Currently preferred file formats

Started by ratintrap, July 23, 2009, 10:21:09 AM

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ratintrap

Since I'm stuck using outdated software at work I'm kind of behind on what the preferred file formats are for different kinds of artwork. At work we use EPS for vector art and TIFF for raster-based images. From what I've gathered on the forum, these are no longer the preferred formats. Are .AI files and PSDs pretty much the standard now?

I'm asking because I'm doing freelance design work for one of our salespeople and I want to give her the appropriate file formats on CD. For now I've just been saving them in a bunch of formats so most anyone she handed the CD off to should be able to use at least one of the formats.

:offtopic:  :offtopic:  :offtopic:  :offtopic:  :offtopic:

(I guess the salesperson knows the chair of the art department of a large university in the area. She showed him some of the stuff I've designed for her and he was really impressed. I'm not sure it that's a good thing or a bad thing. :laugh: )

DigitalCrapShoveler

Okay, if you are running any CS apps, PSD and AI. For pre-CS apps, Quark and OS9 Apps, do what you normally do.
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Ear

Wow, OS9? There are people still running 9?

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ratintrap

Quote from: DigitalCrapShoveler on July 23, 2009, 10:28:59 AMOkay, if you are running any CS apps, PSD and AI. For pre-CS apps, Quark and OS9 Apps, do what you normally do.

So I probably should still save them in multiple formats (AI, EPS, PSD, TIFF) just in case she hands the disk off to someone who's not up to date I guess.

ratintrap

Quote from: Earendil on July 23, 2009, 10:34:26 AMWow, OS9? There are people still running 9?

Yes. :embarrassed: Not at home though.

tapdn

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gnubler

Can someone break down the differences between EPS and AI? I've noticed the file sizes are dramatically different and I've been running batches through my vector clipart collections to convert all EPS's to AI. In some cases a 5Mb EPS ends up being under 1Mb once saved as AI.
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Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 06, 2012, 05:03:51 PM
So,  :drunk3: i send the job to the rip with live transparecy (v 1.7 or whatever) and it craps out with a memory error.

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ratintrap

Quote from: tapdn on July 23, 2009, 10:37:07 AMWhy not just well made PDFs?

They're just logos so far. :undecided:

David

one major difference between the two...
.eps does not support transparency, the .ai format does

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Prepress guy - Retired - Working from home
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Ear

Quote from: gnubler on July 23, 2009, 10:39:36 AMCan someone break down the differences between EPS and AI? I've noticed the file sizes are dramatically different and I've been running batches through my vector clipart collections to convert all EPS's to AI. In some cases a 5Mb EPS ends up being under 1Mb once saved as AI.

Yes, I can explain it but I'm too lazy today.  :sleepy: Where's DCS?  :laugh:
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David

Prepress guy - Retired - Working from home
Livin' la Vida Loca

Ear

You mean I have to click a link? too much work...

Thanks Dave.  :grin:
"... profile says he's a seven-foot tall ex-basketball pro, Hindu guru drag queen alien." ~Jet Black

tapdn

you think that's a lot of work try actually reading through the entire post!  :cry: :sleepy:
usually fried mate - sometimes pickled - often scrambled - never beaten
~ Sir B. Monsteaure
No, he's well within his rights to diss cake. Pie, on the other hand, is waaaayyyy off limits.
~Youston
I'm just a stupid printer WTF do I know
~Farabomb

David

nobody said it was easy...

hell, I didn't read it myself

I'm too lazy

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Prepress guy - Retired - Working from home
Livin' la Vida Loca

frailer

#14
Quote from: gnubler on July 23, 2009, 10:39:36 AMCan someone break down the differences between EPS and AI? I've noticed the file sizes are dramatically different and I've been running batches through my vector clipart collections to convert all EPS's to AI. In some cases a 5Mb EPS ends up being under 1Mb once saved as AI.

My, (very basic), understanding. EPS is a PostScript file, "encapsulated", as its own entity/independent...Bounding Box etc.  For placement in documents as images, text blocks...whatever. By definition, flattened. Basically, uneditable, unless you're a PostScript code geek. PostScript files are usually large files. I've just been archiving this morning. Busy dumping .ps PREPS files, and .ps pages from quack...(old stuff from months ago). File size shrinks dramatically. But I've kept all the (Distilled), PDFs. PostScript is dead...have I heard that somewhere here before?

AI: Depending on what options were ticked at save-time, its make-up can vary. But usually a layered, editable file. In most cases, contains within its bowels an Illy PDF...just hidden, is all.

EPS=Old format=Quack-safe
AI=New fandangle format. Under the Adobe umbrella, therefore Adobe app-compatible.

Hope I'm reasonably close to the money.   :undecided:
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