.eps vs .ai 2020 Responses

Last post: 2 years, 3 months ago | Thread started: Nov 2, 09, 12:41 p.m.

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• baseline_shift

  Anyone save their illustrator files as .ai? For making pdf's for clients and internal approval, i find it far easier to keep all my vector files as .eps.

  Anyone use the .ai format? Any benefits I'm overlooking?

  Nov 2, 09, 12:41 p.m. – Permalink

• detritus

  I've always assumed it'd be better to store Illy files in its native format, but there's no reason EPS, being what it is, couldn't replicate all of a .ai files functions.

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 12:43 p.m. – Permalink

• doesnotexist

  eps is postscript- so it's a bigger file. I always save as native ai's with NO PDF options on

  • right, ive noticed they are slightly larger. But not as large as mirrored ai/eps files would be on the server.– baseline_shift1/3

    what benefit is no pdf options? I need to make pdfs all the time, which is why i avoid ais in the first place.– baseline_shift2/3

    not when I'm working I use only ai's. when it's presentation time it's saved PDF options and I build in indd– doesnotexist3/3

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 12:47 p.m. – Permalink

• ismith

  Multiple artboards in CS4.

  • yeah if you can deal with cs4 being a piece of shit– doesnotexist1/2

    I can deal with it, CS and CS2 always sucked way more on my machines. CS4 runs smooth so far– ismith2/2

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 12:47 p.m. – Permalink

• Greedo

  http://forums.adobe.com/thread/4…

  • nice link. I knew about the native vs exchange file concept. Im just talking day to day usability here.– baseline_shift

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 12:51 p.m. – Permalink

• rusty_ace

  eps files always open noticeably slower for me, i never use them unless absolutely necessary.

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:08 p.m. – Permalink

• Meeklo

  I never really knew that eps were larger size than ai.
  thanks for sharing that.

  I always save as eps because I think people with corel can open these files as well (and I can open corel files if they save as eps)

  this might be a myth though.. I haven't used corel since 1997

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:15 p.m. – Permalink

• baseline_shift

  right, so if nothing really is lost in the 'exchange format' of an eps, why save as a less versatile .ai?

  i thought i may have been missing something, but im thinking maybe i haven't.

  • * im now thinking...– baseline_shift1/3

    Artboards, it (seems) faster... not really sure. Just feels natural to save as native format.– ismith2/3

    ah, yes, i forgot the whole artboard thing. easy workaround. doesnt bug me– baseline_shift3/3

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:16 p.m. – Permalink

• Greedo

  honestly, this day and age, unless you're pasting huge tif files or something into your illy files, file size shouldn't even be a concern. Even super complicated illy files clock in at under 10 MB, unless you're drawing cruise ship cutaways.

  • <– airey1/2

    agreed– baseline_shift2/2

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:20 p.m. – Permalink

• inkpink

  illustrator pdf for client, always.

  that way client will preview it no problem in viewer, and anyone who knows what they're doing will force it to open as vectors in AI.

  these days with everyone and their dog with Adobe CS and thinking they're a (hack) designer, I prefer my work doesn't auto-launch into an editable format.

  • < good point as far as supply.– airey

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:48 p.m. – Permalink

• airey

  10-15 years ago you had to use EPS as it was the only method that passed all the info to the next app in-line (quark was about it). now with indesign you can use ai files no problems, same with psd instead of tif. the problem happens when people don't actually understand what the filetypes actually are or mean and then have to work to a method outside their own studio or knowledge.

  comments like detritus "I've always assumed it'd be better to store Illy files in its native format" are really very common and it's the fault of whoever taught that ideology as it's not actually correct, eps is as much a native format for illustrator as ai is. ai was always the 'working' format and eps the 'output' format.

  the upshot is use whatever you like but be aware that if you're supplying files they are much safer as eps. also, if file size is an issue, upgrade your 14.4 modem and 250mb hard drive.

  • 14.4 modem - like it ;)– 303

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:50 p.m. – Permalink

• baseline_shift

  ^you make your pdfs with illustrator?! You dont use distiller?

  I always send pdfs to clients, never eps. They usually cant open an eps. Im just asking about what file formats people use internally, on their own servers. (And the reason i use EPSs is so i can just drag them on to disteller and make pdfs real quick.)

  So this makes me think of another question. Do most people make their pdfs using Distiller?

  • @ inkpink– baseline_shift1/7

    can't you drag ai files also?– airey2/7

    nope.– baseline_shift3/7

    that gets real tedious having to do that all the time from a postscript- and having 3 files for 1 thing in essence.– doesnotexist4/7

    then I just outline all type and save as press ready PDF– doesnotexist5/7

    agreed. Thats why i keep one .eps as the 'source' file, and just make dated pdfs for the client from that one.– baseline_shift6/7

    nope i never use distiller. see below.– inkpink7/7

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:51 p.m. – Permalink

• detritus

  I meant for internal files, airey, though didn't explain that.

  I actually wrote a post after Meeklo's, explaining that I keep seperate Export directories for client previews and final delivery, each with dated/numbered EPS files in... but then thought that was kind of covering obvious ground, so didn't bother broadcasting it.

  I wish all printers used EPS files - I always seem to have problems when they specify PDF submission (usually crappier high street or chain shops).

  • yeah. if they prefer pdfs, they prob arent the best printer.– baseline_shift1/3

    eg Clipping marks. I always get that shit wrong with PDFs, though I have no idea why.– detritus2/3

    Crop marks, even.– detritus3/3

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:53 p.m. – Permalink

• inkpink

  and regarding file size, it definitely is a concern... as an EPS file size is directly related to the physical dimensions, so a large 10' banner of even a very basic logo can end up 10x larger file than the native AI file.

  compression of course will fix that but still, can get heavy for clients who are computer illiterate.

  • right. but I hope you're doing scaled versions of 10' banners and not ones at actual size.– doesnotexist1/4

    well, it's easier anyways. printer can just scale it.– doesnotexist2/4

    not always, and this was just an extreme example to illustrate my point– inkpink3/4

    ... a complex 1 page 11x17 illustration saved out as EPS is gonna be huge compared to native ai– inkpink4/4

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:55 p.m. – Permalink

• johndiggity

  production is notoriously slow moving and it's hard to keep up on what the most current standards are. i found this to be a good read and actually learned a bit:
  http://www.smashingmagazine.com/…

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:58 p.m. – Permalink

• detritus

  It's probably different now, but EPS used to be effing shite at storing Illustrator gradients - especially when we had to use the old alpha-fade hack (I'm sooo happy to have finally upgraded to CS4 :)

  Always used to break the fuckers up into weird sections.

  'OK' when you never intended to work on the file again, useless otherwise.

  • I never knew that was due to saving as .eps. I just thought it sucked. Thanks.– Soler

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:58 p.m. – Permalink

• inkpink

  @ baseline... nope i never use distiller. just save out illy pdfs and if something needs to be optimized for press i use adavnced tools in acrobat.

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 1:58 p.m. – Permalink

• inkpink

  oh woah i just reread topic question... you save all your internal files as EPS?!? your workflow seems like overkill to me but i guess to each their own.

  • right, well most projects involve me sending pdfs to clients, and since i use distiller, it seems easier not to have an eps and ai file– baseline_shift1/2

    seems like overkill. i agree.– dewilde2/2

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 2:06 p.m. – Permalink

• transmission

  I save as ai always because I like to use the "Object Layers Options".
  That way, when working on InDesign, I only need one ai file with all my different logo versions on different layers.
  and then select the one I want visible to be on.

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 2:06 p.m. – Permalink

• mirrorball

  when I place ai files into indesign they always have a white box around them, is there something I'm doing wrong when saving the ai out of illy?

  

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  Dog-earNov 2, 09, 2:36 p.m. – Permalink

• transmission

  ^
  increase your dispaly performance or when you import the ai file
  hold shift then click ok from once you select the file then make sure the "transparent background" is checked off.

  • good man yerself trans, thanks!– mirrorball

  

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  Dog-earNov 3, 09, 9 a.m. – Permalink