Illustrator 10 nightmare. AHHHH!

[Guest]

Hello.

Many problems here, hopefully I can get help with at least a couple of
them.

I'm working on an absolutely HUGE Illustrator file. Right now, with the
images embedded, it is 2.27gig in size. There is 10gig free on the HD
where I'm working.

Problem number 1: "Acrobat PDF File Format is having difficulties.
There was a Macintosh system error (-1309)" ... this is the error I am
now getting every time I try to save the file. I tried to look up that
error number, but couldn't even find it. This occurs if I just try to
straight-up save the file, no renaming, no different filetype,
nothin'.. I've turned off the "create PDF compatible blah blah" option
in the "save" window, didn't help. Dunno if that even matters, but I've
reached the end of my rope :(

Problem number 2: Every time I try to save it as an EPS, I get the
message "This file contains RGB images tha may not separate properly if
saved in an EPS file. It is suggested that you convert the images to
CMYK before continuing." I pretty much had to re-place all the linked
files when this thing was dumped into my lap.. after double-checking
and triple-checking, all the linked files are in fact CMYK. How can I
find the guilty file that is supposedly RGB? Or could something else be
causing the problems?

Any ideas? I can surrender and send back the AI file for somebody else
to polish off and convert, but of course nobody wants to admit defeat.
Help!

TIA
Jason

[Michael]

Hello,

I will try and answer your questions as if this was dumped in my lap.

Disk space: If you need it make room. I have done it in the past and
removed stuff temporarily on my drive to make room for a project. In
this day and age though, I more than likely would go and by another
firewire drive $120 bucks is worth it not to waste my time. My time is
always worth a drive, and my clients always pay.

Problem 1: I don't recommend saving to PDF from Illustrator 10. It does
not make very efficient PDFs. Especially for a project of this size. I
would print to postscript and use Acrobat Distiller to create a PDF
file. Illustrator CS improved the save to PDF format greatly but 10
tendes to bloat a bit no matter the settings. It usually has an issue
embedding the fonts as well.

Problem 2: I use a precision method for this one. I ignore it. I have
spent a great deal of time with this issue and working with files that
have this problem. There are no RGB Images and AI will still make this
claim. I ignored the claim and sent this file on its way to the
platemaker and all was well (With an on screen plate preveiw one can
afford to be cavalier about this). I always double check the file as you
can get a gradient that will expand to an Image instead of consecutive
shapes. But once you are sure of the images in your file I would
classify it as a bug and see if it works.

Generally I would extract all images that are embedded and link them
externally. Save the Illustrator file as a native file with all images
linked and not embedded. This should bring the illustrator down to a
manageable size. Make sure your raster preview is set for low res and it
should function well.

I am at a loss for why someone would create a 2.27 gig Illustrator file.
There are ways to build large files that are more efficient. But then
again my client come up with some interesting ways to do things.

Hope this is of some help.

Michael



MisterOwl@gmail.com wrote:
Hello.Many problems here, hopefully I can get help with at least a couple ofthem.I'm working on an absolutely HUGE Illustrator file. Right now, with theimages embedded, it is 2.27gig in size. There is 10gig free on the HDwhere I'm working.Problem number 1: "Acrobat PDF File Format is having difficulties.There was a Macintosh system error (-1309)" ... this is the error I amnow getting every time I try to save the file. I tried to look up thaterror number, but couldn't even find it. This occurs if I just try tostraight-up save the file, no renaming, no different filetype,nothin'.. I've turned off the "create PDF compatible blah blah" optionin the "save" window, didn't help. Dunno if that even matters, but I'vereached the end of my rope :(Problem number 2: Every time I try to save it as an EPS, I get themessage "This file contains RGB images tha may not separate properly ifsaved in an EPS file. It is suggested that you convert the images toCMYK before continuing." I pretty much had to re-place all the linkedfiles when this thing was dumped into my lap.. after double-checkingand triple-checking, all the linked files are in fact CMYK. How can Ifind the guilty file that is supposedly RGB? Or could something else becausing the problems?Any ideas? I can surrender and send back the AI file for somebody elseto polish off and convert, but of course nobody wants to admit defeat.Help!TIAJason

[Guest]

Lots of good information there, but I forgot one very important thing..
for both problem 1 and problem 2, my only option is to stop saving the
file and none of the changes I make can be saved.. I've gotten it to a
point where *most* of the images are embedded, and I have a working AI
file with just 4 images linked.. problem 2 hits when I try to save the
file as an EPS (I'm pretty sure the printer wants an EPS file, and not
an AI file.. unfortunatlely, they're in freaking China so it's kinda
hard to confirm. But I will tomorrow). I have been unable to save this
file as an EPS from day one, mostly because of problem #2. After that
"convert images to CMYK before continuing" error, I click on okay and
I'm back where I started.

Pretty much my only option at this point is to give em the AI file and
hope they can make sense from it. Your help is greatly appreciated
though, printing to a PostScript file for PDFing (they want PDFs for
proofreading, which is a whole separate can of worms, good lord), and
that will help.

It only really got this big when I started embedding the images.. every
time we've sent something to press they've wanted an Illustrator EPS
with images embedded, so that's what I'm trying to create. Maybe we'll
luck out and these guys can handle an AI file. They should be able to,
I'm thinkin.

Thanks again! Hopefully at least the good karma will help. :)

Have a good one
J

[howldog]

On 30 Aug 2005 20:18:13 -0700, MisterOwl@gmail.com wrote:
Hello.Many problems here, hopefully I can get help with at least a couple ofthem.I'm working on an absolutely HUGE Illustrator file. Right now, with theimages embedded, it is 2.27gig in size. There is 10gig free on the HDwhere I'm working.Problem number 1: "Acrobat PDF File Format is having difficulties.There was a Macintosh system error (-1309)" ... this is the error I amnow getting every time I try to save the file. I tried to look up thaterror number, but couldn't even find it. This occurs if I just try tostraight-up save the file, no renaming, no different filetype,nothin'.. I've turned off the "create PDF compatible blah blah" optionin the "save" window, didn't help. Dunno if that even matters, but I'vereached the end of my rope :(


I'm on windows, however, using Illustrator 10, I too have come up with
some weird errors trying to write PDFs. Eventualy I just gave up and
went with either EPS or native file, or importing into InDesign and
going from there.

you probly know this, but you need more free disc space. You could
check out one of those fairly inexpensive USB or firewire external
hard drives. I got a 160 gig one for a hundred bucks.

cant help with the other question, sorry, hopefully someone else can.

[howldog]

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 23:52:39 -0400, Michael <laraksca@NOSPAMgmail.com>
wrote:

Generally I would extract all images that are embedded and link themexternally. Save the Illustrator file as a native file with all imageslinked and not embedded. This should bring the illustrator down to amanageable size. Make sure your raster preview is set for low res and itshould function well.

good advice right there, i read it too quick and didnt realize he had
embedded the images.

[georgie]

<MisterOwl@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1125458293.239316.146860@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
<snip> Problem number 1: "Acrobat PDF File Format is having difficulties. There was a Macintosh system error (-1309)" ... this is the error I am now getting every time I try to save the file. I tried to look up that error number, but couldn't even find it.
<snip>

I found the -1309 error meaning:
error -1309 fileBoundsErr: file's EOF offset mark or size is too big

Sounds like your file is too big to handle. What version of the Mac OS are
you running?

g

[Guest]

I *want* to say 10.2, but I'm not positive.. I was given the machine to
bring home (work at home yeehah), and I'm a PC guy.. I know just enough
Mac to work on the file.. last MacOS I used was 9.2. heh

Anyway, I *finally* was able to get the dang thing to save as an EPS
with embedded images, which is what the press guys want. However, I am
also going to upload the raw AI file with placed images for em too,
just in case.

I can believe getting an error cause the file was too big.. I know I
mentioned that it was growing to over 2gig in size, but did I remember
to mention that it's 120 inches wide by 70 inches high? Madness I tells
ya!

Thanks again for all the help guys..
J