"pdf2xar exit code nonzero"

Hello all. Long-time lurker, first-time poster.

I draw cave maps and I'm transitioning from Illustrator CS3 to Xara Xtreme Pro 5. However, this means I need to be able to convert my AI files to XAR files, as some of the maps are ongoing survey projects.

Some of them open OK, although I wish there were a way to transfer that would retain more than just top-level layers. However, I have one file that, no matter what I try, will not open in Xara; I get the following error message:

PDF2XAR EXIT CODE NONZERO

What on earth does that mean? I've tried importing an AI (CS3 ver), an AI (AI10 ver), an AI (AI10 ver with PDF content checked), a PDF (ver 1.5), a PDF (ver 1.6), an SVG (won't open), and a DXF (won't open).

With other maps, the AI10 with PDF content enabled worked well enough to continue. I've done nothing different with this file than the others. What's going on here?

Why not export in CS3 to pdf and then import into Xtreme?
Just a suggestion.

Hans

Just tried that, it doesn't help. I tried exporting PDF version 1.4, PDF version 1.5, and PDF version 1.6 from Illustrator CS3. I have no trouble opening this same file in a legacy version of Illustrator (Ai10) or viewing it with Acrobat 8.

Xara just plain won't open this thing?

then maybe something in the file is using an illustrator feature that xtreme cannot support - a separate issue from xtreme being able to open AI files generally ?

[in the same way that some programs which open PSD files do not support all of photoshop's layer types]


Welcome to TG

Have you tried exporting from CS3 to Illustrator version 8 format?

At one time that was the version required for import into Xara X¹. I'm not sure if that is still the best version to use.

HEY, the Ai8 export actually worked. In fact, the layers are all there, not just the top-level layers, although they've all been turned INTO top-level layers.

There is some "cleanup" work to be done with the text after the export, but all-in-all this will work for what I need now. Thanks!

for future reference [should you need it] AI8 is not too clever with transparency - glad it worked though, good suggestion Bill :D

Which version of Xara Xtreme are you using? The ai import filters in XX5 seem to work much better than the earlier ones.

EDIT: Just re-read your post where you said Xtreme 5 ...... so ignore me .....

I'm lucky enough to not have transparency issues, these maps are fairly complex but in a structural sense the files are quite simplistic. It just seems like a huge pain to get an AI file open, though. The Xara X5 help file says "PDF is now the preferred way for importing files from Adobe Illustrator," except... that doesn't work.

just the one file?

so it might be worth checking if there is some feature/function in there that is not in the others