Jeez - why me? Saving to an earlier version of Illustrator...

[cooderbrown@adobeforums.com]

Naturally I was drug into a situation that's probably impossible...

Created a logo for a golf tournament for a guy that uses a sign guy from the jurassic era...

Anyway - I am in CS(OSX) and, don't laugh, the sign guy says they need an Illustrator 4.0 or earlier version of the artwork... (the sign guy doesn't even have email)

My first inclination is to screw the money and tell the guy to work with a real sign company...

But - that's probably bad for business.

Anyway, smart aleck remarks aside(I'm hearing them in my head already - and you guys are harsh!), is there any way to do this using CS?

The worst case scenario is to hook up an old computer and rebuild the logo on it - output to a floppy and collect the money...

The time involved makes it a real losing proposition...but, like I said, I was drug into this after my people said "Sure, we can do it for next to nothing!"

I really want to pull my remaining hair out.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[Dee Holmes]

File/Export to legacy file.

Remeber type used will be screwed up because of the new text engine. There are 2 ways to save with text, but I'm not sure which one is which. One will keep the type intact for changes, but will cause some reflow. The other one will make it stay the same, but it will be uneditable.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

Dee the text will be OK if he converts then to outline. The sign guy does have to alter it and you can export to AI 3.

[Dee Holmes]

Thanx, Wade. I thought that might be the case, but wasn't sure.

[cooderbrown@adobeforums.com]

Ah! Was so busy cursing this guy I didn't even think about export! Tried it after converting text to outlines, and, at least on my computer - the version 3.0 works fine.

Now to clean the egg off my face!

Thanks a bundle!

CB

[Just_A_Mac_Guy@adobeforums.com]

Why You....?

Actually it is not about you at all. It is about your client, his needs, and the company that will ultimatly met those needs.

You are just the person holding the digital files that will make up the content for this sign. I will assume that sign making is not a service you supply. If that is so, get over yourslef. {Is that hasrh enough...}

Seriously though, the only problem I see is in getting this file to the sign maker. Sign makers are notoriously behind the curve since their specialized output equipment does not need upgrading like commercial printing. Vinyl cut signmakers that I use, use a plotter that runs off a 386 running Illy 1 on Windows 3. Asking why he doesn't upgrade gets the response,... "It work, and that's all it does."

I find it hard to belielve that this supplier does not have email, maybe not on that machine but somewhere in the office. Sneakernet maybe the way to go. At worst you have to email the file to someone with a PC or Floppy equipped Mac.

File wise, you should be able to build the file in CS and export/Legacy file format down to an earlier version. I don't have Illy CS in front of me but there are plenty of threads detailing how to do this. I would convert text to outline pathes first though.

As software get upgraded, the ease of backsaving becomes more difficult. This should be the responsibility of the signmaker to have some kind of conversion proceedure. If they don't it becomes a need of the client, who usually can't do anything about it , so they hire you. Look on this as a billable request. {Which you can either do yourself or farm out.}

[cooderbrown@adobeforums.com]

I got over myself...(the cleaning the egg off myself comment)...

Thanks to this forum, it's done!

I've noticed as I get older, I get more ridgid and codgy(bad for business) when, 10 years ago, I've would have enjoyed the challenge. Of course it would have been no challenge because I was using 4.0!

It's Monday, another lesson learned!

[Just_A_Mac_Guy@adobeforums.com]

Jeezzz... I rambled on so long 4 posts got in front of me...

[cooderbrown@adobeforums.com]

Hey, I get carried away when I'm on my soapbox too!

The contact confirmed that the sign guy does not have email. We're in the midwest - so I guess nothing should surprise me.

Anyway - good ramble.