Illustrator as a PDF editor

[mattbeals]

Even having them side by side you won't see what Illustrator changed when it opened the generic PDF.

[mattbeals]

And thank you for the compliment.

[gnubler]

Remember what happened when you opened a Freehand EPS in Illustrator? All the lines, fills, gradients/blends, etc were all screwed up?

That very thing happened to me a few years ago. We got a series of EPS files from a desinger that, when opened with AI, were all jacked up. Gradient color fills totally changed, objects kicked way off the artboard into the gray zone. We couldn't figure it out until we found out they were Freehand EPS.

[mattbeals]

 

[frailer]

My daughter has to routinely open FH files from Sth Africa...into Illy. She's discovered what to look for to "knock 'em into shape". Always unpredictable. I feel for her...

Oh, BTW Matt, when I said 'We all kinda knew that" I meant NOT crossing borders with illegal PDFs. But the background explanation was great, and thanks.

[SA]

Even having them side by side you won't see what Illustrator changed when it opened the generic PDF.

Here is a little tip that has saved my ass a countless times by picking up mistakes I would have otherwise missed by just viewing the PDF's side by side.

1. Duplicate PDF
2. Edit duplicated PDF in Illy - Page size HAS to stay the same!
3. Open the original and the edited PDF in acrobat.
4. Use your apple + tilda key to quickly cycle between the two PDF's repeatedly.
5. Play spot the difference.

This trick comes in especially handy (for me anyways) when doing last second fix-ups on a PDF and need to check that no fonts have defaulted, or other shit gone wrong, during the creation of the PDF.

[SA]

My daughter has to routinely open FH files from Sth Africa...into Illy.

Hey - Im from South Africa... What you trying to say?  :grin: Your freehand files better than mine?

[frailer]

Haha... no offence intended. Just that she has no chance, or little as yet, to try and get them to do things differently. Today she tells me she had a garment illustration where nothing was grouped...anywhere. I.e....pick a pocket, work you way through to group all elements in it. Next one...etc...before she could start to do the necessaries with it.  These are reasonably complex files.
Seems to take it in her stride though. Better than dad would.   :laugh:

[SA]

Haha... no offence intended. Just that she has no chance, or little as yet, to try and get them to do things differently. Today she tells me she had a garment illustration where nothing was grouped...anywhere. I.e....pick a pocket, work you way through to group all elements in it. Next one...etc...before she could start to do the necessaries with it.  These are reasonably complex files.
Seems to take it in her stride though. Better than dad would.   :laugh:

Just send me their address... will go pull a DCS on them   :evil: - Take that you freehand using scum         

 :cry: Seems there are some things you never get used to...

[gnubler]

Incidentally, I had a dream last night in which I got into an argument with an imbecile who insisted there were absolutely NO white people from or living in Africa. When I told him I was African American he refused to believe me.

[SA]

Incidentally, I had a dream last night in which I got into an argument with an imbecile who insisted there were absolutely NO white people from or living in Africa. When I told him I was African American he refused to believe me.

Thats funny... Having lived in London for a few years I always used to take the piss out of imbeciles like that who live with their heads up their ass.

Imbecile - Do you have christmas in Africa?
Me - Whats Christmas? Sounds familiar... Is that like a pudding or something? 

[youston]

Haha... no offence intended. Just that she has no chance, or little as yet, to try and get them to do things differently. Today she tells me she had a garment illustration where nothing was grouped...anywhere. I.e....pick a pocket, work you way through to group all elements in it. Next one...etc...before she could start to do the necessaries with it.  These are reasonably complex files.
Seems to take it in her stride though. Better than dad would.   :laugh:

Just send me their address... will go pull a DCS on them   :evil: - Take that you freehand using scum         

 :cry: Seems there are some things you never get used to...

My brain fails to conceive the circumstances that would be required to make DCS refer to anyone as 'freehand using scum.'

[G_Town]

I'm actually kind of surprised we are still talking about this subject.

Are people still refrying pdf's?

[determined]

Even having them side by side you won't see what Illustrator changed when it opened the generic PDF.

Here is a little tip that has saved my ass a countless times by picking up mistakes I would have otherwise missed by just viewing the PDF's side by side.

1. Duplicate PDF
2. Edit duplicated PDF in Illy - Page size HAS to stay the same!
3. Open the original and the edited PDF in acrobat.
4. Use your apple + tilda key to quickly cycle between the two PDF's repeatedly.
5. Play spot the difference.

This trick comes in especially handy (for me anyways) when doing last second fix-ups on a PDF and need to check that no fonts have defaulted, or other shit gone wrong, during the creation of the PDF.

After you have them open side by side, there is also the "compare documents" command under the advanced menu...It picks up and highlights differences between the two files...

Oops, sorry...in Acrobat 8 it's under Advanced, In 9, it's under "document"

[Tracy]

Incidentally, I had a dream last night in which I got into an argument with an imbecile who insisted there were absolutely NO white people from or living in Africa. When I told him I was African American he refused to believe me.

south african?
I work with a lot of south africans