JavaFX | Conversion From Adobe Illustrator to JavaFX

Supported Features for Conversion From Adobe Illustrator to JavaFX

Skill Level Beginner
Product JavaFX
Key Features Tools for Graphics Designers
Last Updated September 2009

When you develop artwork in Adobe Illustrator CS3 or CS4 to convert to JavaFX graphics format, you need to know which features are supported, how they are converted, and current limitations.

The following table provides a list of supported features and how they are converted.

Adobe Illustrator Feature How Converted

ARTBOARD If the Use Artboards feature is selected as a Save option, artboards are saved as individual FXD data files, with one FXD master file to tie them together. This feature enables developers to view and work with artboards individually.

LINE The simple line is translated to the JavaFX shape Line.

GROUP The hierarchy and grouping of the Adobe Illustrator document is preserved. The JavaFX class Group is used as a container.

LAYER Layers in Adobe Illustrator are preserved during conversion. The JavaFX class Group is used as a container.

POLYGON The JavaFX shape Polygon represents a closed Adobe Illustrator path consisting of straight lines.

POLYLINE The JavaFX shape Polyline represents an open Adobe Illustrator path consisting of straight lines.

RECTANGLE The JavaFX shape Rect represents a closed Adobe Illustrator path forming a parallelogram. Rectangle rotation and skew are applied as a transformation.

PATH The JavaFX shape Path is used to represent a general path in the Adobe Illustrator document. This shape is used as a fallback if none of the more specific shapes (for example, Rect) can be used.

TEXT The JavaFX class Text is used to represent a single line of text with the same visual attributes. Adobe Illustrator Type and Area Type are exported as JavaFX Text. Adobe Illustrator Type_on_Path type is expanded to glyphs.
Note: On mobile devices, all fonts are replaced by the JavaFX mobile font.

TEXT_BASIC_FORMATTING Currently the following horizontal alignment options are available for text paragraphs: Left, Center, Right. The paragraph text is broken down to separate fragments with the same visual attributes and their location is defined individually.

TEXT_TO_GLYPHS The Adobe Illustrator text can be converted to glyphs and stored as a group of general shapes. This form is independent of the font definition. It should be used if the current converting features have not rendered proper results.

TEXT_TRANSFORMATION The text rotation and skew are recognized and represented as a transformation applied to a JavaFX text object.

FONT_CONVERSION OTF fonts used are transformed into TTF fonts that can be directly used by Java.

FONT_EMBEDDING The font definition is attached to the converted FXZ file if the Embed Fonts option is selected in the Preview dialog box.
Note: Embedded fonts will be ignored in mobile applications. Embedded fonts might increase the size of the FXZ file.

FILL Adobe Illustrator Fill is supported and mapped directly to the JavaFX fill attribute.

STROKE Adobe Illustrator Stroke is supported and mapped directly to the JavaFX stroke and strokeWidth attributes.

BRUSH Adobe Illustrator Brush is supported, but no direct mapping is possible. The visual brush appearance is converted to simple shapes (mostly paths) by using internal Adobe Illustrator functions.

COLOR_CONVERSION All colors are converted to the RGB color space by using internal Adobe Illustrator functions.

ART_VISIBILITY Adobe Illustrator Visible flag is preserved in the JavaFX file.

GRADIENT Adobe Illustrator linear and radial gradients are supported and mapped directly to the JavaFX LinearGradient_/_RadialGradient class. However, the match is not perfect because the Java(FX) implementation is simpler and does not support the concept of midpoints.

SYMBOL Adobe Illustrator Symbol is supported, but no direct mapping is possible. The visual symbol appearance is converted to simple shapes (mostly paths) using internal Adobe Illustrator functions.

AI_STYLE_DETECTION AiFx detects Adobe Illustrator artwork Style and stores all available information about the style into a temporary XML format. This step itself is not sufficient to convert styled graphics into JavaFX counterparts. Another layer is needed for mapping between the Adobe Illustrator styles and JavaFX effects. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Adobe Illustrator provides more complex features like pre-effects, post-effects, and paint-fields.

EFFECTS The Adobe Illustrator post-effect Adobe Drop Shadow, Inner Glow, Outer Glow, and Gaussian Blur (created from the Effects menu) are converted into JavaFX counterparts. However, the Adobe Illustrator and JavaFX implementations are not identical and the results are slightly different.
Note: The maximum radius supported for effects is 63. If the radius is greater than 63, it is automatically reduced during conversion to JavaFX. You can use a radius greater than 63 if you select the option to rasterize all effects when you save to JavaFX format.
Note: Dynamic effects are ignored in mobile applications, no matter which Save option is selected. To make effects visible even though they cannot be manipulated programmatically, choose Rasterize All Effects when exporting to JavaFX format. Choosing Drop All Effects minimizes the size of the FXZ file.

FLAIR, GRAPH Adobe Illustrator Flair and Graph are converted to the corresponding expanded JavaFX entries.

BLEND Blending is supported to some extent, but the results do not exactly match in JavaFX graphics.

ENVELOPE DISTORT Adobe Illustrator Envelope Distort is expanded to the corresponding PATH form.

CLIPPING PATH Clipping paths are supported.
Note: Mobile applications support only rectangles without any transformations applied as Clipping shapes.

Adobe Illustrator Feature	How Converted
ARTBOARD	If the Use Artboards feature is selected as a Save option, artboards are saved as individual FXD data files, with one FXD master file to tie them together. This feature enables developers to view and work with artboards individually.
LINE	The simple line is translated to the JavaFX shape `Line`.
GROUP	The hierarchy and grouping of the Adobe Illustrator document is preserved. The JavaFX class `Group` is used as a container.
LAYER	Layers in Adobe Illustrator are preserved during conversion. The JavaFX class `Group` is used as a container.
POLYGON	The JavaFX shape `Polygon` represents a closed Adobe Illustrator path consisting of straight lines.
POLYLINE	The JavaFX shape `Polyline` represents an open Adobe Illustrator path consisting of straight lines.
RECTANGLE	The JavaFX shape `Rect` represents a closed Adobe Illustrator path forming a parallelogram. Rectangle rotation and skew are applied as a transformation.
PATH	The JavaFX shape `Path` is used to represent a general path in the Adobe Illustrator document. This shape is used as a fallback if none of the more specific shapes (for example, `Rect`) can be used.
TEXT	The JavaFX class `Text` is used to represent a single line of text with the same visual attributes. Adobe Illustrator `Type` and `Area Type` are exported as JavaFX `Text`. Adobe Illustrator `Type_on_Path` type is expanded to glyphs. Note: On mobile devices, all fonts are replaced by the JavaFX mobile font.
TEXT_BASIC_FORMATTING	Currently the following horizontal alignment options are available for text paragraphs: Left, Center, Right. The paragraph text is broken down to separate fragments with the same visual attributes and their location is defined individually.
TEXT_TO_GLYPHS	The Adobe Illustrator text can be converted to glyphs and stored as a group of general shapes. This form is independent of the font definition. It should be used if the current converting features have not rendered proper results.
TEXT_TRANSFORMATION	The text rotation and skew are recognized and represented as a transformation applied to a JavaFX text object.
FONT_CONVERSION	OTF fonts used are transformed into TTF fonts that can be directly used by Java.
FONT_EMBEDDING	The font definition is attached to the converted FXZ file if the Embed Fonts option is selected in the Preview dialog box. Note: Embedded fonts will be ignored in mobile applications. Embedded fonts might increase the size of the FXZ file.
FILL	Adobe Illustrator `Fill` is supported and mapped directly to the JavaFX `fill` attribute.
STROKE	Adobe Illustrator `Stroke` is supported and mapped directly to the JavaFX `stroke` and `strokeWidth` attributes.
BRUSH	Adobe Illustrator `Brush` is supported, but no direct mapping is possible. The visual brush appearance is converted to simple shapes (mostly paths) by using internal Adobe Illustrator functions.
COLOR_CONVERSION	All colors are converted to the RGB color space by using internal Adobe Illustrator functions.
ART_VISIBILITY	Adobe Illustrator `Visible` flag is preserved in the JavaFX file.
GRADIENT	Adobe Illustrator linear and radial gradients are supported and mapped directly to the JavaFX `LinearGradient_/_RadialGradient` class. However, the match is not perfect because the Java(FX) implementation is simpler and does not support the concept of midpoints.
SYMBOL	Adobe Illustrator `Symbol` is supported, but no direct mapping is possible. The visual symbol appearance is converted to simple shapes (mostly paths) using internal Adobe Illustrator functions.
AI_STYLE_DETECTION	AiFx detects Adobe Illustrator artwork Style and stores all available information about the style into a temporary XML format. This step itself is not sufficient to convert styled graphics into JavaFX counterparts. Another layer is needed for mapping between the Adobe Illustrator styles and JavaFX effects. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Adobe Illustrator provides more complex features like pre-effects, post-effects, and paint-fields.
EFFECTS	The Adobe Illustrator post-effect Adobe Drop Shadow, Inner Glow, Outer Glow, and Gaussian Blur (created from the Effects menu) are converted into JavaFX counterparts. However, the Adobe Illustrator and JavaFX implementations are not identical and the results are slightly different. Note: The maximum radius supported for effects is 63. If the radius is greater than 63, it is automatically reduced during conversion to JavaFX. You can use a radius greater than 63 if you select the option to rasterize all effects when you save to JavaFX format. Note: Dynamic effects are ignored in mobile applications, no matter which Save option is selected. To make effects visible even though they cannot be manipulated programmatically, choose Rasterize All Effects when exporting to JavaFX format. Choosing Drop All Effects minimizes the size of the FXZ file.
FLAIR, GRAPH	Adobe Illustrator `Flair` and `Graph` are converted to the corresponding expanded JavaFX entries.
BLEND	Blending is supported to some extent, but the results do not exactly match in JavaFX graphics.
ENVELOPE DISTORT	Adobe Illustrator `Envelope Distort` is expanded to the corresponding `PATH` form.
CLIPPING PATH	Clipping paths are supported. Note: Mobile applications support only rectangles without any transformations applied as Clipping shapes.

Conversion from Adobe Illustrator to JavaFX has the following limitations.

Adobe Illustrator Feature Limitation

Advanced text support Adobe Illustrator Vertical and On Path types are not supported. Adobe Illustrator text styles and advanced options (such as kerning) are not supported.

Other effects Adobe Illustrator effects not mentioned in the supported features list are not supported. However, you have the option to rasterize unsupported effects in a PNG file.

Combination of blendings Some blending types and their combinations are not supported.

Brushes and effects Combinations of brush and an effect are always expanded, even when an effect is supported.

Pattern fill Pattern Fill is not supported by JavaFX graphics.

Adobe Illustrator Feature	Limitation
Advanced text support	Adobe Illustrator `Vertical` and `On Path` types are not supported. Adobe Illustrator text styles and advanced options (such as kerning) are not supported.
Other effects	Adobe Illustrator effects not mentioned in the supported features list are not supported. However, you have the option to rasterize unsupported effects in a PNG file.
Combination of blendings	Some blending types and their combinations are not supported.
Brushes and effects	Combinations of brush and an effect are always expanded, even when an effect is supported.
Pattern fill	Pattern Fill is not supported by JavaFX graphics.

If you want to test whether an effect will be exported, you can preview the JavaFX graphic as it will look in a desktop or mobile application in any of three ways:

In the preview screen when you save for JavaFX in Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop
In JavaFX Graphics Viewer
In the NetBeans IDE

Conversion From Adobe Photoshop to JavaFX

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