Need manual tiling method in Illustrator for huge window perfs (ROLAND)

[tedbragg]

I have four huge window wall sections (16 panes each). These panes are all different sizes, and the dividing metal framing has different thicknesses -- which makes the RIP's built-in tiling feature moot.

What I did for the first section: Copied and pasted the image 16 times into the AI layout, then clip-masked each of them out. Then, I rasterized those clipped images and saved them out to individual files, so-as not to choke our Roland XR-640. This is a very long process.


The "Puzzle Maker" script looked like it could help but it's riddled with errors -- won't work with our version of AI. Anyone have suggestions or could share their workflow? BAsically I need a quicker way to slice up a single, giant sized image, break those into individual panels, and save out separately. CorelDRAW's PowerClipping could do this but we're stuck with AI.

 

[White Haus]

Could you not create multiple artboards (one for each window pane) and then arrange them with proper sizing and spacing for mullions, then export all to PDF?

 

[tedbragg]

I just tried this and it worked like a charm! Thanks. I might make a short tutorial video showing my long way and then this artboard export method

 

[White Haus]

Awesome, glad to hear! I've never used that method before but figured in theory it should work. Tutorial video would be sweet!

 

[GamecockGrafx]

I just tried this and it worked like a charm! Thanks. I might make a short tutorial video showing my long way and then this artboard export method

I would LOVE to see a video like this - having a hard time wrapping my head around it!

 

[Bengt Backhaus]

Could you not create multiple artboards (one for each window pane) and then arrange them with proper sizing and spacing for mullions, then export all to PDF?

This is what i always do, even if its just two parts.
The control freak in me just doesn't trust automation.

 

[Graphic Extremes]

I just tried this and it worked like a charm! Thanks. I might make a short tutorial video showing my long way and then this artboard export method

I would love to see a video on this