posted
I use a pc running xp and corel 9 in my shop. I get a fair amount of files from customers using Quark, Mac Illustrator files, etc...that I'm thinking of getting a copy of Illustrator just to let me open more file types. Then I can save as needed.
Will Illustrator for windows help me to open Illustrator mac files? Unless they are saved a certain way I have problems with mac files.
Will Illustrator let me open .pdf files and edit them........(instead of buying Adobe Acrobat)
How about Quark files?
Forgot to ask...what older version of Illustrator would be the best to buy.
Thanks, Tony
[ August 08, 2004, 12:30 PM: Message edited by: Tony McDonald ]
-------------------- Ace Graphics & Printing Camdenton, MO. USA
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6722 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Tony, I routinely open illustrator files off of my mac on my pc. I usually save them as version 3 or 5 to open them with no problems. I would advise you to get version 8 of illustrator. I use it everyday on my pc along with version 11. In my book, version 8 was the best they came up with. Just tell your customers to save them as an earlier version and you should have no problems. But make sure they save it on a pc floppy.
-------------------- Maker of fine signs and other creative stuff. Located at 109 N. Cumberland ave. Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-837-0242 Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
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posted
I'm with John- ver 8 is the best so far. I upgraded to 10 a while back, but I keep both loaded on my box because it makes my life easier. I havent felt any need whatsoever to go to 11. Newer aint necessarily better.
A good habit is to convert everything to outlines for files that need transmission to another party, or add any fonts used to the file folder as well. On many occasions I have received jobs from national accounts and the main logo folder will include ai, eps, jpg, pdf, tiff, and freehand versions of the image, plus all necessary fonts. This is only smart business, I think- saves time and expedites production.
It's a good idea in general to have Illustrator if you are in the graphics biz- it can save you headaches and time if you receive files from customers or their graphics vendors.
-------------------- Jay Nichols ALPHABET SOUP
~the large print giveth and the small print taketh away~ Posts: 176 | From: SW Florida | Registered: Mar 2002
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Hi! .pdf files can be im ported in corel. the best format to import .ai files is in 7 version of illustrator. for mac files must save it for pc and it will be imported by corel.
-------------------- Catalin Dretcanu TIPART GROUP Ltd www.tipart.ro Address: Bucharest, ROMANIA Phone: +40 722 621 512 E-mail: catad@yahoo.com
"Do or do not...there is no try" Posts: 83 | From: Bucharest, ROMANIA (Europe) | Registered: Sep 2003
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Thanks for the replies...just trying to decide what program(s) I need to solve the problems I run into with "some" customer files. It seems that some, but not all pdf files will import into corel.
I bought "PDF Converter" at staples for $80 and it seems to lose some formatting...they probably didn't convert lines to curves.
Adobe Acrobat files can be edited if you have the full version of Acrobat and editing was enabled when it was saved...right? I have "acrobat reader" but it doesn't allow to save/export or even resize the document...it's just a reader. Since Illustrator is Adobe too, I wondered if it would do a better job of importing pdf files.
-------------------- Ace Graphics & Printing Camdenton, MO. USA
posted
Just for Info,, Corel will export to PDF just fine. So many will go out and purchase a PDF maker and later find they have something that will do teh job.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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quote:Adobe Acrobat files can be edited if you have the full version of Acrobat and editing was enabled
... key point there, "editing" can be allowed or not based on "security" options selected when the creator saved the pdf file. If we create a file to sub out to a wide format guy... disabling editing could be one way to get the file printed period. no risk of it being altered somehow. I think thats the logic behind so many pdf files NOT being editable or importable. I get the rare .pdf file where I can select, copy & past fully editable text & vector graphics into illustrator. I use 9, bought 10 but prefer 9.
I use MacOpener, a $40 program that will allow you to load Mac formatted floppies, zips, & CD's into your PC. All Illustrator files I've ever come across will cross platforms with no other problems then possibly having to add the .ai extension on to the file name... but getting the disc to open was the only real problem I encountered. MacOpener solved that issue cheaply & I know for a fact at least one really big job landed on my competitors desk before mine... he couldn't open it... job came to me, opened right up & repaid for that program tenfold or more.
I can't open the Quark file....I don't have Quark.
So I call the customer and ask them to send again as a .eps, .ai, .pdf, etc...even a high res tiff. (I don't know what formats Quark can export to)
So they wind up resaving the Quark file as a pdf file. The pdf opens fine in Acrobat Reader but they sent it as letter size and it needs to be printed 18 x 24. "Acrobat Reader" won't let you resize or save...so I try to import their pdf file in corel. Corel always let's me open my own pdf's but it won't let me open their file.
I should be able to import their pdf file into corel...but it won't. I find this with a lot of the pdf files I receive.
The full version of Acrobat is pretty expensive and I would only use it to open customer files and convert them to something corel can import...hard to justify the cost.
-------------------- Ace Graphics & Printing Camdenton, MO. USA
posted
Avec Canvas de http://www.deneba.com/ j'arrive à ouvrir et éditer des fichiers pdf.
-------------------- Desire Rusovsky SDG Signs rue du Lac 24 1342 Le Pont Switzerland desire@sdgsigns.com http://www.sdgsigns.com Posts: 218 | From: Le Pont / Switzerland | Registered: Mar 2002
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-------------------- Desire Rusovsky SDG Signs rue du Lac 24 1342 Le Pont Switzerland desire@sdgsigns.com http://www.sdgsigns.com Posts: 218 | From: Le Pont / Switzerland | Registered: Mar 2002
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Save Page as EPS. Doing this will allow you to open it in corel. then you can resize it. But, you cannot edit it
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
Corel has a couple of different pdf import filters ... maybe try the other one.
I use acrobat 5 and the PITA files can be opened in it and saved as eps files. IMO an older version of acrobat "may" be more cost effective than older illustrator (learning curve)
Your screwed with quark files ... at least I am.
-------------------- Compulsive, Neurotic, Anti-social and Paranoid ... but basically Happy Posts: 2677 | From: Rochester, NY, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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If you're considering buying Illustrator, consider the full Creative Suite from Adobe which contais Illustrator and Photoshop (must haves, IMHO) as well as Acrobat and InDesign.
You get InDesign and Acrobat essentially free, and Illustrator and Photoshop are invaluale illustration and photo editing tools.
With this suite you can open almost any file anyone sends you; including Quark which InDesign will open.
-------------------- Paul Luszcz Zebra Visuals 27 Water Street Plymouth, MA 02360 508 746-9200 paul@zebravisuals.com Posts: 483 | From: 27 Water Street, Plymouth, MA 02360 | Registered: Jul 2003
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I have Illustrator CS (11) I have yet to find a bug in it.....I'm sure there are some, but for me it has worked flawlessly and I've had it since it was first introduced.
It doesn't hurt to have and learn both illustrator and Corel. A lot of people use both, and once past the learning curve, they're both handy.
I really balked at the way Illustrator worked vs Corel for quite some time, but now that I almost exclusively use Illustrator....I've grown to like it. Could it be improved? Heck yes...it has some really stupid ways of doing things in my opinion....and I still don't like the user interface....but it's not a perfect world either, is it?
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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Quark is a pain in the butt to deal with and I try to avoid Quark files whenever possible.
I have both MACs and PCs in my shop. I even have a copy of Quark for the MAC (Expensive program...and mostly useless for sign making but helps with converting files from clients).
I've had similar problems using PDF files from clients. I forked over the cash and got the FULL version of Adobe Acrobat. I have Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop, and even though they can usually open a "problem" PDF, they still won't open them all. I have yet to find a PDF that the FULL version of Adobe Acrobat won't open. Once open in Acrobat, you can resave it as a ps or eps file which then can be brought into CorelDraw using the "postscript interpreted" filter (NOT the EPS filter).
Someone above recommended MacOpener and I too highly recommend that program for opening files that come to you on MAC formatted media.
-------------------- Jim McLain McLain Studios 1203 Main Street Asbury Park, NJ 07712 jlm@mclainstudios.com Posts: 42 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Aug 2004
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