I bought some vector graphics that have been saved as Illustrator (ai and eps files) and my CorelDraw version 9 will not open them. CRAP !! I really don't want to purchase X7 for $400 and don't use CorelDraw enough to justify that investment. Is there some way I can get these Illustrator files open and back to CDR9 so I can edit them ?
I want to be able to select the parts and pieces in these vector files so I can change the fills, shapes, etc..
Any ideas ?
Thanks !
Paul
Paul,
I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned this yet: What version of AI format are those files stored in? Corel 9 is REALLY old. It might be able to import files from the contemporary versions of AI, but I doublt it will be able to read much newer versions of AI files. I use Corel 10 and it cannot open most new AI files. With older AI files I cannot read sometimes renaming them as PDF works, but not often. I have a friend who uses AI and he exports the AI files as CDR files for me (he exports to CDR in his Adobe Illustrator).
Peteski
Thanks Peteski
I don't know what version these ai and eps files were created and saved as. These are InkyDeals designs that they sell and there support hasnt responded to 3 emails so I am losing faith in their helping out. I realize CDR 9 is old but I don't use it much which is why I haven't upgraded for many years. I did download the X7 trial and its opening the ai and eps files just fine so I can edit them so I am hoping Corel will let me buy the upgrade to X7 for the upgrade price.
I can also open these in Inkscape (free vector program) so I could almost use that...
CorelDRAW 9.0 is quite old for open newest version of EPS or Illustrator files. Neither CorelDRAW X7 can't save as version 9.0 The best solution is to open on an intermediate version (such as X5), then save as version 9.0.
From my personal point of view, CorelDRAW 9.0 was the best version ever, but unfortunately the changes around the world makes almost impossible to use an old version
Thanks Ariel
I wish there were a place to download a trial of X5...so I could test it to make sure it will open these ai and eps first. I know X7 will open them fine. I can get a version of X5 from someone on EBay for much less than X7 if that's the direction I should go. If I got X5 I wouldn't really need to save these back to Ver 9...just save in X5 and work with them there.
Tried Xara? Pretty solid and the current CorelDraw uses a lot of metaphors from it from back in the day when Corel licenced it so you'll find it very familiar to use. It's about 90 bucks for the lower tier version which is still a very capable graphics application. Other than that you could try distilling the files through Acrobat (or an Acrobat substitute such as 'Jaws') set to some of the older standards; or, as a last resort, install a PS printer driver set to 'print to file' drop the files into it and open the subsequent .PRN files in Draw 9. I used to export paragraph text that way in 9 to convert it to curves back when Draw was unable to convert paragraph text to curves properly. A somewhat circuitous way to work but it can get results. Finding the right PS printer driver, however, can be a bit of a chore. HTH