March 28, 2008, Newsletter Issue #57: Encapsulated Postscript (EPS) in Vector Graphics

Tip of the Week

There's nothing more frustrating for a vector artist than finding out a file he or she has just perfected won't work in another program. Vector programs are changing on a daily basis so keeping up with compatability issues can be quite a headache. Here are a few tips from istockphoto.com that will make using vector programs a little easier:

*To edit a vector file in another program, enter the encapsulated postscript (EPS) format. Created by Adobe, EPS files can work in a variety of different programs. They can also be placed into page layout programs such as Quark.

*Almost any EPS file saved from Illustrator 8 will open into other vector editing software. If you work on a file that may leave your computer, it's a good idea to downsave your files to Illustrator 8 or lower. This will help someone else who needs to edit the file.

*If you aren't working in Illustrator and can't do this, open the file into any text editor like NotePad on a PC or Text Edit on a Mac. You will see jibberish, but pay attention to the first line. If it reads Adobe EPS 3.0 or lower, you will most often have an editable file, although there are some exceptions to this rule.

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