Export error?

[privatepratz]

Hi all, I have a display graphic that is 10'x8'. Its the largest file I have ever created. I went to export it as an .ai and .eps file and it gives me an error of "not enough memory". But yet it saves an .ai file of 1.6gb. I cant open it because I dont have AI. But when I sent the file to the printing company, they say its all messed up. Is there any other way I can export this graphic in .ai?
Mike

[gwpriester]

You could try PDF.

[privatepratz]

You could try PDF.

I will try that. I guess I just need a new computer.

[gwpriester]

10 x 8 feet, 80 square feet, requires a huge amount of computer power. If you have 64-bit Windows and 64-bit Designer Pro 9, and a goodly amount of RAM, it is still a humongous memory drain.

If you can get by with less than 300dpi, this can help. 180 or 200dpi may work.

[mwenz]

Hi all, I have a display graphic that is 10'x8'. Its the largest file I have ever created. I went to export it as an .ai and .eps file and it gives me an error of "not enough memory". But yet it saves an .ai file of 1.6gb. I cant open it because I dont have AI. But when I sent the file to the printing company, they say its all messed up. Is there any other way I can export this graphic in .ai?
Mike

Hi Mike—great name...

Exactly how did you create a drawing of that dimension in an Xara product? The Blank Photo type of document?

First, design it at 50% scale on a regular type of page/file type, especially if you have bleed (so you can use crop marks easily). So 60" x 48" page size. Copy your art to it.

Second, large format work is designed to be viewed from a given distance. In the screen shot, my assumption is a 6' viewing distance.

Third, bitmaps, if used, need to have a certain effective DPI. The screen shot is taking that into account. The displayed Min/Max DPI is shown based upon the viewing distance.

Note, I over-rode the recommended scale to a design size of 50% as your required size is neatly divisible that way.

I don't know which Xara application you are using. In XDP, there is a setting in Options that controls the bitmap effects (like drop shadpws, etc.). By default I think it is 300 dpi. If you can successfully export your art, leave it at that. But you can change that setting if you run into export issues to a median value for the (external) effective DPI of images (so, in the screen shot there is not reason to go above say 250 and likely you can simply set it to 200).

Then, once the file is ready, export to PDF. I would recommend using the PDF/X-3 profile and let them do any required RGB-->CMYK conversion. But if they want a PDF/X-1a file, that's fine too.

Take care, Mike

[mwenz]

Oops. Forgot to state the (semi-obvious)...just communicate with the printer you designed it to 50% scale and they will double it at print.

Sorry...Mike

[Albacore]

I would amplify what Mike stated keep your drawing/layout simple. Don't have complex gradients of colour, little or no transparency, don't have dropped shadows use blends, little or no bevels use contours instead. All of these things and a few bit more are rendered as a bitmap on export as .ai/PDF and if you are using a scale they will be reduced from 300 dpi down to 150. Although in itself is fine but detail will be reduced, you can go down to as low as 120 dpi before things look a bit iffy. If you have a few bitmaps in your layout be patient when saving and before that close all programmes down, try to free up as much memory as you can, by stopping background programmes through either a optimizer or the task manager to give your computer the best chance of saving the PDF file.

[privatepratz]

I would amplify what Mike stated keep your drawing/layout simple. Don't have complex gradients of colour, little or no transparency, don't have dropped shadows use blends, little or no bevels use contours instead. All of these things and a few bit more are rendered as a bitmap on export as .ai/PDF and if you are using a scale they will be reduced from 300 dpi down to 150. Although in itself is fine but detail will be reduced, you can go down to as low as 120 dpi before things look a bit iffy. If you have a few bitmaps in your layout be patient when saving and before that close all programmes down, try to free up as much memory as you can, by stopping background programmes through either a optimizer or the task manager to give your computer the best chance of saving the PDF file.

Thanks all for your help.