Help, Pretty Please?

[Franca]

Until today I have not had trouble importing DWG and AI files into Corel Draw, but my version is getting a tad aged and I may be bumping up against the one and only reason to upgrade.... Can anyone open one DWG (AutoCAD or similar) and one AI file for me and save them out as ... well, something I can open. ;-) CDR version 9 or earlier, or EPS, or even AI 7 or earlier? Let me know if you're willing to try and I'll e-mail a zip file. Thanks!

[groucho]

Franca, my software is probably as old as yours.<G> But there's a caveat about DWG files, you may need to manually specify line types (color, stroke) during the conversion process. AutoCAD used to save the shapes (the lines) and have the user assign one of 16 "pens" to each line, since the pen stroke was made by the pen plotter and NOT in the software. One hopes the new DWG standards have a way to carry this information internally--but it is something you might want to check up on.

You might also find some DWG filters and converters online as freebies or free trials.

[Franca]

Oh, I truly hate CAD files and all their little itty bitty lines. In the past I've actually had to edit them but this one I just need to get printed out somehow - if I could only get the darned thing open. I've thought of one more thing to try; if it doesn't work I'll see if there are any freebie DWG converters. It's really odd that I can't open the AI file - I'm almost wondering if it's corrupt.

[Stephen Owades]

Until today I have not had trouble importing DWG and AI files into Corel Draw, but my version is getting a tad aged and I may be bumping up against the one and only reason to upgrade.... Can anyone open one DWG (AutoCAD or similar) and one AI file for me and save them out as ... well, something I can open. ;-) CDR version 9 or earlier, or EPS, or even AI 7 or earlier? Let me know if you're willing to try and I'll e-mail a zip file. Thanks!
I can take a look at your files here with Illustrator CS, which supposedly imports DWG files. Send via email to owades (at) alum (dot) mit (dot) edu.

[Franca]

Thank you, Stephen! I've handled the DWG file, but the AI file still has me stumped so it will be coming to a mailbox near you very soon. :-)

[DTP Guy]

Late onto this one, but I have got a copy of CorelDRAW 12 and Illustrator CS, so I think I'll be able to help if Stephen can't.

[Franca]

Thanks, Brian - Stephen got me all fixed up. It was interesting - he said that he had to use Illustrator 10 instead of CS in order to save all the way back to Illustrator 7 format. Apparently the original was an Illustrator 9 file - a bit too new for Draw 9 to comprehend. I have Draw 12 right here in my office, but I've been so happy with Draw 9 that the Draw 12 box remains unopened ... any comments on Draw 12 vs. earlier versions while we're on the subject?

[DTP Guy]

Glad that you were fixed up.

Interesting that you have Draw 12 and not even been tempted to install it yet <g> I can't wait, usually.

It has been such a long time that I have looked at version 9 that I really cannot offer much of an insight now. I do know that 10 was a bit flaky and 11 was better in terms of stability. 12 on my system seems rock-solid and I find that using it is very natural.

Some things have changed. You can now make an object a symbol for re-use elsewhere in the document, stopping it from being re-saved each time. This has meant that the older way of using symbols from previous versions has changed. On your version, for instance, symbols probably means access to the symbols fonts. In version 12, you have to access them from the fonts menu. That caused a stir when 12 first appeared, I remember. There is the usual set of features that have been added as versions have appeared.

This matrix (pdf file) may help:

http://www.corel.com/content/pdf/cdgs12/CDGS_Version_to_Version_matrix.pdf

[Franca]

Interesting that you have Draw 12 and not even been tempted to install it yet <g> I can't wait, usually.Some unfortunate upgrades over the years have cured me of that impulse. Versions 10 and 11 are also shelfware in my office - snubbing version 10 was a conscious decision due to user complaints. I just couldn't be bothered with 11 and 12; I had too many other items higher up on the to-do list and version 9 suited my needs. But I guess I'm a bit more motivated now. Thanks for the matrix link. Very useful!

[DTP Guy]

You're welcome.

Jump in and get your feet wet. I think you'll like it!

[Franca]

Are there patches I need to download?

[DTP Guy]

Yes, there is a SP1. It can be downloaded here:

http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel3/Downloads/Download&cid=1047023403361&pid=1047022690654

Also, version 12 has small patches installed automatically a la Windows Update at times. These are for small updates as they come along. I think that SP1 is up to date :-)

[Clayton]

Did you try printing it to your PDF Distiller and in the process, looking at the print preview to check paper size?

I know what you mean about Draw and CAD, although version 12 Draw's ability with AutoCAD has really pleased me so far. I was leary and cynical about installing ver 12 from ver 8, expecting a bunch of problems but I am really glad I did. Finally, a version that doesn't require saving and resaving files every 5 operations!

[mact]

AI6 is the best flavor to use for direct AI import. Or rename as .eps and try those import schemes.

AI9 and later can be tricked...rename them as .pdf then saveas eps from acrobat, inporting using either the eps or PS interpreted.

(up to v9 AI files were a special "non-standard" flavor of EPS. v9 forward is a special "non-standard" version of PDF). If you have issues w.renamed eps, try distilling them first. Then handle as a pdf. I've not seen an AI 9+ file that did noty work fine renamed as PDF.