Complex Clipping Situation–Help Please

[john_tice@adobeforums.com]

I am placing a Photoshop image into an Illustrator file. The image has a clipping path around the perimeter, which works as it should in the EPS file. I also need multiple transparent areas within the image. Only the outside path is transparent after the image is placed. If I draw the another clipping path in Illustrator it masks the whole image out (as would be expected). What I need is essentially a way to produce a compound clipping path. Visualize a window in which the panes need to be transparent. Can anyone tell me if there is a way to do this?
Thanks,
JT

[Gary_Newman@adobeforums.com]

Embed the EPS iimage. The clipping path will then show up in Illustrator as an ordinary clipping path. Release the clipping path, and give it a stroke (just so you can see it). Draw the shapes you want to appear as "holes." Select these shapes and the original clipping path and compound them. Cut and paste in front of the image. Add the image to the selection, and Make Clipping Mask.

[john_tice@adobeforums.com]

Gary, thanks a bunch! This one is a keeper.

One more... I figured out that if I place this file as a .psd the transparent areas remain transparent. On screen at least, this gives me what I need. Is there any significant advantage either way when it comes to ripping the file(s)? I'm not even sure if the rip reads .psd files, but I do know the large compund paths and masks are processor intensive.
JT

[Gary_Newman@adobeforums.com]

As far as the complexity and ripping, you should have no problem. But I would test re-masking the transparent-background PSD files in Illustrator. I seem to have heard that they can sometimes reverse themselves, too. If you don't mind embedding the image (versus linking)(it's never bothered me), it doesn't make any difference if it's PSD or EPS - and it's often handy to have access to the clipping paths in Illustrator.