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Importing Adobe .Ai.


MartinFahrer

Question

I did a search for this topic and didn't see it addressed.  Are there any plans where we can import and export to .Ai?  I figure it's an Adobe Lisc issue.  What is the best option importing an .Ai file.

 

I find that if Graphics designers do a sign it's in .Ai, if I need to make that illustration into scale elevations some one has to take the extra step to not only put it in the format I need but also to double check nothing is changed in the export.  Similarly if I need to send something out to be CNC, they are always asking for an .Ai format.

 

Thanks

 

Edited by MartinFahrer
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I too have a lot of such issues while resisting to spend a not insignificant amount of money on AI, which I would never use for anything other than conversion. My suggestion would be to get Affinity Designer, which costs something like $60 or 70, no subscription fees, reads and writes AI and is a very close competitor to AI in terms of features.

 

As for CNC export, it explicitly sounds like a cutter like for example a Zund, and there the solution is to use EPS as a first choice and PDF as a second choice, DXF as a third choice, and of course being vector based data only. These files are both directly usable by the two most commonly used programs, AI and Corel Draw. Remember to specify the drawing scale though, as it's exported as the VW paper scale and not in full scale as used in real CAD program formats such as DXF or DWG. The reason for this is that there is no such thing as a drawing scale in these illustration programs. 

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CorelDRAW does a better job at importing dwg/dxf files than Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer can not yet open these files. EPS is an output format not meant for editing, the same applies to PDF but PDF is generally better editable than EPS by most software because EPS lacks some of the newer features of PDF. CorelDRAW can also open AI files, especially if these were saved with PDF compatibility activated.

 

Aside from that CorelDRAW does have drawing scale. If you export the file as DWG or DXF then it will be exported at 1:1 scale, but you can set a drawing scale in CorelDRAW if needed, so for now until Affinity Designer further improves in certain areas CorelDRAW might be the best option for Windows users in this case.

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Thanks for the answers.  Unfortunately I gave up Corel Draw several years ago.  I had to choose between Adobe suite of products and Corel Suite of products.  I found that more people use and want Adobe, and I do like and use photo shop, lightroom a lot for graphics use.  I also find Ai the best program when it comes to publishing.  I might give Draw one more chance if I can just use that program, and don't have to DL the suite of programs. 

 

Again it goes back to the same issue though.  Using another program and converting it to .Ai. or DFX/ DWG. And industry standard from with whom I deal with want Ai.

 

I do all my working drawings in 1:1 and plate them to scale so scaling isn't the issue.  The issue is everyone that I deal with to do C&C want .Ai.   

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1 hour ago, MartinFahrer said:

I might give Draw one more chance if I can just use that program, and don't have to DL the suite of programs. 

You can install only DRAW if you want, though you will get the entire suite as DRAW is no longer available as a standalone program.

 

1 hour ago, MartinFahrer said:

Using another program and converting it to .Ai. or DFX/ DWG. And industry standard from with whom I deal with want Ai.

Very few if "classic" CAD software (AutoCAD, VW, etc.) imports or exports AI files, TurboCAD is one of the few of which I know it does import/export AI files, but these may not be the most recent AI versions.
A 3rd party has a plugin/macro to optimize the output for CNC, if you want I can look it up for your and you could try that.

 

It is rare that a CNC program only handles AI files well, you may want to ask if they really can't handle other formats and what the issue in their opinion is with non-AI formats.

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On 11/21/2017 at 12:20 PM, Art V said:


A 3rd party has a plugin/macro to optimize the output for CNC, if you want I can look it up for your and you could try that.

 

 

That would be fantastic.  What I should do is visit one of My CNC guys with my laptop and do some experimenting.  I have to do a fast turn around sometimes and I would like to make the process easier and faster on all sides.  Hopefully reducing the price in my final product as well.

 

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3 hours ago, MartinFahrer said:

That would be fantastic.  What I should do is visit one of My CNC guys with my laptop and do some experimenting.  I have to do a fast turn around sometimes and I would like to make the process easier and faster on all sides.  Hopefully reducing the price in my final product as well.

 

Two links for CNC plugins in combination with CorelDRAW

e-cut:

http://macromonster.com/product/ecut-6-for-coreldraw-1-installation/

 

Graphtec Cutting Master (probably for Graphtec cutters only, but not sure):

https://www.graphtecamerica.com/cp-softwares

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3 hours ago, MartinFahrer said:

Here is another Ai question.  I am making a Christmas card to print via Visto Print.  What is the best way file to export then place a full color image.  See attached

Christmas 2017 card blueprint.pdf

Christmas 2017 card drafting.pdf

If you want to get this into Ai then exporting as PDF would be the best way to go as it imported without issues (other than font subsitution) in CorelDRAW so I would expect the same in Ai.

For CorelDRAW exporting as dwg could be an option too as some geometry in the PDF (light blue lines within the white diamond shapes) looks a bit jiggly so I am not sure if that is as designed in VW or an export glitch.

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