Is it possible to convert CorelDraw file to Freehand??

**zarifkhan** · 03 April 2007, 11:04 AM

hello guys,
well, could someone tell me how to convert corel file to freehand, there are alot of pages which is made in coreldraw but the press/publisher saying that you must convert it to freehand to make it possible to print....so pls help...

thnx & regards,

Zarif

**RedWombat** · 03 April 2007, 01:44 PM

Wow, I've never had to convert to a Freehand file just to go to press. I would check with them to see if a PDF file will work. That's what I use all the time to go to press and never have a problem.

Best of luck!

**sallybode** · 04 April 2007, 02:07 AM

Normally any printer can take .pdf, .tif, .eps, .ai, .psd, .QuarkXpress, InDesign. If this printer insists on Freehand files, why can't their Freehand program import .pdf? Don't understand that either.

They mustn't be too fond of the color of money. I'd take my business elsewhere.

**Albacore** · 04 April 2007, 10:47 AM

Sarif FH mx is the most reliable programme for importing PDF's that I know there should be no problems doing that way.

**bubbidge** · 04 April 2007, 03:11 PM

I think Freehand can import EPS files. Can you export from Corel as an EPS and then import into Freehand??

Andy

**sallybode** · 04 April 2007, 06:55 PM

I work for a printer, I know what they can and cannot do. I don't know of a digital platemaker that works exclusively with only one software. It is not like some vinyl cutters out there, but even then, those give you the usual flavors to pick between, .ai, .eps, .cdr, .pdf.

The designer won't often have as many software titles under his belt as a printer, who for doing business with more people usually has many more software titles to choose from.

Most software you can import into with .eps or .pdf, what it sounds like, the printer wants you to either download a trial or buy Freehand. For one project, a trial might work. But it depends upon who you talk with at the printers, I'd ask for the one who is in charge of their graphics department. If you talked with someone who does work for them but only works in that software, you could get that answer.

CorelDRAW runs mostly on PC's so to MAC users that makes anything done in that inferior. Not true. But that is their prejudice, and it won't go away anytime soon. With the advent of Windows Vista, more expense in both OS and hardware, I'm looking at buying a MAC myself and running a virtual PC when I need to. The sad fact is that no matter how wonderful DRAW is and Xara too, the Windows OS does leave much to be desired in stability and vulnerability.

Most of us use this software to get some work done. As far as compatibility issues on this score: there are printers who want your business and there are those who don't care. Irregardless of how bright you are telling some MAC users how it can be done is like trying to break into an exclusive club, you aren't going to be heard, your point of view not considered. This is just life in the real world.

One of two choices, play their game or find a printer who wants your business.

**zarifkhan** · 04 April 2007, 08:06 PM

thanks to alls, well i think you didn't understand what i mean, dear in one file i mean suppose in corel i made a book of 250pgs now if i save it in eps this will b getting more/waste time when i export it one pg at a time so ???? and if i save it in pdf i can't change anything if they found mistakes there so but i just thought that there must be any convertor which convert corel to freehand format i think this is happend.....but where is that software don't know?????????

thx

**sallybode** · 05 April 2007, 03:02 AM

It appears from doing a bit of research, that Freehand is not very good at importing .pdf files, it does alright with .eps, however.

If you have a book or booklet, the problem a printer will have in imposition unless you know how to do the imposition for your book. There would be no reason to bring it into Freehand which appears to be their multi-page program.

If you have your booklet in facing pages which makes sense, you can print to Adobe Acrobat Professional out of Print Preview after setting up your impositions in Print Preview. Then when you print to .pdf your impositions will be correct and the printer shouldn't have to do any imposing. You have tools in Print Preview such as Color Bars, Densitometer Scales, Registration Marks and Crop Marks. One reason the printer may want to do this in Freehand is that he knows what size paper he is using and your layout may not be to the correct size. Your .pdf may not have been made with marks and bleeds, and bleeds are usually with most printers .125" or 1/8" however some printers request 1/16" bleed.

If you absolutely have to prepare .eps files to be imported into Freehand, I have included here a file converter which can convert each page of your file to an .eps file. Doesn't work if you have facing pages turned on. As it is going to an Adobe format, the height and width may be reverse. I suggest playing with it to see how to get the best results with it. It is capable of holding bleeds, spot color, text, graphics, you name it. Very powerful script. I suggest you create a folder and put the file in it you wish for it to Batch. Be sure to look at every option in the converter. Be sure also to find out from your printer his specs such as if he wants each page to have crop marks, bleeds--how much, what protocol he uses if he is printing in Spot Color. Batch you file, reimport into CorelDRAW and see how your file comes out. It will give you an idea of what to do. You can also download a trial of Freehand and experiment with the interface. But this makes a good .eps. The text comes in as text, however, each word if broken from the previous so word wrap if it needed to be adjusted isn't going to work, you'd have to rejoin your text strings. You should unzip the .gms file and cut and paste it C:\Program Files\Corel\CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 13\Draw\GMS. You must restart DRAW. Then you can run the script from the VBA Editor ToolBar, just look for the script.

I tried the file converter in X3, you could probably also use it in DRAW 12 providing you got the updates for it, I'd also suggest that you have all the updates for X3 as well if you are using that. I hope you are using X3, however, as that is the one I ran the test with. DRAW 12 would not be my choice with doing a book, I'd choose X3 because of the .pdf importing capacity is so much better, so many more features are supported, the crop tool, PowerTRACE. It is a powerful program.

How many pages is your book or booklet?

**RedWombat** · 05 April 2007, 03:09 AM

Yikes!

Zarifkhan is that 250 page book just an example or what you're actually wanting to get into Freehand?

I spent many years in publishing and I would never layout a book in Draw or Freehand. Small publications, but not a book of that size.

Do you have an application designed to work with book layout? InDesign, or even Pagemaker. Ventura, something along those lines?

**bubbidge** · 05 April 2007, 07:16 AM

My apologies zarifkhan, i misunderstood.
I didn't realise you had so many pages! A 250 page document in Corel???

Wow, i wouldn't even attempt it!

Sally is quite right though in my experience. Any printer worth their salt will be able to print from a PDF file, at least be able to import it into a document they can use.

Hope you find a solution.

Andy