exporting .ai to Vistaprint

[triple x]

A business card created in Xara X1, exported to an .ai file and uploaded to vistaprint would not work. The dimensions were always off. It was either squished in on the sides or top and bottom or both.

A .bmp file exported from the same .xar file did work, so I know it wasn't the xara file at fault. I did convert all fonts to shapes and tried just a plain rectangle in the correct dimensions (1062pix x 615pix) but no .ai file would work.

Just wondering if anyone has seen this problem and if there is a fix for it. Thanks.

[triple x]

A business card created in Xara X1, exported to an .ai file and uploaded to vistaprint would not work. The dimensions were always off. It was either squished in on the sides or top and bottom or both.

A .bmp file exported from the same .xar file did work, so I know it wasn't the xara file at fault. I did convert all fonts to shapes and tried just a plain rectangle in the correct dimensions (1062pix x 615pix) but no .ai file would work.

Just wondering if anyone has seen this problem and if there is a fix for it. Thanks.

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi triple x and welcome

Sounds like a Windows / Mac, 96 ppi / 72 ppi issue to me. Most Apple ported programs use a 72 ppi resolution, so when you export a XaraX rectangle of 1062 x 615 pixels it's imported into AI as a 796.5 x 461.3 pixel rectangle. Check the dimension in Illustrator to see if this is correct.
Egg

[triple x]

I don't have Illustrator. The closest I get is Photoshop Elements and, yes, you are correct. The file opens in PSE as 797 x 462. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

I'll see if I can't come up with the dimensions in Xara that will export the correct .ai size for Vistaprint. Thanks.

[Egg Bramhill]

TripleX

To create the correct dimensions alter the scaling in XarX as suggested here.

Egg

[triple x]

Well, tried the scaling factor in Xara but it didn't help. You can see what I'm getting here.

Vistaprint say the file dimension should be 1062 x 615 pixels w/bleed. At 300 dpi that equals 3.54 x 2.05 inches, the size of a business card.

Could you possibly do a test at Vistaprint?

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi again Michael.

I tried a couple of ai uploads, 1 x 1062pix x 615pix and a second having increased the size by multiplying it by 1.33333. Vistprint chocked on both giving me the following message

The aspect ratio of your image does not match the chosen template. This means the dimensions of your image do not match the template size for Business Cards - Premium.

I expect it's Xara's AI export filter. I don't know what version of Illustrator the Xara's filter worked with but I note that Vistaprint are using AI 8 or above, which I believe is way beyond the Xara Filter.

I would create your image as a 300dpi PNG file. Their system seems quite happy with that.

Egg

[John Rayner]

Hi Micheal, Email me your Ai export and I will launder it through illustrator 10. Maybe it will work then... No harm in trying...

[triple x]

Hi guys,
I already uploaded a .bmp file to vistaprint. Next time I will try a .png or maybe Xara's .ai export filter will be updated by then. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

John, I emailed you my .ai file.

Thanks!

[John Rayner]

Hi Mike,

I scaled it and sent it back to ya...