I have been reading a few of the posts regarding problems exporting and importing eps files. I am not sure they have answered my questions regarding the problem I am having. I created a logo for a client and they want me to send it to a magazine, the magazine wants an eps file. I converted it to eps and then opened it in CD to see if it was okay. I see lines through the door knocker and the shadow. Both the door knocker and the shadow were cmyk bitmaps before I exported it, and I imported the file as EPS PRN, etc. and editable. I was afraid to send them like that so I flattened the whole image into one bitmap and then exported to eps, that resolved the problem, but I am not sure that is what the magazine wants. Any ideas out there?

can you post a visual of before and after? Not sure what you mean by a line through the door handle.

Also is it possible for them to accept a pdf file?

fluid:

can you post a visual of before and after?

 

Hi fluid, if you look at the cdr file that I attached to my first post, it is a logo comprised of an purple oval with a shadow behind it, in the oval you will find text and a door knocker that I created. The cdr attachment is how it looks when I import the eps file that I created from the original cdr of the logo. If you fill you screen with the logo (F2) you will see that the shadow has horizontal lines running through it and the door knocker in the middle of the oval also has black horizontal lines running through it. These lines are not in the original logo cdr file. I can attach the original cdr file but I think you can see what I mean if you open it.

I send a pdf of it to the account also but I don't know if they will accept it, I haven't heard back from them yet. I really was wondering why Corel is either creating such bad eps files or why it is importing the eps file it created like that.

I just realized that when I open it in CorelDraw again the eps file has created over 700 objects out of the shadow which was 1 cmyk bitmap and the door knocker which was also 1 cmyk bitmap so there should have been 2 objects not over 700.

I just tried exporting the drop shadow, which is a cmyk bitmap  from CorelDraw X3 to an eps. You will see all the lines and banding in that. In Object Manager is it a group of 400 objects instead of 1 object.

 

eps shadow test.cdr in X4 is a bitmap, one object. Your original file has the broken raster images. Try breaking apart the dropshadow and convert that to a 300dpi bitmap. Not exactly sure what the reason is for this happening. I know I get this importing certain images with certain effects on them from files generated in illustrator.

Most vendors these days accept PDF files, I doubt you will have issues unless the pdf doesnt use the right settings they require

 

fluid:

Try breaking apart the dropshadow and convert that to a 300dpi bitmap

 

It is/was a 300 bitmap in cmyk before I created the eps file. AS a matter of fact I used Jeff Harrison drop shadow macro to convert the shadow in the original cdr file. I have never had to send eps files before so I don't know if I have had this problem from the beginning or not. You say in X4 that when you open my shawdow eps test file it looks okay? If so then something is definitely wrong with my CD importing the eps file. I hope someone else has some experience with this problem and knows how to resolve it. Thanks Fluid for your help.

niagaramouse:

It is/was a 300 bitmap in cmyk before I created the eps file. AS a matter of fact I used Jeff Harrison drop shadow macro to convert the shadow in the original cdr file.

Good Call! :-)

niagaramouse:

You say in X4 that when you open my shawdow eps test file it looks okay? If so then something is definitely wrong with my CD importing the eps file. I hope someone else has some experience with this problem and knows how to resolve it.

Try this. open up the EPS, and if it looks "slivered", then go to the view menu and choose Normal. Slivers R Gone.

The white slivers are visual anomalies only. BUT there really are multiple pieces that are generated during export from Draw to EPS.

The original purpose of EPS is to create a "print ready" file to be "placed", not opened, in another program. When opening a PDF or EPS, you might be lucky and get a usable file to work with. But software like Draw/Illus is reverse engineering any EPS to reconstruct editable elements. This is hit and miss, depending on artwork complexity. Since... EPS was meant to output only, not re-edited as an intermediate file format.

When you send an EPS, the person at the other end should not be tinkering with it.. if they need to tinker, send them AI or CDR.

have a look at the attached, made from your slivered file.

2 objects only now... and no slivers.

 

niagaramouse:

I was afraid to send them like that so I flattened the whole image into one bitmap and then exported to eps, that resolved the problem, but I am not sure that is what the magazine wants. Any ideas out there?

 

  "WHEW!" Thank you Jeff, stress factor dropping … Glad to hear from you, I tried View Normal and it looked perfect. Glad to hear that the file is fine and I am not experiencing a problem with my CorelDraw. You're my hero (well one of them anyway).  

Sherron

I think Jeff sorted most of it out for you, just wanted to add that the reason this happens on EPS export, is because the shadow most likely was a bitmap with transparent background. Since eps doesn't support that, Draw has to simulate the transparency by converting the shadow to small stripes instead. Nothing wrong, just a limitation that has to be worked around.
Try exporting as EPS Postscript 3, and you'll get a different result (not necessarily better though), or ask if PDF could be accepted, since it supports transparent bitmaps in later versions.

is because the shadow most likely was a bitmap with transparent background. Since eps doesn't support that, Draw has to simulate the transparency by converting the shadow to small stripes instead.

Thats it, I could not remember this DUH.

Ronny Axelsson:

the shadow most likely was a bitmap with transparent background.

Thank you Ronny, that is exactly what the shadow is. If I created a shadow using a blend would that work in the eps? Boy, eps files have their limitations don't they? With these kind of limitations why would anyone want to create an eps file? Unfortunately, I don't have a choice because that is all they will accept.

I just re-thought the blend, that wouldn't work because if they placed it on a coloured background the blend would start at white and look really bad. Is there anything else I can do? I may have to just put an oval behind filled with 70% black to emulate a shadow.

niagaramouse:

With these kind of limitations why would anyone want to create an eps file?

EPS (PostScript) is not intended to be imported and edited I think. It was meant to be either printed directly or mounted in a document (which is most likely what will happen when you send it to the magazine) without editing. The workaround created by Draw will most likely work perfect for printing, so I suppose you can keep on sending your EPS's and it will be just fine. Pity they don't accept PDF, which creates smaller files with less limitations. Flattening to a suitable resolution bitmap is another way to be on the safe side.

I am still having a problem creating an eps from CD that the client can open. They want to be able to keep it on file for future use, so I downloaded Ghostscript and Ghostview and the Adobe Distiller driver and created a ps file with those and they were able to open that one but not the Corel one. I can however, open the Corel one with Ghostview so is it perhaps an issue between my PC and their Mac?

niagaramouse:

I just re-thought the blend, that wouldn't work because if they placed it on a coloured background the blend would start at white and look really bad. Is there anything else I can do? I may have to just put an oval behind filled with 70% black to emulate a shadow.

Hi Sherron,

If I understand you right, this could be a solution. But you have to try first before.
I guess you mean that the transparancy would make the colour underneath would shine through?