Opening AI File Created in Xara

[MktgGeek]

Hi,

I just created a Xara file by importing some EPS, PDF and maybe AI files. Then, I saved it as an Illustrator AI file.

But, when I import the saved file into Xara, it gives me an error message: Invalid Line/Shape Detected.

Any ideas on why? And if there's a fix for it? Shouldn't I be able to open files I created?

Thanks!

Kathleen

[ss-kalm]

Do you mean that you are trying to open an AI file that you exported from Xara by re-importing the same file? Did you keep the original .xar? Is this just to test the import/export filters? perhaps you should open the file in AI and export as a .xar!!!!!!!!!

And no, depending on what you exported it as, then you may not be able to open it again. Everything should always be saved as a .xar.

[handrawn]

Hi Kathleen

following on from Keith..

xtreme saves files in xar format - these you should always be able to re-open

other file types are all exported and therefore you would need to import them, and this is not the same as opening, it is version dependant

there are lots of different versions of AI file type and xtreme's export and import ai filters appear to be slightly different - hence the message

[MktgGeek]

Thanks so much for the replies.

I did keep the xar version. I was making a file to send to a screenprinter, so I was importing a number of logos and wondered if that had something to do with the problem.

I did import the .AI file I'd created in Xara back into Xara - I just wanted to see how all the different logos came out.

But, it won't import. It juse seems strange. I imported various vector files, saved the xar file, then used "Export" to save it as Illustrator .AI

Since Xara created the .AI file, wouldn't it have to have a filter to open the same .AI file afterward?

I can get the screenprinter to check the file by sending them a GIF so they can see what the AI should look like. It just seems weird that I can't check it myself. And, I don't have Illustrator.

I know it's convoluted. Does that make the issue any more clear?

[handrawn]

you cannot use 'save as' in xtreme to produce anything other than a .xar file - even if you name it '.ai' in the dialog box it will still be in reality saved in xar format - you must export to produce an ai file

[MktgGeek]

Steve - I "mistyped". I fixed my post above. You're right, I exported the xar file as an Illustrator AI

[handrawn]

ok Kathleen no problem - just you would have had problems opening a file in xar format of type .ai

its all historical - adobe keep changing the specs and other programs have to keep up as best they can - xtreme exports .ai files as version 8 - as far as importing goes I think its version 7, so somtimes version 8 falls over.

anyway as illustrator has now adopted pdf for vectors, xara have concentrated on that, rather than updating their ai filters.

[MktgGeek]

Yes, Steve, you're so right. Luckily, while I often know just enough to be dangerous, I do understand that concept!

I just tried Exporting the xar file as a PDF, then opening that PDF in Xara. Once reopened, the PDF was formatted a bit oddly, but most of the information was there.

The PDF itself, when opened, only shows a small portion of the content of the original xar file.

I can only hope that the screener can open the .AI I created from the xar file and it's all there!

Kathleen

[handrawn]

sometimes pdf's import objects into xtreme as clipview objects - if you open the pdf in adobe viewer it will not show anything off the page...

[MktgGeek]

Thanks again, Steve. Guess what I'm figuring out is that just because Xara created a file, that doesn't mean that it will open it. Odd, I think, but with all the different file types, guess I can't have everything.