Dealing with Bugs in Adobe Illustrator 10
With Mac OS X, I have all of the most current versions of applications. There is a weird set of problems on Illustrator 10, and I thought I'd at least offer a heads up and work-around suggestions, since the Adobe folks haven't figured it out yet.
Especially when working with a complicated file (placed images, transparency, masks, etc.), if you save as an EPS and try to save over it, sometimes (but not always) the error "File cannot be saved. Illustration is busy or in use." will pop-up.
I have been working with someone at Adobe to find a cause and solution, and all that's been pinpointed is that it doesn't happen with AI files... only with EPS files (at least for me). If all of the data is selected and pasted into a new document and saved as an EPS, the error doesn't show, but the problems with that are left-behind guides and all of the copied data ending up in one layer.
Until a solution is found, the easiest method for me for working around it is:
a) working in AI format
b) saving as EPS for placement
c) making changes to the original AI format
d) either throwing away EPS version and saving AI file as same-named EPS, or saving as EPS with new name
My folder then has the following items in it:
workfile_art.ai
workfile_art1.eps
workfile_art2.eps
workfile_art3.eps
Once it's determined what version is the final, the extraneous EPS files can be thrown away or put into an unsued art folder, and the AI file should be retained for any future alterations.
If anyone has other suggestions for workarounds or solutions, I'd like to hear them.
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April M. Carter offers designers and illustrators advice about successfully bridging the gap between art and commerce. She can be contacted at
[email protected].
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