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Steve Clarkson
06-06-2012, 8:53 AM
I've never used Photoshop, so I don't know how to use it.

The problem is that people send me .psd files that they create in Photoshop and when I import them into Corel, they come in as bitmaps rather than vector files.

I found out that if I tell people to convert their text to "outlines" (I assume the equivalent of "curves" in Corel) that it will import as a vector. However, what should they do for graphics (ie. a star or an outline of a lion, etc) so that when I import it, it is a vector?

I've tried asking people to save their file as an .eps but even then, when I import it and ungroup it, it is still a bitmap.

So can anyone give me a one or two line phrase telling someone how to save and send a .psd file so that it is a vector when I import it?

Scott Shepherd
06-06-2012, 10:54 AM
You can't.

One is a raster program, one is a vector program. You can't go to the Honda dealer and tell them you want parts for your Chevy.

Tell them to do the job in Illustrator and not PS. Otherwise, you're stuck right where you are at.

Ruben Salcedo
06-06-2012, 10:55 AM
Steve,

Photoshop is not a vector program, although you can work with vector like tools, like text, shapes and paths, unfortunately you can only export paths as outlines only, not many people do this but is possible, the way to do it is by first creating a selection of the object/s, be text etc. then convert the selection to a path, then export the path as a Illustrator path, now you can import the path to Corel, just note that when you import it in Corel it will import with no color so it will appear as if there is nothing, all you have to do is select it and then give it an outline color.


Ruben

Martin Boekers
06-06-2012, 12:15 PM
To make it short, PhotoShop is similar to Corel Photo Paint (both Raster programs) and Illustrator is similar to Corel Draw. both Vector programs)

Steve Clarkson
06-06-2012, 2:46 PM
OK...thanks!

Chuck Stone
06-07-2012, 11:03 AM
I was going to point you to Ruben, but he already chimed in. He helped me out
with this same thing.
Unfortunately, some people will not understand the vector concept and might just
save the file with a different extension, so you need to watch for that. The people
who know what you're talking about probably wouldn't need to be told in the first
place.

Take a look at post #17 on this thread:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?171355-Christmas-gift-idea-ideas&highlight=illustrator+merge+visible+path

Gary Hair
06-07-2012, 11:52 AM
I love it when a customer sends me a raster file and I ask for vector instead, suggesting eps, pdf, ai, etc., and they send a pdf with a bitmap inside...

Scott Shepherd
06-07-2012, 1:12 PM
I love it when a customer sends me a raster file and I ask for vector instead, suggesting eps, pdf, ai, etc., and they send a pdf with a bitmap inside...

Oh man, that drives me crazy. I had a guy a month ago call and ask what format I needed the file in. I told him I could use DXF for what he was telling me. He sends me a jpeg, saved as a DXF format. I open it, it's a jpeg. I call him, tell him it's not a DXF, it's a jpeg. He sends it again. Same thing. Then he calls me stupid and says that he clearly is sending it as a DXF, just look at the extension on the file, it says "DXF".

Douglas J Miller
06-07-2012, 1:17 PM
I sense a bunch of 'worlds dumbest customers' stories coming. :)

This should get good! Lol

Chuck Stone
06-07-2012, 7:26 PM
when I owned a photo lab, it was difficult to explain why an image on the monitor would
not print a beautiful 8x10. I gave up trying to explain the difference between a 72dpi
monitor image and a 400dpi continuous tone print. All they understood is that the image
looked great as their avatar..

Doug Griffith
06-07-2012, 9:59 PM
Another thing to note is that EPS can be either vector, bitmap or both.

William Adams
06-10-2012, 5:27 PM
Adobe Illustrator will open a .psd providing a dialog w/ options for what is converted.

There's an option for text to stay as text --- smart shapes can stay vector, &c.

Scott Shepherd
06-10-2012, 7:49 PM
Let's be careful not to confuse people. You cannot take a bitmap from Photoshop and open it as vectors in Illustrator. The programs are so complex and do so many different things and people read one thing and think it applies to all objects. If you have a photo of your Grandmother in Photoshop, it's never going to open as vectors in Illustrator or Corel. If someone has drawn something from scratch in Photoshop and used text and objects (shapes, etc.), then you stand a better chance at using that in Illustrator, but if it's just a pure bitmap in Photoshop, it's not going to happen as a vector file.

So can you open PS files as vector work? The answer is "Sort of", but if you're in the "sort of" land in your discussion with someone, then chances are, they have no idea what you're talking about and won't be giving you what you need.

I'd say 99.9% of the items people will give you are not things drawn with text and shapes.

Martin Boekers
06-11-2012, 9:51 AM
I sense a bunch of 'worlds dumbest customers' stories coming. :)

This should get good! Lol


I'm sure there are a bunch of customers out there that have similar stories about us. I can see it
now. "can you believe this engraver? He asks for a DFX file so I save it as that and he tells me its a JPG!
I did this 5 times before I finally gave up, it clearly said DFX in the file extension! I guess he can't read!" :)

Martin Boekers
06-11-2012, 9:55 AM
when I owned a photo lab, it was difficult to explain why an image on the monitor would
not print a beautiful 8x10. I gave up trying to explain the difference between a 72dpi
monitor image and a 400dpi continuous tone print. All they understood is that the image
looked great as their avatar..

Being and old photographer and printer myself, I have to admit it took a while for me to understand resolution and compression
when the digital age hit. The old days it was about film format and sensitivity that made the difference.

Scott Moore2
06-11-2012, 12:06 PM
Indeed the confusion between Illustrator and PS is great. As many have pointed out here, clients shouldn't be sending you PS files for vector cutting. But Adobe is blurring the lines here, which is what makes it so complex and difficult to understand.

Adobe PS is capable of exporting vector files if you use paths, but I wouldn't even tell clients that is an option, as it will further confuse those who are already confused. It can open EPS vector files, and you can do limited things to them, and save them out again as EPS. Sometimes we use this functionality if we download a vector file for cutting in PDF or EPS format, and all we want to do is delete a few lines and then save it out. Why would we do this in PS instead of Illustrator? Because we use PS all day long, but Illustrator not so much, and we're lazy, and we know what we're doing. But if you require vectors, I would be inclined not to tell clients that there is an option. Just make them give you files from Corel or Illustrator.

Ponoko.com has some very good FAQs that you can browse on the subject of file preparation for vector laser cutting which may help with your own clients, or may help you write your own FAQ to help.

As for clients not sending correct files, we do large format printing for artists and photographers, and it's a rare day that we get print ready files. Even 90% of the "professionals" that send us files don't get it. It's a total cluster, and it's quite frustrating, and time consuming. What's worse, it's time we don't get paid for, and we don't get back.

One thing I've done recently to help with this mess when I get files that are setup incorrectly is this. I'll open up a client file, and I run screen capture/video software and I make a video of me opening their file, editing it, making it correct, etc. Or sometimes open the file and make a video of why their file will never be print ready. Then I put that video on my server and send them a link. It sounds like a lot, but it only takes a few minutes. Then I tell the client that I've made them a private video so they can do their homework.

Most clients have very much appreciated that, although I'd say even after that only about half get it right. A few "seasoned professionals" have been insulted, but that's OK. I still didn't get my money or time back.

The second time I won't help them unless a) it's a really big order b) they pay me.