Export selected object

[steve.ledger]

Creating work for the Gerber Edge Thermal printer often requires three files to be brought into Omega Composer (where vinyl & thermal foil types are assigned) before the job is sent to the Gerber. These are;

[1] The bitmap, where there's photographic content to be printed at high LPI process colour.
[2] An overprint for text and other 'solid' (spot) colours
[3] A 'cutline' for producing the decal shape which the plotter will cut to.

File 1 is exported as .bmp and files 2 & 3 need to be vector, for this we use .ai format which the Omega Software accepts best.
Problem is, while XXP is fantastic for designing the job - Xara's export handling could be better.

Exporting the bitmap object is fine, as Xara will export the 'selection'. But when it comes to exporting as .ai, Xara wants to export the entire document rather than the selection??

Other illustration software options this via a 'check box' allowing you to tell the program to export only the selected object rather than the entire document.
My work around is to copy the object to another temp document then exporting as .ai

Have I missed something?

[handrawn]

Hi there

In pdf/x export dialog - commercial printing -advanced options -there is a 'page generation' section that allows you to select 'current page' or 'selected objects' [bottom of the general tab]

[handrawn]

As far as I know - no options for xara .ai - I'd do same as you, or promote to new layer and hide rest, depending

[steve.ledger]

Hi there

In pdf/x export dialog - commercial printing -advanced options -there is a 'page generation' section that allows you to select 'current page' or 'selected objects' [bottom of the general tab]

Thanks Steve - yeh I know about the PDF options, trouble is that we strictly need .ai. Omega Composer won't accept PDF (also won't accept PNG with transparencies or alpha channel blending which is another MAJOR headache with the Omega software)

[handrawn]

Thats bad news regarding the PNG.

Xara seems to export at .ai7 level - at least, thats what my illustrator 10 says it is.
Actually I avoid using it [xara ai export] these days and opt for pdf as something in my system dosn't like pre .ai8 files - they keep getting reported as locked/readonly when they are not, and a reboot is required to rename/delete/move them.
Sorry I cant help on the specific question, but without a dialog options for the export, I can't think of any way of 'fixing' it

[steve.ledger]

The problem is, the Gerber Edge will only listen to the Omega Composer software, so we're limited by the restrictions of that software. (can you believe, it will only rotate a bitmap in 90 degree increments!?! .

[handrawn]

I'm only just finding my feet with cmyk - sounds like your requirement there is based on fairly old technology - seems to be a lot of it about in printing - possibly something to do with cost/inertia/it works so why fix it - at least up to a point?
90 degree increments wow I remember those like I remember an intel 286

[steve.ledger]

As far as I know - no options for xara .ai - I'd do same as you, or promote to new layer and hide rest, depending

This doesn't work for me.
Layer1 -> Bitmap
Layer2 -> Overprint
Layer3 -> Cutline

Hiding two layers when exporting the selected layer works only for the bitmap. The others are exported blank...

[handrawn]

ha - thats what I get for relying on memory

it should export as a hidden layer - in illustrator I have to toggle the visibility back on after importing it

[Albacore]

I totally agree that the filter is so old and should be update. Steve right about the version number but at version 9 Adobe introduced transparencies do we use this one or go to the 1st of the CS when the text engine was changed. This would certainly help the import of PDF as at the moment text goes all over the place. You mention how important it is only to export the selection but how bad is AI at doing that if you dont crop the art board down to fit the selection it will do the same. I know that you are trying to avoid using AI and increase your work flow but I don't see a way forward here as it will be difficult to do but a better way would be to use what FH did a cut & paste import as it is easier to implement.