Can any one give me some advice or point me in the right direction in figuring out how to export a fairly simple .cdr file (64 objects - no powerclips) to a useable .eps version of the same file? 

The first problem I'm running into is file size ... a 110kb cdr file turns into a huge 60-70mb monster when exporting to .eps at the default settings.  When tinkering with the settings ... changing TIFF to WMF, changing 8-bit color to 4-bit, grayscale ... etc., changing Text to Curves, and so on, I get varying degrees of size reduction ... but when I try opeing and/or importing the converted .eps file back into CorelDraw, the file is unusable ... i.e. with TIFF header, all color gradients break up in thousands of bands (I don't use transparencies for this very reason), and with WMF in the header set at 72 dpi, the .eps file opens up as rasterized bitmap that can't be edited. 

I am at a total loss and utterly confounded.  I'm sure I must be doing something wrong, but I don't have a clue what else to try.  I've attempted more than 70-80 times, searched every knowledge base, asked several people who work with .eps files all the time, but most of them work with AI and can't understand why my .eps files are coming out so large. 

Any help or guidance on this issue would be most gratefully appreciated.  Thanks!

Teri

I might be able to look at file and figure it out? Judging from your descriptions I would guess that banding is coming from either fountain fill or transparency issues. Any chance you could email me the file?

Rikk

terifrancis:

... but when I try opeing and/or importing the converted .eps file back into CorelDraw, the file is unusable ... i.e. with TIFF header, all color gradients break up in thousands of bands (I don't use transparencies for this very reason), and with WMF in the header set at 72 dpi, the .eps file opens up as rasterized bitmap that can't be edited.

 Encapsulated PostScript

EPS files can contain text, vector graphics, and bitmaps and are intended to be included (encapsulated) in other documents.

Image Header

It seems that you import the EPS file and Place it as encapsulated PostScript. This option places the preview image (image header; TIFF or WMF) in the drawing. The EPS information remains attached to the header and is used when the image is printed to a PostScript printer. So, options set for header while exporting, has no impact on the EPS core and has no impact on the print quality of a drawing.

Import as Editable

You can enable the other option while importing: Import as editable which converts the EPS file to native CorelDRAW objects that you can edit with some restrictions. Gradient fills are imported as a group of filled objects simulating the gradient fill appearance and cannot be edited as gradient fills.

See also

1. "Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)" in CorelDRAW Help under File Format
2. "Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) technical notes" in CorelDRAW Help
3. "PostScript (PS or PRN) technical notes" in CorelDRAW Help
4. Encapsulated PostScript from Wikipedia

Hi Rikk,

Thank you so much for your reply and very kind offer to take a look at one of the many hopeless .eps test files.  I have managed to reduce the size of most of them to 300-600kb, but I'm still having trouble with the colors.  I've made some progress by changing the gradient fills to mesh fills and that seems to improve the banding problem ... but ... then some basic circle and oval shapes become distorted and rough around the edges when I reopen the .eps file.  One step forward ... two steps backwards, it seems! 

I'll email you the last eps test file, and if it's not too much of an imposition for you to look at whenever you have a chance, I would very grateful for any advice or suggestions you could offer.

btw ... I've read many of your posts in the forums and found them tremendously helpful.  Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge so generously.  It's very much appreciated!  Also bookmarked your website ... your photos and artwork are beautiful and very inspiring.  My vector drawings are still very crude at this point ... I've been sketching on paper and painting on canvas for 35 years and I bought CorelDraw12 so that I could digitize some of my favorite sketches and small paintings ... but in the year or so that I've been working with it, I'm still trying to master basic shapes, outlines and fills!  Thanks again for taking the time to help others in the forum here ... hopefully, I'll get the hang of this yet, and will follow your example to help others in whatever way I can. 

Hi Ahmad,

Thank you so much for your reply and all the helpful information you provided.  Wow!  I've browsed through your posts ... you certainly have a brilliant understanding and expertise with the CorelDraw12 programs!   I see now why I was having such a problem when opening up the .eps files.  As soon as I followed your advice by importing the file as PS, PRN, EPS ... it worked perfectly!  

Thanks again for the helpful explanation and also for the related info you listed.  The technical notes are starting to make more sense to me now, and I'll be spending the weekend reading through all the extended links in the Wikipedia page you provided.  It was so kind of you to take the time to post this info and help us "rookies" get a better grasp on the export and import functions of the program.  Corel should hire you as a support wizard!   Many thanks!   Have a good weekend!

Ahmad Ajlouny:

You can enable the other option while importing: Import as editable

These options are available in CorelDRAW X3. I do not know if they are available in CorelDRAW 12. Forgive me; I missed that it was about 12.

In version 11, to import EPS files, you have to use PostScript Interpreted import filter. That is

1. Choosing 'PS, PRN, EPS PostScript Interpreted' from the Files of type list box in the Import dialog box, or
2. Changing the file extension from .EPS to .PS then import (or drag from Windows Explorer and drop into CorelDRAW).

Thank you for your sweet words, Terifrancis. Actually I used CorelDRAW 11, and now X3. CorelDRAW Help is my main reference, with a very humble "understanding and expertise with CorelDRAW". I am one of the "rookies" here. I am in your league, trying to follow Rikk Flohr example and other helpful experienced Corelians in the forums.