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is there a simple way to get files properly?

gabagoo

gabagoo

New Member
Every now and then I get an eps file and with all the masking people put into files I don't want to break them apart as I have found on the odd occasion that info can change.

I print out of Flexi and for instance today i know right away I have a problem whereby 2 white strokes when intersecting knock themselves out and thats not the way it is supposed to look. I can't really go in and fix it and feel stumped.

What is the best way for me to tell clients on how that eps file should be set up so that no matter what print program (within reason) has to open it everything should be as it was meant to be.

I would also wonder if they saved it as a pdf file would I still run into the same issues.

I can't open the file properly in signlab 8 either.
 
iSign

iSign

New Member
nope.. no simple way

this is why 99% of my printing for the last 6 years has been .tif images

Once it's correct, and full size, I have seen absolutely no value (to me) to even bring into Flexi as vector art.
 
gabagoo

gabagoo

New Member
yes tif files are ok but I have always found that all the colours get lighter than how they were origianlly designed.
 
C

CanuckSigns

Active Member
Gene@mpls said:
For best results deal only with PROFESSIONAL DESIGNERS
Click to expand...

Even that is no guarantee! i've received files from professional designers that had 3-4 previous revisions of the design stuck underneath the final design?!? I was wondering why the file was so large!
 
P Wagner

P Wagner

--
2CT Media said:
Not true, it all depends on the PDF format you use. You can embed Profiles in PDF's to keep the colors correct to the design intent.
Click to expand...

Bravo 2CT, most are blissfully unaware that different file formats either support or do not support embedded color information inside of them. EPS files as a class do not, while TIF, JPG, and certain flavors of PDF do support embedded profiles.
 
gabagoo

gabagoo

New Member
I gave in and sent it to the designer that shares space with me and he fixed it for me. I asked wtf was the problem with the file.
He said that the file was locked and he found 2 different shades of blue where there should have only been one, and the stroke data should have been converted to outlines as where they intersected with vector clip art in the background they combined making an absolute mess.

The designer finally calls me back after 3 hours.... ( I have already fixed the file) to little to late so I side stepped him, called the CSR and told her that there would be additional charges to the final quote for artwork FIXES!!! hehehehe. I also told the CSR to bypass this designer in the future for any artwork coming my way or I will need to see the artwork prior to quoting print jobs.

I am tired of explaining to designers what is needed.
Don't they teach them anything in school?
 
Gene@mpls

Gene@mpls

New Member
watsons signs said:
Even that is no guarantee! i've received files from professional designers that had 3-4 previous revisions of the design stuck underneath the final design?!? I was wondering why the file was so large!
Click to expand...

This was meant as humor- they drive me to distraction (not a fer trip)
 
The Vector Doctor

The Vector Doctor

Chief Bezier Manipulator
Converting stroked lines to objects is foreign to most designers outside of the typical cut vinyl sign shop. Most people who design for print have no need to worry about this step as it is not necessary. I would not blame a designer for this

Now there are plenty of other design mistakes that i see every day when recreating designs that are unacceptable, but strokes should not be one of them
 
gabagoo

gabagoo

New Member
The Vector Doctor said:
Converting stroked lines to objects is foreign to most designers outside of the typical cut vinyl sign shop. Most people who design for print have no need to worry about this step as it is not necessary. I would not blame a designer for this

Now there are plenty of other design mistakes that i see every day when recreating designs that are unacceptable, but strokes should not be one of them
Click to expand...

well I was printing the job and it was all wrong.... so one might say that Flexi has not kept up with illustrator but I say dumb it down if your a designer so everyone can use it. It is simple to do and if your job is to set up a banner for print or cut, for heavens sake do it right and quit taking short cuts. Sometimes it will bite back and you could be looking for new employment
 
Baz

Baz

New Member
Short answer to your thread title: No.

Long answer:
Your thinking involves trying to teach other people the way YOU work and how YOUR equipment and production process works. Thats pretty much impossible since we all do things differently even if we are using the same tools.

What you just had to go through i go through all the time. I get files from advertising agencies, home artists and even customers themselves. None work the same. How they design like using multiple hidden layers, locked layers, gradient blends, strokes over strokes and so on is different from every person. Also when you are importing a file from a different version of the software you are using (my experience is with Adobe Illustrator). The software will create extra masks and gradients on its own. Thats not bad if you are just printing the whole file but if any plotter cutting is required. That can be a nightmare to clean up.

Dealing with this i think should be at your end. An experience reproduction artist (that's what i think we are) will know how to prepare incoming files to best come out of his/her equipment. When i have to quote on a job i will most often include at least an extra hour of design charge to convert the file, adjust colors and whatever else will need done before i actually hit the print button. Simple things like converting strokes to outlines i don't charge for since it is one of the basic things i look for before importing a file into Flexi and it doesn't take long to do.

Now my biggest pet peve and i think ANYONE WHO USES GRAPHIC SOFTWARE SHOULD KNOW ...... When you send your file to be produced by someone outside of your computer ... CONVERT YOUR TEXT TO OUTLINES!!!!!!!

God that's frustrating!:frustrated:
 
GAC05

GAC05

Quit buggin' me
Best practice is to own the latest version of Illustrator (at a minimum).
Being a CorelDraw guy I did not want to spend extra money on something I'd use just to open files, but it is a must when dealing with other people's layouts.
The last place I would edit anything needing to be printed is Flexi......

wayne k
guam usa
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
GAC05 said:
Best practice is to own the latest version of Illustrator (at a minimum).
Being a CorelDraw guy I did not want to spend extra money on something I'd use just to open files, but it is a must when dealing with other people's layouts.
The last place I would edit anything needing to be printed is Flexi......

wayne k
guam usa
Click to expand...


Ha, that's what I did many years ago. Had Illustrator just to open files and some of the guys were good at it already, so we started using it. I converted over about 6 years ago and I still feel like a dunce. :banghead:
 
Rodi

Rodi

New Member
The client, and that is what they are, has many choices in vendors. They chose you, for whatever reason, hopefully good ones. Clients never learn, they don't have to. This is a case where charging the right amount of money based on historical data and file complexity is essential. You may be getting a designers best work, but your job is to make it a reality. You need to know what the client wants and translate it to your workflow. Charge enough for it too, so you can take the time to do it right.
 
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