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[gwpriester]

There seems some confusion between EPS and PDF.

As Jbruce indicated, his client wanted an EPS file so that his client could edit the file. If Jbruce sent the client an EPS file, the client may have her or his work cut our for him or her.

I created a document with a simple two color gradient fill and a short line of text in Georgia. I exported the document first as an EPS file and then as a PDF file and opened both files in Illustrator CS5.5 It might be different in CS6 but these were my results.

First I attempted to open the EPS file in Designer Pro X. I received the error message shown in the attachments. Xara it would seem is incapable of opening its own EPS file. And as the warning dialog indicates, it is a renderable EPS file and not intended to be edited.

I opened the EPS version in Illustrator and viewed it in Outline view. The text was incorrectly mapped and the simple gradient fill was broken into 256 individual steps. While a client could edit the colors in the gradient fill, it would have to be done one color at a time. If this EPS file were "placed" in a PostScript language application such as Adobe InDesign or Quark XPress, then it would output correctly to a PostScript enabled device. This is what the EPS file format was designed to do.

I closed the EPS and opened the PDF file in Illustrator. The gradient file remained a simple editable two color gradient and the text was the correct size and font and I was able to edit the text.

Conclusion: If you need to provide an editable file to a client, I would strongly suggest PDF, which is the basis for Adobe Illustrator's native file format and meant for a variety of uses including editing.

If my client wanted the image for commercial output, I would still recommend PDF.

[Big Frank]

I always send PDFs. I had a printer argue with me not so long ago because he wanted an AI or an AI/EPS. He was unaware Illustrator could open PDF and then he himself could create whatever the hell he wanted to with it.

I also never send embedded fonts. I always convert text to shapes. That way it's me that does any editing meaning, a) an idiot printer cannot mess up my design (happens often enough to be common) b) the client comes to me for all edits (it's all about control).

I have had the occasional client argue with me over this policy but, if you think about it, it makes sense (unless the client is a penny-pinching scrooge, to whom nothing that requires spending money makes sense).

[Jbruce]

That does make sense, and I told my client that after he payed for my design I would make any corrections for a minimal price and I do mean minimal. First time I ever sold something i Drew so I was excited enough to help him because he surely helped me.

[gwpriester]

We all have to start somewhere and your offer sounds both wise and generous.

[mwenz]

CS 5.1 (there is no CS 5.5 Illustrator). Created in XDP8, opened in AI. You can see the gradient is intact, the text is the Minion Pro I defined in Xara. There is a message about updating the text. Mapped fine.

Mike

[Big Frank]

ROFL

[gwpriester]

Mike - Did you export a Xara EPS file or an Illustrator .ai file?

And did you try to import it back into Xara?

[mwenz]

ROFL

Yep, seems the forum doesn't accept display of EPS files, Frank. Which, the Xara file is also so named, of course.

Mike

[mwenz]

Gary,

As I mentioned in the thread, the Xara file was exported to an EPS file and opened in Illy. There is no need to bring it back into Xara when one has the original XAR file...As well, the customer didn't ask for a XAR file and the issue was supplying said customer an EPS (and evidently) a PDF.

For what it is worth, the export setting of AI/EPS in Xara simply produces an identical file. Just the extension is changed.

As for importing back into Xara, sure, here it is. And yes, Xara doesn't recognize its own noted font resource in its EPS files. No worries, Xara makes it easy peasey to alter undefined fonts.

Take care, Mike

[gwpriester]

Can you attach your Xara originated .eps file? It seems peculiar that two almost identical files from the same program can produce such entirely different results.