Save File as SVG using Illustrator

Question

Generous Helper,
I am trying to save the file as .SVG format using illustrator..
Openin in notepad the saved file shows the elements and attribute like:
<svg version="1.1" id="Layer_1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0px" y="0px"
  width="800px" height="600px" viewBox="0 0 800 600" enable-background="new 0 0 800 600" xml:space="preserve">
<rect x="132.286" y="53" fill="none" width="161.429" height="17.857"/>
<text transform="matrix(1 0 0 1 132.2856 61.52)" font-family="'MyriadPro-Regular'" font-size="12">Name</text>
<rect x="137.286" y="87.286" fill="none" width="102.143" height="10.714"/>
</svg>
I like to see the elements and attributes like:
<g transform="translate(100,100)">
<text id="TextElement" x="0" y="0" style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:24"> Name !
<animateMotion path="M 0 0 L 100 100" dur="5s" fill="freeze"/>
</text>
</g>
The difference between both the files is
text id="TextElement" , so that I can use this as pointer for data to enter.
can someone tell me how I can achieve the code no# while saving the file as .SVG using Illustrator.  While writing of my own .SVG file like code # 2 , I can write it and it is very well valid.
But I want illustrator write me the same style of code. I played around various options but every time I am getting the same style of code ( Code # one) using illustrator.
Thanks,

Answer 1

Hi —
I'm a newbie to the forum reply system, but I try to check in for good info quite often.
If you are going to work with SVG and text input-output, you should be using the Variables palette and a schema architecture for your data. Start with reading the Help PDF "Data-driven graphics". There are a lot of considerations, up-front decisions and setup to prepare, but the pay-off is worth it. Also see the "About data sets" and "About variable libraries". Since this is an "open standard" there are element and property rules that are out on the XML site (you probably are already aware of these) and can help when swapping one element's name for another if you need to transform the output on the fly. You can actually build database exchanges without paying for a proprietary conversion application by using XML — if both databases are XML-friendly.
I'm sure if you go out to an XML forum, there are folks out there that can help with the output; once the file is saved as an SVG with the appropriate element names and setup. A helpful hint is not to save with Illustrator editing options. It saves two files then: one in SVG and the other in Illustrator, along with other errata. You can still edit the file without that option by simply opening it in Illustrator at any time, although you will see it has been "dumbed-down" a bit. SVG is cool, but not as mature as it should be and it does odd outputs when there are a lot of layers or clipping paths. If you are using an earlier version of Illustrator, the text can be fractured into individual letters and would need to be re-entered. The KISS method is the best route, although I have seen some awesome animations using SVG. Also, there are rumblings that CS3 and 4 cannot be opened in some other applications... I'm still researching that one.
Whenever I plan XML text interchange, I approach it as a separate project from the actual graphic like an extension that can surround it. It doesn't matter which you do first, the graphic layout and then the text interchange or visa versa... as long as you see them both as equally time-consuming for the initial set-up. Just because it is easy to type in the text and see it output, doesn't mean it will bend to your needs without a well-thought-out plan.
Hope this is of some help.
You may want to check out http://www.svgopen.org and http://www.svgopen.org/2009/ and the latest http://twitter.com/svgopen/ and http://www.planetsvg.com - see who might be  represented from Adobe Illustrator (or not) since they are no longer supporting SVG (this year, anyway).