AIX format files are used with the ArcGIS Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud extension. With the extension, vector and raster map content is converted into editable, layered artwork for an improved editing experience in Adobe Illustrator. Once opened in Illustrator, the file can be used for high-end graphic design or map finishing workflows and migrated across the other Adobe Creative Cloud applications. Learn more about the best practices for creating maps and layouts as .aix files.
To export an .aix file, ensure that a map or layout view is active. On the Share tab, click Export Map 
or Export Layout 
, depending on the active view, to open the Export pane. Change File Type to AIX. Set a name and location for the file, as well as any other properties, and click Export.
Note:
Certain options are only available when exporting a map or layout. When exporting a map, you can set the size of the map export. When exporting a layout, you can clip to graphics extent.
Caution:
Layers using any of the following blend modes will be rasterized (and flattened with any layers below) to preserve the appearance of the blend when exported to AIX format:- Linear Dodge
- Linear Burn
- Linear Light
- Pin Light
- Vivid Light
The following properties are available when exporting to an .aix file:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
Keep layout background | Keep the page background as a graphic when exporting a layout. |
Show selection symbology | Show selected features in the map or map frame as selected in the output file. Unchecking this option does not affect selection within the view, only in the output file. |
Include non-visible layers | When checked, this property ensures that all layers in the map are included in the exported file, including layers with visibility unchecked. The visibility status of all layers is retained in the exported file. Use this option to create deliverables with several views of the same data. When this property is unchecked, only visible layers in the map are included in the exported file. Non-visible layers are dropped. |
Image compression | The compression scheme used to compress image or raster data in the output file. Choose from the following:
|
Quality | The amount of image compression applied to the export. Low quality has a smaller file size but less clear data; max quality has a larger file size but crisper data. This only applies when certain compression types are used. |
Vector resolution | The effective dpi of the vector data in the layout. DPI is available only when exporting a layout. When exporting a map, the dpi is calculated automatically. |
Raster resample | The amount of image resampling. The control determines the effective resolution of raster content on output. For instance, if the output image quality ratio is set to 1:2 and the output resolution is set to 300 dpi, the raster content is output at approximately 150 dpi. In many cases, the raster data can be included at a lower dpi than the vector data without visibly affecting quality, reducing the output file size. |
Embed fonts | Include embeddable fonts in the exported file to maintain font consistency across different platforms. Fonts that do not support embedding are not included, regardless of this setting. To correctly edit text as graphics, Illustrator requires fonts to be installed and accessible. Check the sharing permissions before embedding and sharing fonts. |
Convert character marker symbols to polygon | Controls whether marker symbols based on font characters are exported as font characters or as polygons. Check this option to view the output on a machine that does not have the appropriate fonts installed when you cannot embed the fonts due to licensing or file format restrictions. This does not apply to text, only marker symbols based on fonts. |
Embed color profile | Include the color profile set for the map or layout in the exported file. This helps create consistency in colors when the file is viewed on different devices. If the profile is not embedded, or a non-color-managed viewer is used, the colors may be significantly different than what is seen on-screen. This option is only available when color management is enabled. If color management is not enabled and the colorspace is set to CMYK, the CMYK colorspace is still included in the export. This may cause some colors to appear differently when viewing the exported file. |