1.267 FAQ-1084 Why is the exported 3D vector graph not editable?

Export-3D-OpenGL-as-EPS

Last Update: 12/21/2022

Origin employs OpenGL to enhance the performance and quality of 3D graphs by default. However, 3D OpenGL graphs CANNOT be exported as a "real" vector graph. If you use Copy Page to copy a 3D OpenGL graph from Origin to another application, such as Word, you will find the exported graph is blurry when you enlarge the graph. If you export the 3D graph to a vector format, such as EPS format, the tick labels, titles, and other labels can be edited in Photoshop or Illustrator but the 3D portion of the graph cannot be edited.

For presentation and publishing purposes,

We always recommend exporting the 3D OpenGL graphs with a high resolution (600 or higher) for good display quality. If your graph contains large data points, refer to this page to preserve quality but minimize file size.

If you really want to export the graph as vector format,

Follow the steps in Turn off OpenGL section of this page to turn off OpenGL settings, and then export again.

Keep in mind that once you turn off OpenGL, the graph may look very different and some features are only supported with OpenGL. Features such as lighting effect for example, are lost.