OT- AI to CorelDraw, what works?

[kevmo]

Hello:

I work in AI OSX, and import the files into CorelDraw11 OSX & save as .cdr 7 or 9 and send to my client who uses Corel on a PC.

I've been doing this for years, and it has gotten better and easier since 1992 (!)

Some issues are as follows:

1) Gradients will not translate well, you're better off with a shape filled with white and try to reproduce it with CDs Gradients. I think I had better luck with gradients in CD 8 - you just had to make the grad a swatch.
Otherwise the gradient will break into numerous shapes of varying color %s. not fun to edit.

2) if you have a stroked path that is filled but not closed - CD will close it for you. not good.
The workaround in AI is to have a stroke with no fill, paste this path behind it & change that to fill no stroke.

3) Occasionally & randomly a long continuous path (even w/many points) will break, and if stroked will have strange miter problems.
This seems to happen when the AI file is saved as earlier version than AIv8.

AI vers 8 is the format that will translate best in my experience. no earlier no later.

4) Fonts - I have had some success, of course some kerning spacing probems may occur, and text on a path might be problematic.
Probably better off resetting any text/fonts in CD.
the work I do for this client is usually final (they usually only change colors) so Fonts are turned into paths in AI prior to import to CD. But I keep a text/font editable copy of the original always in case.

5) Bitmaps should be ok but again if not just relink or reimport.
6) Special brushes or patterns - not sure but these can be expanded in AI to import into CD.

thats about it...
it used to be far more difficult but now that many apps are cross platform and inter app friendlier you should be OK.

good luck
any problems - let me know - I'll do what I can to help

thanx

[kevmo]

heh heh

in short:

Yes a BW simple file should translate fine!

;-)

[Glyptic]

Hi, Kevmo,

I can't thank you enough! We should be able to work it out with ease with the info you shared.
I started with Corel I in 1989, but work mostly with Rhino and C4D now.
And lo' an'behold one of my best customers sends me a funky jpg of an .ai file they have spent a zillion hours on. So I get to rebuild it in Corel to edit for production *or* move it from point A to point B with relative ease.
I think you allowed me to do the latter.
Grazie, grazie.
glyptic

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