I create graphix in illustrator and photoshop that need to stay at very precise sizes. I use the graphix to cut out parts on a laser. For example one part needs to be 2.0 inches long and the part it fits into needs to be 2.003 inches long. The laser requires corel draw to operate (I'm using Corel 3). When I import the jpegs into corel draw they are gigantic. Well maybe not gigantic but they aren't 2.0 inches and 2.003 inches anymore they are more like 6 or 8 inches long. This means I have to resize them all. This gets hazardous because its easy to get a few thousandths off if you're eyeballling it. I create the jpegs at 300 dpi. Is there any way to get them to import at EXACTLY the same size they were in illustrator and photoshop? Like if it was 2 inches in illustrator and I import it, it will say 2 inches in corel? Or if there isn't a way to do that, is there a way to precisely shrink them by some factor like, oh I don't know, maybe 24% or something like that?
lonjones said: I use the graphix to cut out parts on a laser. For example one part needs to be 2.0 inches long and the part it fits into needs to be 2.003 inches long.
bitmaps of any type (esp. jpeg) are the worse choice possible if precision is important. maybe upload an example of a small part so we can see what kind of work you do
lonjones said:(I'm using Corel 3)
Maybe X3?
lonjones said:When I import the jpegs into corel draw they are gigantic.
The embedded DPI in the jpeg are likely 72 DPI, this is set by the exporting application.
lonjones said: Is there any way to get them to import at EXACTLY the same size they were in illustrator
save as version 9 illustrator file, and open that as such in CorelDRAW. no bitmaps.
lonjones said:photoshop?
consider saving as a flattened PSD file. There won't be any destructive compression that way. the DPI/PPI for the PSD should open correctly in Draw also.
But the most important thing - by far - for production integrity is to use vector shapes, not jpegs, PSD, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF etc.
Thanx for the pointers.
The main reason I use JPG's is that even after a decade of using photoshop and illustrator I still don't entirely know what I'm doing! Also I'm very new to the laser game. Also, I AM AN ARTISTE! I don't need to read no stinking instructions!
Also, some of the laser work needs to be fairly precise and some of it doesn't. For example, the vector cuts around the edges sometimes (not always) need to be very precise. Whereas the the graphic decorations (called etching) can be a plain old jpg.
In laser land, vectors are used for the deep cuts (like when you're cutting out parts) and raster is used for etching graphics on to stuff and they are both placed in the same corel file and zapped at the same time. I'll try exporting the vector work directly from illustrator. However! I still need to place (using import) the pictures and designs and what not inside the vector cutting lines. And when I import them they are not the size I last saw them in photoshop. When I save in photoshop I use "Save As" - not "Export".
My theory is the jpgs are indeed at 300 dpi and corel is placing each pixel in the document as if it was 72 dpi which blows a one inch graphic to about 4 inches. The data is still there but it's spread out. Just a theory - If my theory is right, how do I get it to knock that off? Or if its an ingrained corel "feature", then is there an accurate way to uniformly shrink a graphic - like "transform" in photoshop where you can enter 24% or what ever factor you need to shrink it by?
Any way I'll try the flattened photoshop trick and I'll experiment with some jpgs and pngs that I have not saved in photoshop - thanx for the info
- Lon -