Layer Comps and Illustrator

Illustrator also gives you access to layer comps but does not offer you as many options as InDesign. Unlike InDesign, Illustrator allows you to access layer comps only when placing a PSD into a document by using File --> Place. Unfortunately, in Illustrator there is no equivalent to InDesign’s Object Layer options. This means that after the image is placed in the document, the only way to display a different layer comp is to re-import it. To access layer comps when placing an image into an Illustrator document, perform the following steps:

1. Import the PSD into your Illustrator document by using the File --> Place command. Unlike when placing a PSD in InDesign, the Import Options dialog box automatically appears and you do not have the option to bypass it. When placing images of large file size, always treat them as links by enabling the Link option.
2. At the top of the Photoshop Import Options dialog box, choose a layer comp from the dropdown list provided. Any layer comp comments that were saved in the PSD are displayed in the window beneath the Layer Comp list. Select the Show Preview option to view the layer comp in the dialog box before placing.
3. Click OK to place the PSD in the document.