Notes on Visum SVG files in Adobe Illustrator

When exporting a network display as *.svg file optimized for Adobe Illustrator, you should take the following into account.

Position

If you open an *.svg file using Adobe Illustrator, the SVG file is automatically placed in the middle of the standard page. This is A4 portrait usually. The SVG ViewBox offset is ignored.

If you want to move the graphics to a different position on the page, you have to do it manually.

Dimensions

The output size of the rectangle is predefined in the Set up the output page for SVG export window (Exporting a network display as a *.svg graphics file). Thickness of lines and other settings may deviate slightly (in the 1/100 mm range), as co-ordinates are converted into world co-ordinates in Visum first and transformed and recalculated then.

Patterns

When exporting patterns, the correct size is used, which can, nevertheless, not be interpreted correctly by the Adobe Illustrator. Hatchings appear to be either too large or too small. Try to avoid specification of patterns for an export which is optimized for Adobe Illustrator.

Arrows

Paths with arrow heads are exported correctly and also displayed correctly in the SVG Viewer. Using Adobe Illustrator, arrow heads will be displayed, but not the arrows themselves. This problem has been solved by saving the arrows twice, once with and once without reference to the arrow head.

In case of objects added to the clipping rectangle, neither arrows nor arrow heads will be displayed in Adobe Illustrator. Therefore, we recommend deactivating the Create clipping rectangle option for images with arrows (Exporting a network display as a *.svg graphics file).

Objects outside of the draw area

In Adobe Illustrator, an SVG image is placed in the center of the page. Here, the program does not use the ViewBox settings of the image, but the frame (bounding box) containing all objects. When exporting from Visum, the objects are not cut out if they exceed the current display. If a large proportion of the objects exceeds the display, the actual visible display might be located outside the Adobe Illustrator page. In case of objects exceeding the maximum drawing area of Adobe Illustrator, nothing will be displayed. Even adding objects to a clipping rectangle does not change anything.

Length units

In Adobe Illustrator, only SVG elements in millimeter sizes are interpreted correctly. When exporting an SVG from Visum, only millimeter sizes are thus used if the export is optimized for Adobe Illustrator. The selection of a different unit in the Set up the output page for SVG export window only serves the purpose of a simplified handling if you prefer a different unit.

Illustrator-optimized SVG graphics in browsers

In a browser, you can display an *.svg file optimized for Adobe Illustrator, but the display is of a poor quality. Line widths are incorrect since Adobe Illustrator interprets the data differently than the SVG viewer.