Freehand on a Mac

[CribIt]

Have a customer using Freehand and can't seem to send me a vector file, though she insists it is vector on her end. I'm not familiar at all with the program or a Mac.
Any ideas on how she should create and/or save artwork?

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Did she give you any more of an explanation as to why she can't give you a vector file? That's wierd, since Freehand is a vector program, almost identical to Illustrator, and an .eps from her should be easily used by you I would think.

 

[Rodi]

Have her send a pdf (for viewing and possibly opening in Illustrator) and to export her file as a generic .eps, also export as an Illustrator 7 file. She may need to convert the fonts to outline if you are going cross platform.

 

[Ruddbow]

fh mac

Have her export as a .ai file (Illustrator 8 file) If it still does not work send it to me and I can get it transfered to something you can use.

 

[CribIt]

The first one she sent was a tiff, the second was a read only file.
I asked her to send it as an ai or eps file. I also mentioned the create outline deal. Does it give you the same options when you save as or export.
I'm thinkin I'll just have to make a trip over there and see what she's doing. She's only had the Mac for a couple months.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[jeph4e]

Freehand is very close to Illustrator (and better in many ways too - trapping, etc). Adobe has killed the program and put up a migration doc on their site. They also have a discount crossgrade too.

You can export eps/ai files but it depends on how complex the doc is. You can also place all manner of files into the file (images, bitmaps). If you still have problems, PM me. I have it for Mac here.

 

[slappy]

i got freehand on my mac

she needs to convert the text to paths and then save it as a ai or eps for you


freehand is also sometimes a PITA to clean up to get plotter ready if your going to do die cut vinyl, especially if she using outlines and shadows

 

[CribIt]

i got freehand on my mac

she needs to convert the text to paths and then save it as a ai or eps for you


freehand is also sometimes a PITA to clean up to get plotter ready if your going to do die cut vinyl, especially if she using outlines and shadows

Looks like a PITA! She's got lots of screens and tiny water drops.
I've told her I'll need to lose alot of the finer details to make it plotter friendly.
The last one she sent me I was able to trace okay but I still want to let her know how to send future files.
Thanks!

 

[Ruddbow]

Illy

If you go with the Illustrator 8 file when she exports the curves are alot cleaner. It also will maintain joined or show through areas. I am one of the FH nerds since version 2. Still on a mac too.

 

[slappy]

Looks like a PITA! She's got lots of screens and tiny water drops.
I've told her I'll need to lose alot of the finer details to make it plotter friendly.
The last one she sent me I was able to trace okay but I still want to let her know how to send future files.
Thanks!

if you've never worked with someones freehand file before, you really gotta check to make sure things are welded together in your sign software before you go cuttig colors. Charge her accordingly for this cause you might have some time into it as i did with a customer who always did things in freehand and i hated it. I did a globe which they had all the longitude and latitude lines and nothing was welded

these were my following freehand die cut vinyl nightmares