Issue with opening and importing ai. File

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Cncmachine2
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Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by Cncmachine2 »

Hello , Utilizing V Carve Pro 9 but cannot open or import ai. file. Could I possibly be doing something incorrect?

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Adrian
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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by Adrian »

What is happening when you try to import it? Is it not working or are you getting an error message or something else?

Not all AI files are vectors. Some are just embedded bitmaps and you can't import those without saving them as a bitmap format file from another program and then tracing.

Cncmachine2
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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by Cncmachine2 »

Just a blank page. It shows a layer created with file name but that is it. I do not receive any error notifications.

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Adrian
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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by Adrian »

Most likely there are no vectors in the file and it's just a bitmap in that case.

ken.gentry
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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by ken.gentry »

I had experience on a software project converting vector files in various formats to PDF, BMP and JPEG. The Adobe Illustrator .ai format was critical to the project and the most difficult to deal with. At that time (2006) the only tool that could read AI files correctly was Adobe Illustrator itself. There was no other third party tool that could read/convert AI files.

I did not see AI as a supported import file format for VCarve. You will likely have to use Adobe Illustrator to convert your AI file to a vector format that is supported by VCarve. Using Adobe Illustrator you could export the file to PDF, SVG or DXF. VCarve works well with all these formats.

Here's a helpful web page that discusses the export formats supported by Adobe Illustrator:
http://www.thegraphicmac.com/illustrato ... explained/

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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by Samson »

ken.gentry wrote:I had experience on a software project converting vector files in various formats to PDF, BMP and JPEG. The Adobe Illustrator .ai format was critical to the project and the most difficult to deal with. At that time (2006) the only tool that could read AI files correctly was Adobe Illustrator itself. There was no other third party tool that could read/convert AI files.

I did not see AI as a supported import file format for VCarve. You will likely have to use Adobe Illustrator to convert your AI file to a vector format that is supported by VCarve. Using Adobe Illustrator you could export the file to PDF, SVG or DXF. VCarve works well with all these formats.

Here's a helpful web page that discusses the export formats supported by Adobe Illustrator:
http://www.thegraphicmac.com/illustrato ... explained/

.ai files, are in fact supported by VCP. I use .ai files frequently, and haven't had an issue with importing them.

OP- if you would like, you can send the file to me, and I'll look at it. It could be as Adrian said, and there isn't any vector information in the file.

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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by mark-s »

Make your image in AI and save it down to AI 8.
The in aspire open it as an existing file, size your page, depth and go.
mark-s

Samson
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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by Samson »

mark-s wrote:Make your image in AI and save it down to AI 8.
The in aspire open it as an existing file, size your page, depth and go.
mark-s
This is the VCarve forum, and he said he's utilizing VCP9, so Aspire isn't going to help.

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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by Rcnewcomb »

From the VCarve FAQ

Image
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out, another good day in the shop

Savannahdan
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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by Savannahdan »

I use Inkscape to convert a number of problem files to a different type. I would open the ai file in it and Save As it to a dxf, pdf or svg file. You may get a message regarding changing the image and I usually check to accept it. I can always start over if it doesn't work. Sometimes you have to use the resize page selection under edit for it to work correctly. If you don't get a graphic image when you open it there may not be anything in the file.

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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by martin54 »

Is this a file you have created yourself or one that has been sent to you? What version of Illustrator has it been created & saved with? If it is the latest version then the problem may be with the import filters if an older version then the problem is more likely to be how you are trying to import it using VCP as Adrian has already said.

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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by GEdward »

I wonder, since there is no error message associated with the import, that perhaps the file did in fact import and is off the page out of viewing range. Imported vectors don't always land in the middle of the work area. Pan out a ways and see if it is out there somewhere.

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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by tomgardiner »

I was wondering the same thing. Select All (ctrl -A) and look at the number of vectors selected on the lower right border of drawing area.

Mikehell
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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by Mikehell »

Could be the version of Illustrator. I always tell people to save as version 8 or below. V-Carve will choke on Illustrator "creative cloud" versions.

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Re: Issue with opening and importing ai. File

Post by Mikehell »

Savannahdan wrote:I use Inkscape to convert a number of problem files to a different type. I would open the ai file in it and Save As it to a dxf, pdf or svg file. You may get a message regarding changing the image and I usually check to accept it. I can always start over if it doesn't work. Sometimes you have to use the resize page selection under edit for it to work correctly. If you don't get a graphic image when you open it there may not be anything in the file.

I have lots of problems with DXF. The size cones in wrong

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