posted
I'm working with another sign company whom is trying to send me adobe illustrator files exported from SignLab (version 5.0 I think). The AI file is supposed to contain the clients logo, and I'm doing some printing for them and need this format.
The problem is, when they export the file, I get an EPS version, not an AI. The EPS is nearly 9 megs!! They say they are saving as an AI but it keeps exporting an EPS. What are we doing wrong?
Can someone please give me the proper steps to save a logo as an AI file from SignLab?
I don't have SignLab so I havent a clue how to make this happen --
posted
Sounds like a lost file to me. Make sure you are saving to the directory that you think you are. I don't see any reason that AI wouldn't save as the specified file format.
other things to look out for:
make sure that who ever is trying to export the file knows to convert the text to curves before or during the export.
I think that there is also a way to optimize or reduce the data of the geometry in AI. You may want to explore this to bring down the size of the file.
Just things that I have had to deal with. Hope it helps.
posted
EPS and AI are the same animal. Try changing the extension from EPS to AI manually and see if it imports for you that way. It's worked for me, and it may for you too...........
------------------ Tim Rieck Signs Halfmoon Bay, BC tim_rieck@dccnet.com
I export AI files all day from SignLab 4.95 for import into Corel. I then export them to JPG's or Gif's from there for e-mailing to clients, or to post on the board.
I usually reduce the size of the sign down to about 4"x4" or there about. That should help with your file size problem.
The only problem so far is that graphic files (JPG, GIF, TIF, and BMP's) don't get sent from SL to Corel. I have to export the text as AI, import that into Corel and then import the graphic file into Corel.
Also, I don't have to convert text to curves as they come through fine. The colors are usually off a bit, but I fix that in Corel too.
Good luck
------------------ Pat Neve, Jr. Sign Man, Inc. 4580 N. US 1 Melbourne, FL 32935 321-259-1703 signman@signmaninc.com Capt. Sign Letterville Constituent constituent: "One of the individual entities contributing to a whole"
Posts: 2284 | From: Melbourne, FL, USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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posted
Hi Dan. As a possible work-around, you might try opening the EPS file as Post Script Interpreted. If you have that capability, you might find that you already have all the information that you require. This may or may not work, but I hope that it does.
------------------ Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail kjmlhenry@home.
Some days you get to be the dog....other days, you get to be the fire hydrant.
posted
Dan, I have SignLab, Freehand and all of the other fun toys. If you'd like, feel free to e-mail the SignLab file to me in its native CDL format and tell me what program you'd like to be able to open it in. I'll be glad to set it up for ya.
How can an EPS and AI be the same animal? Arent they different file types? The icon when it comes over says "PC EPS" for it. (the sign company is PC and I'm Mac, but I've gone cross platform before via AI and havent had any trouble.)
Reducing the size of the image or sign to a 4"x4" sounds like a good idea.
Now, what is the way in which you export the graphic from SignLab? I mean, what menu, what do you select, and options click or unclicked, etc.
Is a native Signlab File able to be opened in Corel? I dont have corel but might purchase it if this is the case so I wont be going crazy to get these files.
We've converted the fonts to paths, so that should be ok. But how do I reduce the geometry in AI?
In some instances, when the eps comes over via email to me, I can open and raster in photoshop. But this other sign company wants me to "firework" the artwork, and I need vector based graphics to do that.
posted
Dan, I usually import ai files directly into signlab. I have a suspicion that the party sent you a mixed file.If this is the case, the file will be an eps file with a bitmap of some kind in it. fades and shades in Photoshop or something similar. I have imported many eps files into corel by importing them as postscript interpreted, corel 8 has another eps import that usually only gives you the tif thumbnail file when you use it. Don Copeland is an expert mac user and can probably tell you more on ai or eps files. as far as exporting from signlab I usually punch the file column with my mouse, scroll down to export, select type and do it. Only thing is you have to have purchased the import export modules in signlab to be able to do so. I also have just made a clipboard file in corel, saved it as a .clp file and opened the windows clipboard and uploaded the file then pasted it into signlab. But I use a PC I haven't a clue to the mac. I had one for 5 days once, couldn't see where it did anything my pc didn't do so I sent it back. Bill
------------------ Bill & Barbara Biggs Art's Sign Service, Inc. Clute, Texas, USA Home of The Great Texas Mosquito Festival Proud Third year Supporter of the Letterheads Website "MrBill-" on the chat page MailTo:bill@artssigns.com
Posts: 1020 | From: Lake Jackson,Tx | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Sorry Dan, didnt know you were Mac. If it were a pc, it would work by changing the file extension. Geez, when are these guys gonna learn that the pc is the way to go... <ducking and running> 8)
------------------ Tim Rieck Signs Halfmoon Bay, BC tim_rieck@dccnet.com
In dealing with Illustrator there are two types of EPS files.
There's Illustrator EPS and then there's regular EPS.
If it's Illustrator EPS it has the EPS extension but you can change that to AI.
Regular EPS files are about as useful as a bitmap image..
If the file is in fact a vector image, reducing its size to 4"x4" wont amount to a hill of beans, it still contains the same amount of data as a 50ft x50 ft vector file would.
If that file is 9 megs, I can already tell you it's NOT vector art, unless it just has a bitmap image stuck in it or someone used Streamline to trace/vectorize a photo scanned at some obscene resolution... maybe the other shop did some large digital prints from vectorized photos?
Anyway... I've done some pretty detailed work with Illustrator and I've never had anything close to a 9MB size file as a result. I dont think their art is vectors, or SignLab is somehow converting the art into a Bitmap EPS upon exporting.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Here is a screen shot of the export to AI dialog box I get after clicking FILE/EXPORT.
There doesn't appear to be any clickable options other than the SELECTED check box.
You can send the file to me as a CDL, and I can convert it for ya...
------------------ Pat Neve, Jr. Sign Man, Inc. 4580 N. US 1 Melbourne, FL 32935 321-259-1703 signman@signmaninc.com Capt. Sign Letterville Constituent constituent: "One of the individual entities contributing to a whole"
Posts: 2284 | From: Melbourne, FL, USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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It's quite possible they are working with a bitmapped image, not vector. Ask them if they can see the outlines of the artwork in Preview Mode. If they can't, there's your trouble. If they can, try importing their file into Corel Draw and see what happens. If you have any other sign or graphics programs, try them also. These filter formats arent' cut and dry. Everybody writes their own code they way they think it should be instead of following exact requirements. You could also try importing your file into Photoshop or Corel Paint. If you know a bit about programming you could edit the file, remeove the unwanted part and resave and then try it. If it's any consolation, you're not alone with these types of problems. We get this stuff all the time and it's very frustrating. Tell your client you need "outlines" so that there is a "path" for your cutter/plotter to follow. Mac types have a hard time with this concept and since they are used to printing things, they don't stop to think about those of us who cut....not print.
Good luck......
------------------ Louis A. Lazarus Milt's Sign Service, Inc. 20 So. Linden Ave. #5B 650-588-0490 fontking1a@aol.com
Posts: 560 | From: El Granada, CA | Registered: Apr 1999
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