Hello.....I have ai files of labels created by a graphic artist on Illustrator. They have been successfully opened and printed by a commercial printer. Now I have opened these files in Inkscape on my computer and made changes for the next printing. I saved the first Inkscape-modified file 4 ways as:

inkscape svg
plain svg
compressed svg
eps

I sent all 4 to the printer and he couldn't open any of them. Any ideas on what I could try differently? I'm assuming he should be able to open an svg file. Am I correct?

Thanks ahead.

Use PDFs

I've tried saving to pdf with several different settings. In all of them, parts of the image are missing. Also, the parts that are displayed don't reproduce gradients well.

The printer likes native ai and eps. If I can figure out how to use svg so that he can open them, it saves me alot of hassle and money......Other ideas?

Could you upload the file?

Can you import the EPS, AI to Scribus and export from there?

Can you view your exported files with any other program?

My Illustrator CS4 open my SVGs without problems, just be sure to convert text to nodes and rasterize effects.

The good news is that you clearly state that you are able to open svg in CS4. That tells me I can do this, eventually.....meaning I hope I don't have to buy Illustrator.

"Could you upload the file?"
Not sure what you mean? I was able to open the ai in Inkscape, do my edits, save it to svg, and send the file via email attachment to the printer. He just can't open it with CS5.

"Can you import the EPS, AI to Scribus and export from there?"
Are you saying.....(1)save the file to svg after my edits (2)import it to Scribus (3)and then send that file as an email attachment? (I'm not real tech-savvy)

"Can you view your exported files with any other program?"
I only have Inkscape. PDF doesn't work. Saves fine to png.

"My Illustrator CS4 open my SVGs without problems, just be sure to convert text to nodes and rasterize effects"
I'd need an explanation of how to do these two things. I love Inkscape, but I'm totally new to this kind of software. But I do enjoy learning...... Again, thanks.

I wonder if you could open the SVG in GIMP (another free source program), it can usually handle various file types, and it converts files well. You could try saving as a plain SVG in GIMP. GIMP also converts SVG's to JPG's, etc., well.

The edits I made in Inkscape don't display correctly in Gimp. And the printer can only use a vector file.....no jpgs. Obviously, either the original file needs adjustment, or I'm making changes that look right visually, but don't save properly.

Strange, I can save my edits in a stand alone svg file (a copy of the original, with my changes) and reopen it perfectly in Inkscape. But it won't open in the printers CS5.

Here is what the printer said:

"I receive an error message saying that there are "too many nested groups than allowed in illustrator. clippping lost on roundtrip to Tiny."
I looked up the error message and found the following online:

I don't think that there is a quick solution to this. Several of the items are stored as odd combinations of knockout groups and blends, so this will take deeper surgery to get it working properly and editable for Illustrator.

"Tiny" is a reference to Tiny SVG — a subset of all possible SVG features. This subset was/is a recommendation for mobile devices such a phones. IIRC, clipping is not supported in Tiny SVG indeed."

To make my edits I ungroup the entire file so I can single out the element I want to change. There are an awful lot of elements.

"Could you upload the file?", I mean if you can share the file with us, so we can help you more easily.

GIMP will not work. it works with RGB bitmaps, that doesnt fit the press industry standars.

Ok, I want to help you because Im graphic designer and I work in the prepress-press world, so I have a little of experience, lets do this togheter!

1. Share the file.
2. We will see whats going wrong.
3. We will give you a little turorial with a workflow for press, so you can learn and do it by yourself.

The point with Scribus is that it is designed with printing in mind, so unlike Inkscape it manages better the standars.

Its a pleasure to help, you will see that theres almost nothing we cant do with OSS, It just required a little of practice.

Excuse me for my english, Im a spanish speaker...

Please note that Scribus and GIMP are free (open source), but Adobe Illustrator is NOT even close to free!

Also, if you can upload the file as an attachment to your next reply, more of us will be able to open it, conveniently. Athough you could use any host (only one that I know of will accept SVGs (http://www.imgh.us/index.php) or file-sharing website (Mediafire, et al). Look below the submit button for 2 tabs - Options and Upload Attachment. Click attachment and follow prompts. Then submit your message. Now we can dowload your SVG and run some tests, or examine the file for problems.

Offers of help are greatly appreciated. I continue to play with the program and files, and I might have a better understanding of what's going on now. I feel like I would like to learn a little more on my own first. If I don't figure it out in the next few days I'll upload the file. Thanks again......

I started a new thread......Commercial printing update

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