Xara Vector file compatibility with Adobe Illustrator 8/10

[Ray49]

I'm using Xara Photo & Graphics Designer 9 to create vectors in eps format for submission to stock photo/illustration sites which require compatibility with AI 8/10 and I am having difficulties. I discovered that some actions in Xara, gradients and such, result in rasters which are not acceptable so I avoid these and keep the vectors really simple by reducing everything, including text to basic shapes. However I still get rejections for compatibility!?! I've been comparing accepted and rejected vectors and sometimes I see the problem but often I don't which is driving me mad. Can anyone help please? Thanks
P.S. I have no problem with svg format which some sites accept but need to conquer eps.

[mwenz]

The only surefire way is to use Illustrator and down-save to an antiquated format/version.

Do the stock sites you use accept PDFs? If so, use layers and export from Xp&G to one of the PDF flavors that maintain the layers. Everything should work out fine then.

I think these stock sites should get with the program and update their requirements. Many/most are stuck in the 1990s.

Mike

[Gamerprinter]

For the map object products I create for RPG gamers for use in their gaming maps, since I offer tutorials for game cartographers using Xara Photo & Designer, I've been thinking of offering map objects in .XAR format, in addition to the PNG versions I sell now. This way I might skip the whole must convert to some other usable file, and just keep things in Xara format, and promote its ease of use, along with a recommendation to purchasing XP&D 10.

[Albacore]

Your version of Xara software will export export both .eps and the legacy version 8 Illustrator file format not 10. What to look for before exporting is no RGB effects: no shadows, bevels, transparencies, some bitmaps. It will also struggle with complex fills, blends, and text so care must be taken in all of your drawings as you have found out.

There are ways around most of the problems but this will effect the quality of your output making it less sellable. You can look for sites that only sell PDF - Jpeg - Png formats but those are relatively few and far between. The only way I found to sell my graphics was to only offer it in sites which only sold bitmaps in there various formats but I never made that much from them any way and after 3 years I removed my pictures from the sites I was using. That's another thing to remember if your trying to sell graphics through a third party site upload them to as many of these sites that you can.

[Michael]

Google around for svg to eps or use Inkscape to convert.

[Ray49]

Hi and thanks. I submit numerous jpg illustrations to stock sites which I create in Photoshop and I am doing ok, but some images, like a simple sign with text for example sell better as vectors. My eps vectors contain none of the effects you mentioned, I avoid them deliberately, this is why I am baffled. I wonder if certain fonts could be an issue? I am also concerned that some reviewers can tell Xara (or non AI) was used and automatically reject on this grounds? I am also looking for answers from the stock sites. Thanks again.