Help Opening File

[grafixemporium]

A customer sent me their logo file in .FS format. We don't use Flexi. Would anyone be able to open it and convert to vector EPS or PDF for me? Thanks!

Andrew
andrew@gfxwraps.com

 

[Gino]

You might wanna tread lightly on this. Doesn't it strike you as odd, that a customer would have a Flexi file ?? Unless you know them well and know how they came across the file, I'd wanna find out if you are opening something, someone else did for them from another sign shop and has not been paid for.

Just a thought.............. ​

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

You might wanna tread lightly on this. Doesn't it strike you as odd, that a customer would have a Flexi file ?? Unless you know them well and know how they came across the file, I'd wanna find out if you are opening something, someone else did for them from another sign shop and has not been paid for.

Just a thought.............. ​

Doesn't make sense why that person would have the flexi file anyway. They are not going to be able to do anything with it. So why would a sign guy send a person a flexi file. Because they paid for it and wanted all original artwork. If you make a proof in .fs the customer can't do anything with it. So they would have never sent a .fs to a customer unless they were buying all the full artwork. And then the guy is just an a$$ for sending him the .fs and not an .eps. Because the customer doesn't know that not every designer can open a .fs file.

 

[grafixemporium]

I appreciate the concern Gino. I checked my tread and it's looking good. I'm not clear why you would take issue in someone to converting a file from FS to EPS for me? There are absolutely no implications for copyright infringement or unauthorized use in doing so. The customer owns the trademark and the file. The file was provided to him by a previous designer who provided vector artwork in Flexi format on request because that's all they know. I think that in itself should give you some clue as to the level of talent we are dealing with here.

 

[grafixemporium]

Doesn't make sense why that person would have the flexi file anyway. They are not going to be able to do anything with it. So why would a sign guy send a person a flexi file. Because they paid for it and wanted all original artwork. If you make a proof in .fs the customer can't do anything with it. So they would have never sent a .fs to a customer unless they were buying all the full artwork. And then the guy is just an a$$ for sending him the .fs and not an .eps. Because the customer doesn't know that not every designer can open a .fs file.

99% of customers cannot open an EPS either.

 

[Gino]

I appreciate the concern Gino. I checked my tread and it's looking good. I'm not clear why you would take issue in someone to converting a file from FS to EPS for me? There are absolutely no implications for copyright infringement or unauthorized use in doing so. The customer owns the trademark and the file. The file was provided to him by a previous designer who provided vector artwork in Flexi format on request because that's all they know. I think that in itself should give you some clue as to the level of talent we are dealing with here.

I have no issue with anyone converting or doing anything else for you. I was merely offering an observation which you cleared up by telling us the rest of the story, afterwards. Sorry I bothered you.

 

[skyhigh]

I'd say the only way a customer would have a Flexi file, is because they DID pay for the artwork.

Although I would never give them a flexi file. Ai...PDF...EPS maybe...

 

[grafixemporium]

I'd say the only way a customer would have a Flexi file, is because they DID pay for the artwork.

Although I would never give them a flexi file. Ai...PDF...EPS maybe...

What's the difference between giving a customer a Flexi file and an AI or EPS? All of those are completely useless to 99% of the world.

 

[skyhigh]

The file was provided to him by a previous designer who provided vector artwork in Flexi format on request because that's all they know. I think that in itself should give you some clue as to the level of talent we are dealing with here.

I would not assume that a "flexi" file would provide a clue as to the level of talent. Hell, didn't SW give a copy of that with every $1600 plotter at one time?

I'd wait until you were able to actually OPEN the file before you judge the level of talent. :Big Laugh

I'd say the only way a customer would have a Flexi file, is because they DID pay for the artwork.

I was agreeing with ya Grafixemporium.
If a customer came to me with a FS file, I surely wouldn't think they ripped another sign shop off.

But to slam the other shop (where the fs file originated......)
An AI, EPS or PDF are more universal files. Yes, most customers can't open any of them, BUT, most all other sign shops, print shops or embroidery shops can open a pdf in corel, flexi or AI
I don't know of any "DESIGNER" that works solely in flexi.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

What's the difference between giving a customer a Flexi file and an AI or EPS? All of those are completely useless to 99% of the world.

This is me speculating, but they could have gotten a Flexi file as a passive aggressive way of the person that did the design work, but wasn't paid for it and the customer wanted the original file and this was the designer's way of "giving it to them". You said it yourself, you don't use Flexi, so the designer was probably playing the odds that it wasn't going to be easy for their former customer to find someone that could deal with it.

I've seen other embroidery shops give out modified stitch files to where the quality of the stitch wasn't the same as it was for the original shop. I've seen some shops give a .U?? file (Barudan only) over a .DST (akin to an EPS in the embroidery world as far as universal use) as well.

I'm not saying that's why for sure that they got a Flexi file over a standard vector file (doesn't Flexi export EPS as well?), but that is what would come to my mind.

 

[grafixemporium]

I would not assume that a "flexi" file would provide a clue as to the level of talent. Hell, didn't SW give a copy of that with every $1600 plotter at one time?

I'd wait until you were able to actually OPEN the file before you judge the level of talent. :Big Laugh




I was agreeing with ya Grafixemporium.
If a customer came to me with a FS file, I surely wouldn't think they ripped another sign shop off.

But to slam the other shop (where the fs file originated......)
An AI, EPS or PDF are more universal files. Yes, most customers can't open any of them, BUT, most all other sign shops, print shops or embroidery shops can open a pdf in corel, flexi or AI
I don't know of any "DESIGNER" that works solely in flexi.

The only "universal" format is a PDF with all fonts converted to outlines. I can't tell you how many designers - even from some of the most prestigious ad agencies - can't get that figured out.

 

[thewvsignguy]

If needed I can convert it for you.

PM me if you need any help.

 

[grafixemporium]

I think it's taken care of. I'll let you know if it doesn't work out. Thanks!

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

What's the difference between giving a customer a Flexi file and an AI or EPS? All of those are completely useless to 99% of the world.

AI and EPS are way more useful then .fs A .fs file can only be used in flexi which limits your usage. A .EPS or .AI file can be used by almost all printing and designing software including flexi.

 

[klmiller611]

The only "universal" format is a PDF with all fonts converted to outlines. I can't tell you how many designers - even from some of the most prestigious ad agencies - can't get that figured out.

A big second on that. I just got a file from a bank to make a decal to stick over another logo on a sign. It came from their Marketing Manager, it was a low res JPEG....

I took and drew it because I can. But it still amazes me what folks who should know better, are clueless.

I cannot believe that they don't have to provide their logos to places for like t shirts, or ads, etc. etc.

Of course, a lot of it comes from the standard "well, I have the software, I have the fonts, therefore, I must be a designer."

Ken Miller

 

[myront]

The only "universal" format is a PDF with all fonts converted to outlines.

Ditto. except they should be "converted to curves" not "outlines" LOL

 

[Fred Weiss]

Ditto. except they should be "converted to curves" not "outlines" LOL

Actually, depending on the program being used, the terms "convert to curves", "convert to outlines" or "convert to paths" all describe the exact same thing.

 

[grafixemporium]

Ditto. except they should be "converted to curves" not "outlines" LOL

Said the guy who uses Corel Draw.

 

[Fred Weiss]

I've opened many an FS file and exported it out as something like an EPS, AI or PDF. The problem I've encountered with most of them is with fonts not being converted to outlines before the job was saved. Then when one opens the file they are confronted with the Flexi font substitution dialog which tells you one by one the name of any font it sees in the file but not an exact match for one installed on your computer and then wants you to pick from your installed fonts what you want to substitute for it. The only solution I've found is to pick a different font for each font to be substituted and make a hand written list as you go so you can install the correct fonts after opening the file ... if you have the correct font.

Once you've done that, you can select each font occurrence and change it to the correct font. Then one can convert to outlines, paths or curves and export the file in the desired universal exchange format of your choice.

Many times the "creator" of the original file doesn't convert the fonts to outlines because preserving the font attributes allows for future editing if needed.

 

[grafixemporium]

I've opened many an FS file and exported it out as something like an EPS, AI or PDF. The problem I've encountered with most of them is with fonts not being converted to outlines before the job was saved. Then when one opens the file they are confronted with the Flexi font substitution dialog which tells you one by one the name of any font it sees in the file but not an exact match for one installed on your computer and then wants you to pick from your installed fonts what you want to substitute for it. The only solution I've found is to pick a different font for each font to be substituted and make a hand written list as you go so you can install the correct fonts after opening the file ... if you have the correct font.

Once you've done that, you can select each font occurrence and change it to the correct font. Then one can convert to outlines, paths or curves and export the file in the desired universal exchange format of your choice.

Many times the "creator" of the original file doesn't convert the fonts to outlines because preserving the font attributes allows for future editing if needed.

I always keep fonts editable in my AI source file. In the case of logos specifically, I rarely have a font that isn't converted to outlines and heavily edited. Most fonts have sloppy lines that are not conducive to clean, polished logos. I also like to give our clients something original. Not just a font selection for a logo.

I digress.

While my source file remains editable, anything I send out to the client or another designer is going to have all fonts converted to outlines and saved as a vector PDF. That is the closest thing to a "universal" method to share vector files whether they are using AI, CDR or even Flexi. Also, clients can easily view it with a simple PDF viewer like Acrobat.

Other added benefits...

PDF will be a much smaller file size than EPS.

PDF will retain color profile assignments while EPS files do not.