user.

Why are my Illustrator images getting thicker strokes when I take the bounding box and make them smaller?

Why are my Illustrator images getting thicker strokes when I take the bounding box and make them smaller? This has never happened to me. I'm not an expert at Illustrator, but I do know some fundamentals.

Thank you for responding so quickly. No apologies necessary - I know this Forum isn't McDonalds - don't expect an answer to be served up right away. You helped me out with a big issue yesterday.
I am using a mac - OSX 10.7.5
I have Adobe Creative Suites - CS5 - Illustrator version is 15.0.2
The contents I am placing are all Vector - Illustrator files
But, I wonder about some of the vector files I work with. Could a "line weight/thickness" be 'assigned' to the drawing and screw things up? I used 'simple' linear (line) drawings from SolidWorks that have been converted to ai files. It's just weird because I checked the stroke of the drawing and it's not out of line.
I am attaching part of some box labels. You can see how the drawings, of the products, on the 'left side' are "thick" after embedding them. I think the "Global Logo" was pasted into a template not linked that's why it's okay. But look at the Quiet Thunder logo - it looks terrible. These labels are only 2.25" X 6.5", so its important I keep the images lightweight.
Your help is very much appreciated. Thank you!

How to adjust bounding box?

Hello,
I already googelt a lot, but could not find a solution to my problem. Well, the thing is I have created some .eps images in various other programs. Now I want to 'place' them into a InDesign document, in order to combine them into a multi-panel picture.
Well, the images have white background, i.e. the bounding box does not fit the visual content of the images. How can I adjust the size of the bounding box to match only the visible parts of the picture?
I really found no hint for something like "select bounding box" or "adjust bounding box". Resizing the brown frame (I think this IS the bounding box, correct?) always resizes the figure itself, which is not what I want, because the white background at the sides causes distortions of the proportions of the visible image.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Sebastian

I was quite tickled with it myself... As is to be expected it uses the old frame though, so for example if you've placed something to the trim box, but then want to include the bleeds it's not much use as it'll shrink it at the same time. I can't see how you could make it understand that you want it the original size, not shrunk.
This is when another script I have comes in useful, to save you having to navigate to the correct place for that file, you select something and run it and it places from the parent folder of that object. Forget where I found it though....

Photo bounding box shows when printed

I'm a new user to the programs and I've edited a photo in photoshop, took the background from around a moth, then placed it on a book cover. When the cover is printed you can see the bounding box(shows darker than the background color) where the background used to be. On screen you don't see any difference. I can't figure out how to get the file not to show the background and whether it is a photoshop change or an InDesign change. Can some one please help in how to make this change? Thanks for helping out a newbie!

It sounds like the bounding box area is almost black and your background is black. The difference between what you see on screen and what prints can be as simple as rgb vs cmyk. Where as the rgb or monitor shows both to be black and cmyk or printer shows a shift in brightness between the two values.
If this sounds like whats happening a simple fix is to use the levels command, you will find three eye droppers the bottom one sets the black level, click on the dropper then onto the area that is suppose to be black. This will force that area or I should say values to be black.
In other words if you had three shades in an image, one thats white, one thats 50 % grey, and one thats black. Using the eye dropper and clicking on the grey shade would tell photoshop to treat anything in the image that is between 50% and 100% black as black and leave the rest of the image alone.

Placing AI files Bounding Box vs Crop

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