Linked Images Breaking Up into Pieces

[C2C]

I have always wondered why Linked Images break up into pieces when you link / save and re open.

I had a job yesterday where we had to replace the main panel image with a new roast beef or some meat..

The artist sent a Photoshop file and once I re opened the Eps, relinked to the new Photoshop file, Saved as an EPS and then reopened it to see if all was well the main panel image was broken into 4 parts.

Any idea why this happens ? and How to prevent it?

I read through another post and the poster stated this:

"I do not like the fact that PS files break into multiple links. This is making the files cumbersome and a pain to correct.
I spent many hours on the Adobe site trying to find a solution. There is one "BUY CS3"."

Any thoughts / wisdom


Thanks in Advance

C2C

[Joe]

MY guess is when you save as EPS it flattens any transparency. Keep it as an AI file, place in Indy and it probably won't happen...unless you export to PDF 1.3 or EPS which will cause it to flatten and it will do it at that stage.

[dcole]

Yup, it's a flattening issue. We occasionally have clients send us AI or EPS files segmented like that, and it's a real pain to work with. Make sure you're saving in a format that supports transparency, and let your RIP flatten it instead of Illy.

[tlotzer]

What you are seeing is a result of flattening the file. Save as AI with compatible pdf file, to be placed in Indesign or you have to embed the art first to save as eps.

[C2C]

Thanks all.

[madmac]

It depends what you mean by breaking up. I have seen issues where a link CMYK eps has been sliced into a number of sections it is worse in CS2 than CS but not a problem under 10. When I save as either a Adobe pdf or ai with pdf comp turned on.

The only solution here has been to embed the image.
Today I have seen the same thing done to a mesh blend when saved as an eps. Saving as a PD is ok.

The other-thing which I think is what you are talking about here. Is Illustrators ability to deal with Device-N meaning spot colours. For example a 6 colour PSD file will be seen by Illustrator as a CMYK image with one spot image set to overprint and then the other spot image set to overprint. It treats the 2 spot channels a separate grayscale images assign to a spot channel.

I believe CS3 goes someway to resoling this but as I haven't got it yet to play with I am not sure.

[C2C]

"It depends what you mean by breaking up. I have seen issues where a link CMYK eps has been sliced into a number of sections it is worse in CS2 than CS but not a problem under 10. When I save as either a Adobe pdf or ai with pdf comp turned on.

The only solution here has been to embed the image.
Today I have seen the same thing done to a mesh blend when saved as an eps. Saving as a PD is ok."


The image was a 4 colour process Psd file.
and yes, it suffered from being sliced into 4 parts once linked / saved / reopened.


CS3 we have (along side a new Duo Core mac) but we have not had the time to set it up. :X

[C2C]

Also,

when I go to embed which option is the correct one to choose?

Convert Photoshop Layers to Objects
-or-
Flatten Photoshop Layers to a Single Image

[almaink]

Check the layers in Photoshop before you place in Illustrator. I've seen everything from 20 blank layers to 150 different versions all saved in one Photoshop file. Delete the dead wood, flatten as needed in photoshop, then place as a link in Illy. BTW always save a native Illy file when working with transparency. As said postscript doesn't understand it and once flattened in an eps it's a PITA to work with. It's getting to the point where if you have to write postscript your screwed. Transparency is killing the eps format.
Doesn't anyone use layout apps for these things anymore?

[C2C]

" Check the layers in Photoshop before you place in Illustrator. I've seen everything from 20 blank layers to 150 different versions all saved in one Photoshop file. Delete the dead wood, flatten as needed in photoshop, then place as a link in Illy. BTW always save a native Illy file when working with transparency. As said postscript doesn't understand it and once flattened in an eps it's a PITA to work with. It's getting to the point where if you have to write postscript your screwed. Transparency is killing the eps format.
Doesn't anyone use layout apps for these things anymore?"

So select the flatten into one image option. Got it!

I never bothered to check the Photoshop Image but now I shall start doing just that.

Always save the FINAL file as .AI aswell ....just in case?
( so when I have to go back in a week to change images theres no slice n dice...)

The image did not have any transparencies going on,
just a 4 col image of a roast saved as a Psd.

You know, if I suggest this to the Lead Hand and co-workers,
Ill be the only one actually doing this.. the rest wont / cant be bothered and im positive ill hear about server space waste ect ect ect.

Also having to save as an AI and then place into Indy..
.. No way in hell will my co workers adapt to doing so, even if I can state good reasons to do so.

But then exporting out of Indy ive been told to export to a Postscript, *which flattens transparencies no?* so Pdf would be the other option and in all honesty I have no idea which... pdf version to use.

*** I have a how to make a correct pdf link given to me by a member somewhere.. ill have to dig it up and re read it a few more times ***

If I choose to follow this advice they will more then likely tell me not to as im making things ' more complicated then they need to be'. ..... and this is the way we have always done it speech / or the / this is how I was taught.

Im telling you... you cant win... you get all this great knowledge from people who have done this work for years and years and yet cannot use it...

Thanks Again All!!!

Any links where I can learn more about transparencies within files? Might as well eat up all the info I can. Soon ill have a binder of printed off info for a vast number of topics , all thanks to the members here