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Flexi Sign Pro need to import large file to print

Y

YSBRANDING

New Member
Version: FlexiSign Pro 8.6v2

I have a large design I am going to need to print, I made it in illustrator even though illustrator cannot have that large of canvas, but I can make it larger in Flexi and it would print fine. Flexi does not import the .ai files correctly, ever, so I saved it as a PDF/X-1a:2001 and PDF/X-4a:2010 and Highest Quality Print and Flexi still does not show it as the PDF reader does. With X-4 it looks mostly right, except where there is an appearance opacity and blending mode, also it shows everything under the clipping masks. The PDF Reader shows it how I want it to print, but when I open or import it into the Flexi program it is wrong. :banghead: Solution? And do not say photoshop because it is just not handling that large file size, it will not do it, it stops responding.
Any advice would be wonderful.

****Update: So if I rasterize this, and if photoshop functions properly with a 9GB file, I still need to save it as something Flexi will open and print properly. 270"W x 94.25"H design cropped in two, to make two print files 272"W x 48.125"H
 
S

shoresigns

New Member
YSBRANDING said:
Version: FlexiSign Pro 8.6v2

I have a large design I am going to need to print, I made it in illustrator even though illustrator cannot have that large of canvas, but I can make it larger in Flexi and it would print fine. Flexi does not import the .ai files correctly, ever, so I saved it as a PDF/X-1a:2001 and PDF/X-4a:2010 and Highest Quality Print and Flexi still does not show it as the PDF reader does. With X-4 it looks mostly right, except where there is an appearance opacity and blending mode, also it shows everything under the clipping masks. The PDF Reader shows it how I want it to print, but when I open or import it into the Flexi program it is wrong. :banghead: Solution? And do not say photoshop because it is just not handling that large file size, it will not do it, it stops responding.
Any advice would be wonderful.
Click to expand...

Well first off, doesn't your RIP have an option to scale the print? It sounds like that would solve your problem, assuming your RIP can interpret the transparencies correctly (which often isn't the case).

I don't think PDF or any other vector formats can reliably be used to transfer artwork that has complex transparencies from one application to another. Your only option might be to flatten/rasterize the image before you import it to Flexi or your RIP.
 
Y

YSBRANDING

New Member
Well I will have to chop up my design in two files no matter what I do so it fits on our printer. The design is 270"W x 94.25"H and illustrator will never start a canvas that size or let me resize to that size. And with photoshop that would be like a 5GB file(Correction that will be a 9GB photoshop file at the size the sign needs to be)...and would make it a .psb file, which FlexiSign Pro will NOT import what-so-ever. Any ideas as to how I can get my design that size, crop it into two horizontally and have them import into Flexi and print the way I designed them to?
 
B

BIG EASY DOES IT

New Member
Even if you flatten and rasterize everything before bringing it in to flexi it still gives you issues? If not, Why not? Why not just rasterize everything including the transparencies or flatten them? You can rasterize to a high enough dpi that you can size the image up and still get the same print quality. Keep your vector for any future changes but rasterize so you can print.
 
Y

YSBRANDING

New Member
BIG EASY DOES IT said:
Even if you flatten and rasterize everything before bringing it in to flexi it still gives you issues? If not, Why not? Why not just rasterize everything including the transparencies or flatten them? You can rasterize to a high enough dpi that you can size the image up and still get the same print quality. Keep your vector for any future changes but rasterize so you can print.
Click to expand...

My biggest issue is file size and getting flexi to read a .psd .raw or .tiff because at the size of 9GB for a document 270"W x 94.25"H, those are the only save options photoshop gives you. So I need to import two print files into flexi that would end up being...272"W x 48.125"H
 
SignBurst PCs

SignBurst PCs

New Member
YSBRANDING said:
My biggest issue is file size and getting flexi to read a .psd .raw or .tiff because at the size of 9GB for a document 270"W x 94.25"H, those are the only save options photoshop gives you. So I need to import two print files into flexi that would end up being...272"W x 48.125"H
Click to expand...

Are you flattening your tiff when you save it for print? What resolution are you at? That seems like an awfully large tiff for those dimensions.
 
Y

YSBRANDING

New Member
SignBurst PCs said:
Are you flattening your tiff when you save it for print? What resolution are you at? That seems like an awfully large tiff for those dimensions.
Click to expand...

It is not a .tiff file. I either open the illustrator file in photoshop at 300dpi and resize that way and its 8.38GB, or I place the illustrator file on a photoshop canvas that is large enough(this one took way less time). Now to crop it in half and save each section individually for print. So each half is 4.40GB/8.38GB once cropping in finished, so photoshop still only gives me the save options; .psb, .raw, .tiff and Flexi will not open those.
 
SignBurst PCs

SignBurst PCs

New Member
Flexi should read a flat .tiff. Newer Flexi versions will even read layered tiff.

150ppi should be more than enough resolution.
 
B

BIG EASY DOES IT

New Member
That's why I was saying reduce the size of your artwork to half the output size or 1/10th the output size and increase your dpi to 600. I believe this should make your file smaller as well as take away any issues with transparincies you are having. 150dpi printed at size is usually enough dpi for most projects.
 
anthony smith

anthony smith

New Member
720 @ 10 percent

create at 10 percent at 720dpi in photoshop or illustrator
export as tiff
import to flexi rip at 1000% works great
WE do it almost ever day but 8.6 is a pain newer versions have improved but
still needs work handling large files
i run 8.6 and a cloud version 12 that is the latest and greatest
and at times i still have to break down to print
but 72 dpi when enlarged at full size works great for us
on old jv33's and jv3 mimaki printers
 
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