RIP for AI

[fine point]

I was scolded by our client since our Onyx doesn’t process Adobe illustrator files.

Which RIP software process AI files?? I looked around the inter web but no results.

Asking you experienced folks one more time.

Best

FP

 

[Chasez]

Why not just open the file and save to .EPS and problem solved?

Chaz

 

[ColorCrest]

I was scolded by our client since our Onyx doesn’t process Adobe illustrator files.

Sure Onyx does. Usually Illustrator files should be saved using the "create PDF compatible file" option for a gazillion reasons. This is at least one reason.

Why not just open the file and save to .EPS and problem solved?

Because...

EPS is considered a zombie format and hasn’t been upgraded this millennium. EPS has never supported ICC color management nor transparency. When saving an EPS from Illustrator, a complete Ai file is always embedded and the EPS portion is version 3 as there has been no higher version.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

EPS is considered a zombie format and hasn’t been upgraded this millennium. EPS has never supported ICC color management nor transparency. When saving an EPS from Illustrator, a complete Ai file is always embedded and the EPS portion is version 3 as there has been no higher version.

I've never had a problem with transparencies in an EPS file. Now, that may be an issue with a RIP using an EPS file, that I don't know, but that doesn't seem to be a problem with my embroidery software. Again though, RIP may be a different story.

I'll either use Ver. 3 or Ver. 8 depending on what I need (especially with regard to gradients).

 

[nate]

Caldera

 

[timgo]

Everything you need is SignLab Print and Cut or Digitalfactory v3 RIP software.

 

[Pauly]

Just open it and save it as a PDF. job done. Not much of a task..

 

[Solventinkjet]

Illustrator files are not considered production files and your client just doesn't know what they are talking about. Tell them to save it as an EPS or PDF instead.

 

[fine point]

Thanks guys.
My client got pissed since he spend an entire day preparing large AI files even though I requested raster files.
He kept saying “other” vendors do it. And I was like well we are not the “other” vendor.

Thanks for all your replies. I can drop some knowledge on them now.

FP

 

[ColorCrest]

Thanks for all your replies. I can drop some knowledge on them now.

Perfect! You're going to tell them you now know how to process their Ai files!

 

[iprint]

In addition to ColorCrests response, in Job Editor, when you go to the Open dialog screen, you may have to switch it to "all files" in order to view the Illustrator files. Onyx most definitely will open Illustrator files and even recognize artboards.

 

[myront]

eps is not the "safest" format unless ALL vector AND no gradients. Otherwise PDF or tif. We have both Adobe and Corel but we don't print ai or cdr files.

 

[AKwrapguy]

Thanks guys.
My client got pissed since he spend an entire day preparing large AI files even though I requested raster files.
He kept saying “other” vendors do it. And I was like well we are not the “other” vendor.

Thanks for all your replies. I can drop some knowledge on them now.

FP

Why downgrade to raster?

 

[CanuckSigns]

.ai files are not considered to be "production ready" artwork, they are master design files, from illustrator you output to pdf to create production ready art. Sounds like your client doesn;t do this very often, or his previous supplier didn't mind wasting time converting his files for him.

 

[nate]

.ai files are not considered to be "production ready" artwork, they are master design files, from illustrator you output to pdf to create production ready art. Sounds like your client doesn;t do this very often, or his previous supplier didn't mind wasting time converting his files for him.

Or you get a RIP like caldera, print the files and say thank you for the business .

 

[MI Bearcat]

We have Onyx and it will import AI files as long as you switch to "all files" like Iprint mentioned

 

[fine point]

.ai files are not considered to be "production ready" artwork, they are master design files, from illustrator you output to pdf to create production ready art. Sounds like your client doesn;t do this very often, or his previous supplier didn't mind wasting time converting his files for him.

We can convert the AI to PDF of course, but it's 2-3 gig each files and we don't have time for it. Also, there are chances the designer left out some unwanted layers, etc. A lot can go wrong in the simple process.

We don't want to be responsible for the designers' shortcomings.

FP

 

[fine point]

My client is telling me that his computer keeps crushing converting AI to PDF since the files are so large.
It could have been us. Joke is on them.

 

[brycesteiner]

I was scolded by our client since our Onyx doesn’t process Adobe illustrator files.

Which RIP software process AI files?? I looked around the inter web but no results.

Asking you experienced folks one more time.

Best

FP

This is what the "prepress" department is for. Our job is to take what the client gives and give them what they want. Be thankful they gave an AI file and not a MS Publisher file. If they saved the AI file as PDF compatible (the default), then just rename the *.ai to *.pdf.
The files for PDF, EPS or AI are so much smaller than when people give me a 100 square foot PSD file.
BTW the EPS format has no problem with transparency. If you are not getting transparent EPS files then your program is creating them wrong. The reason it hasn't gone beyond version 3 is because your RIP is still only at Postscript 3.
If you are having a problem with the file then send the customer back a PDF proof just for them to verify the layers.
Getting a rasterized file is not the answer, otherwise you wouldn't need a RIP.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

This is what the "prepress" department is for. Our job is to take what the client gives and give them what they want. Be thankful they gave an AI file and not a MS Publisher file.

Unfortunately, an Ai file by itself doesn't exactly mean that it is "good to go", like a lot might think.

The reason it hasn't gone beyond version 3 is because your RIP is still only at Postscript 3.

I'm pretty sure that EPS files have gone beyond ver. 3 (they may not be differences worth writing home about, but it has gone beyond just ver. 3. Now the RIP program may not read beyond ver. 3, I know my digitizing software does not, including the latest version which was released just about this time last year, but then again, it's still a 32 bit program, so it isn't saying much.