Because I am your icon, your role model and paragon of virtue, I've posted this lil FAQ list.
Disclaimer: failure to read this document while working with ES, will result in nasty comments headed your way from yer pal, ES. Read this, learn it, love it and then, you too can bash all the "un-educated", just like me. Problems with PC/MAC will never...eeeever happen again.. thank you!
Mac/PC Transfer Protocols MAC TO PC Illustrator Graphics opened or created in MAC Illustrator should be
saved as Illustrator EPS if they are to be opened and edited on
the PC. This file format gives the most consistently reliable results.
Files must be named in eight (8) characters or less and have an (.eps)
extension added at the end. This helps Illustrator, Corel Draw, or other
PC illustration software recognize it as an Illustrator file. You can
also save Illustrator files in their native format with an (.ai) extension
which works fine in an illustration program like Corel, but be aware it
will not display in Quark on the PC (although the graphic will print just
fine you will only see a gray box on screen). Because fonts are NOT cross-platform
compatible, it is recommended to covert all text to outlines before saving
or exporting from MAC Illustrator. Also, be sure and delete guides from
the page before saving. Otherwise, Corel "sees" these guides when importing
the MAC Illustrator file and they then must be manually deleted or they
will print in the final document. When exporting, you'll also be prompted with a dialogue
box for selecting an Illustrator version (ie: 3.0, 4.0, etc.) and a preview
option. I recommend version 4.0 or 5.0 to insure compatibility with a
broad range of PC programs. Also be sure and select an IBM l-bit preview.
This will allow for placement in PC Quark, Pagemaker or other page layout
program. Photoshop MAC Photoshop documents will transfer to the PC in either
native format or tiff. To prepare a Photoshop document for the PC, simply
do a "Save As" or "Save a Copy" and name the file in eight (8) characters
or less with a (.psd) extension. For tiff format, perform the same Save
As and select the tiff option. Name the file in eight (8) characters or
less with a (.tif) extension. You will also be given the option of MAC
or IBM preview. Choose IBM. Freehand Freehand works similar to Illustrator in that text must
be converted to outlines, and guides delted from the page. Use the export
feature and select Illustrator 3.0 from the menu. Name the file in eight
(8) characters or less with the (.ai) or (.eps) extension. PC To MAC Corel Draw Corel is a vector illustration program like Illustrator.
Because of its versatility in importing and exporting graphics files,
it is generally the graphics program of choice on the PC. When exporting
from Corel, the most common format is (.eps) for use in Quark or by Adobe
Illustrator on the MAC. Corel also provides the option of exporting as
(.ai) if the file will be going directly to MAC Illustrator rather than
a page layout program like Quark Xpress. Illustrator On the PC, Illustrator transfers easily to the MAC platform.
Simply save the Illustrator file in its native format, remembering to
convert any text to outlines before saving. Deleting guides is not necessary
in this procedure. Photoshop Photoshop on the PC works seamlessly with its MAC equivalent.
Save from the PC in either native format or tiff. When saving in tiff,
give the document a MAC preview when prompted. MAC Photoshop will open
either of these easily. PLACING GRAPHICS IN OTHER PROGRAMS Quark Xpress PC graphics converted to (.eps) through Corel Draw work
best in Quark on the MAC. Remember to avoid fonts that are not converted
to outlines. Also although (.wmf) [Windows Metafile] is a common
PC vector graphics format, Quark recommends using (.eps) or (.tif in Quark
on both the MAC and PC platforms. Also, PC Quark imports (.ai) files from
the Mac without a screen preview. The file will print correctly, but is
difficult to place without the preview. To solve this, save the Mac Illustrator
file as "Illustrator EPS, give the file a (.eps) extension, save in version
4 format with a l-bit IBM preview. Microsoft Word For PC Word, it is suggested that only .wmf (Windows Metafile)
and .bmp (Windows Bitmap) graphics files be used. Many business clients
do not have a postscript printer, therefore (.eps) files won't print correctly.
Also, many versions of Word may not have a filter installed for (.tif)
files. In this case, use Photoshop on the PC to save a (.tif) bitmap file
as (.bmp) [Windows Bitmap] which is fully supported by Microsoft
programs that handle graphics. The same is true for (.wmf), all Windows
programs that accept graphics support the .wmf standard. And, since (.wmf)
files are vector graphics and a smaller file size than a bitmap file,
they almost always provide the best results for PC clients. GENERAL RULES OF THUMB If the previous protocols are observed, graphics transfer
between the PC and MAC is fairly painless. The only real potential problem
when transferring across platforms is when sophisticated graphics such
as complex fountain fills and masks done for example in Illustrator 6,
are transferred to a PC program (or vice versa--PC to Mac) which does
not support such effects. The trouble is not in the actual exchange from
across platforms, it is in converting to software that does not support
the latest version's capabilities. Also, the issue of fonts will hopefully be resolved by
the font foundries themselves at some point in the future. Even identical
font families from the same foundry (like Adobe), vary in kerning from
PC to MAC versions. Mainstream layout and design programs like Quark,
Pagemaker, Corel and Illustrator swap native files easily between platforms.
But if your document has a lot of type, be prepared for some reflow of
text that will require minor adjusting. As far as graphics go, always name in eight (8) characters
or less for the PC and remember to give the proper extension (.ai for
Adobe Illustrator, .tif for TIFF, etc.) when going to the PC. If your
name is longer, it will still translate, but you will see a "!" in the
file name, when viewed on the PC. PRINTING ISSUES The main issue to consider for all PC clients is whether
or not their output device (printer) supports postscript. To be safe,
it is advised to use the wmf and/or .bmp standard for the Windows world,
particularly if the client only outputs on a local printer--not at a service
bureau. If clients perform higher end pre-press and service bureau output,
.eps and .tif are acceptable, if not desirable. IBM FILE GLOSSARY