posted
I'm still trying to find a simplified method for sharing original clipart to other Letterville residents, in a cataloged manner. Of course their must be rules for the artwork that you offer, and that is going to rely a lot on your personal integrity. This method would require Steve and Barb, to only house a link to each vault from a thumbnail clip (or maybe just a description of the clip) and it's format to each residents vault that would participate. The links would reside in an area that could be accessed by residents. This program is designed to help Letterville, as well as fellow letterheads, and not meant to offend visitors of this site at all.
So far it would work like this, with the link showing up in a residents only access only page. You will be going to a URL directory, where you will choose the file you want to download. In this directory, their are 3 to choose from; a CDR 7, and an EPS file for testing, and another vector rendering in Corel 9. They are just a test for accessing. Save them to disc, and then choose a program to open them. They will probably warn you of a virus, of course.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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I just downloaded the eps file to see if it worked. The first two times, it downloaded it as testwmf.eps but actually saved it as a .ps file. The third time I tried, I renamed it in the "save as" line as test.eps and it saved as an eps file. There was another clipart download site I visited once that you had to rename the files to download them.
It opened just fine in signlab. I didn't try the corel file. Suelynn
-------------------- "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -George Eliot
Suelynn Sedor Sedor Signs Carnduff, SK Canada Posts: 2863 | From: Carnduff, SK Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Jack the ftp worked flawlessly,however you might want to simplify matters by simply having one format that is backwardly compatible for almost all programs,...say a very early ver. 1.1 eps file. That should be compatible to 99% of the desktop and cas programs people use.Just a thought to simplify your efforts,...
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'm curious, are any of you MAC users? I don't know what a .ps file is. I hope that MAC users are able to use or convert the files. Is their a cross file that can be used by all system types?
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Jack a .ps file is a postscript interpreted file and yes there is a file format that is cross platform,...an adobe eps file version 1.1,...You will lose alot of info and effects from this file type but the cuttable vectors will be there and easy to read in almost any design and or cas program,...hope this helps ya,...
posted
Timi, My Adobe 8 (which I know nothing about) would not open the Corel 9 file at all, so I saved under Corel 5 format. When I opened it in Adobe 8, their was just a white box with no graphic. Adobe doesn't offer an import command, so I'm lost. I can save it as an .eps file in corel, but it requires me to export it as either a tiff, or a wmf (windows meta file). I guess you read what Suelyn did. Apparently it downloaded as a postcript extention, and she had to change it to .eps ...... Could you tell me how to convert to the Adobe .eps?
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Jack first of all as with all cross program and platform graphic files you will have to convert any text in font format to curves in corel and paths in adobe programs.Next you will need to break any curves apart that may be combined to show compound objects as singular shapes(like the capitol letter "A" which is actually 2 shapes). Then I personally assign the smallest possible outline to everthing with no fill. Next I export,....not save as, the file to eps and or adobe illustrator ver. 1.1 . This should produce a file format that can be read on most if not all vector based graphic programs regardless of the version,...there are some glitches in the way some sign programs read these files as some will see an exact duplicate placed directly one on top of the other,...while this is a hassle to some people they will still be able to open the file in almost all programs supporting vector graphics imports with an encapsulated postscript (eps) file filter. If you do not include the outline with no fill some programs don't read the vectors in the file. But if you export the file with a fill and no outline assigned alot more programs will not read the file.I have used this format for most programs used with the exception of some of the more exotic programs such as signus and the foreign cas systems sold in europe.The use of the early version of adobe eps format(ver 1.1) should be backwardly compatible with programs dating back to dos based cutting modules.It isn't perfect but all in all is is the most common format that will be accessable to the vast majority of possible users both mac and pc based. If anyone else has anything to add and can correct any mistakes I may have made feel free to do so,... Hope this helps ya!
posted
Jack, perhaps Andrew from Vector Art or maybe Mike Jackson could also give us some pointers about saving the files. They have entire CD's with .eps files that seem to be compatible with all programs. There has to be a pretty simple solution.
I know I have to turn off all fills and add a hairline outline, like Tim said to export to Signlab. Other programs, I don't have to.
posted
Ok, I added an adobe 1.1 file as exported from Corel. It was able to be opened in adobe and looks correct. It was without fills, had a hairline outline, and was ungrouped and uncombined. Please try this one... It is now on the original link and listed as headphonesadobe Thanks..
Update: I downloaded it and it came back to me as a corel nine file, so I right clicked and chose properties where I used the "change file type" box to change it to adobe. It then worked in Adobe 8 ......It seems that the file knows exactly where it came from, (as exported) and comes back to us that way. It changing the filetype in the property box will get it maybe that is what we will have to do. Everyones FTPs are going to be exports from various programs. Any other solid advice from a certified gearhead would be appreciated.... Thanks, Jack
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Jack, I'm on a pc, & it still came in as a .ps extension, but it still opened directly from Adobe illustrator 8.0 without changing the extension.
I usually get the designs right in Graphic Advantage, then export to AI. In Adobe Illustrator, I open the file, group all, and save it as Illustrator 3.0.
Once it is in Illustrator 3.0 format, I can open it in Corel and save it as Corel 5. (always use the lowest version available) For EPS, I just copy all the files into a folder and use the old DOS command "ren *.ai *.eps" (they are the same file, just with different extensions)
So, in short....get the file into a common format "Illustrator 3.0" first, then you can go about anywhere with them. I just wrote an article in SignCraft about this issue.
I would suggest getting the files into a vector version of the EPS format, make them available, and let the other people do all their own conversions. You are in for a lot of work as it is, and eventually you will need some sort of search/organization tool for your web page. For that to work, you will need to apply a group of choice keywords for each graphic. I am not sure how a web page does the search, but it is apparently possible. Your concept is noble, but I don't envy the amount of time it might take to make it happen and keep updated!
Good luck, Mike Jackson
-------------------- Mike Jackson Golden Era Studios Jackson Hole, Wy www.goldenstudios.com/ Posts: 390 | From: PO Box 7850 | Registered: Nov 1998
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Mike, Thanks for that explaination. Timi had me pointed the right direction, although I'm kinda lost with Adobe. Everything seems backward to my long time Corel experiences, but I think I can get this down........My thought at this point, is that each contributor, can do this for themselves on their own sites. I wouldn't think I could offer over 30 to 50 images for the first year, so a search engine would be little way off..... To get the file to a acceptable format, and Letterhead to house info/thumb of the file and info on how to get to it. Its not going to get any simpler than that. If someone wants to contribute and don't have site space. They can use a little of mine.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Timi mentions using Illustrator 1.1 as the format of choice, and I generally would agree. Saving in the earlier formats strip off all unnecessary junk off the files and leaves you with a basically and outline and fill. HOWEVER, when we first did our images, we found that CasMate (Mac) would not open an Illustrator file lower than 3.0, so I had to go back and create an entire new folder just for that group. From our practical experience selling the CDs for about 6 years, Illustrator 3.0 is most universal--whether saved as filename.AI or filename.EPS. Also, since some people ARE still using Windows 95 without the long file names, you probably want to give them old DOS file names with eight letters and three extension letters.
I don't know why some browsers want to change the extension from Filename.AI to Filename.PS, but the files download fine. I always suggest people change the extension back to .AI or .EPS as they save it to their hard drive.
Good luck making this happen.... Mike Jackson
-------------------- Mike Jackson Golden Era Studios Jackson Hole, Wy www.goldenstudios.com/ Posts: 390 | From: PO Box 7850 | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
The EPS and AI worked fine on my old Mac, with Illustrator 6 and MacOS 8.6.
Whjy not just a FTP site with a password?
Thank you
Desire
-------------------- 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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posted
I think Mike's advice is very good. Illustrator 3.0 as .EPS and Illustrator 1.1 as .AI covers all the bases. Adobe invented EPS and AI, and has Adobe has become the world wide standard. Adobe Illustrator was originally developed for the MAC and the early versions (6.0 and earlier) were things of beauty, and created perfect EPS and AI files with a mimimum of bells and whistles...just right for pure vector paths.
However, some graphic software packages (who shall remain unnamed) include home made import and export filters because they did not wish to pay Adobe for the code, and these files are not the same as the real thing. Worse yet, current versions of Illustrator like 9 and 10 can save backward, but these files are not exactly the same as 3.0 created out of Illustrator 6.0 and backward.
We keep some old MAC technology around (from 1994 and 1995) system 8 and earlier and the first generation of power MACs in order to create pure and clean 3.0 EPS and 1.1 AI files that will work for everyone, and them save them for the IBM environment, because there are so few MACs left in use among sign people.
As for formatting CDs so that they work for everybody, even old, slow drives from the earlier 90's is another kettle of fish to talk about at another time.
Mike is also right about the complexities of a proper download site...Roland has put a small fortune into ours and we are always tweeking it and trying to improve it as we add more and more images. It is a big job and will require a major commitment from some folks out there in Letterhead land. It can be done however, but my guess is that to make it really dynamic and useful it will need to have material added every few days or so, and someone has to function as "webmaster."
Good Luck and
All Best Regards,
Andrew
-------------------- Andrew Holmes Vector Art Inc Pacific Grove, CA 93950
posted
Allrighty then. I guess we appear to have enough interest to proceed on our end, and pretty simply too. I'm pretty sure we will come up with enough personal vaults for then near future.... Mayor, can an area for file info, be arranged on your end? The space needed seems to now be reduced to thumbs use only. Perhaps a password area for access to it. I think it could be as simple as a new posting screen that we could edit as we need to add or change something as we needed for each vault envolved.
Hopefully this will help Letterville, and its members, in a lot of ways.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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