Packedge-Esko Software

Anyone taking CS2 files and bringing them into Esko Graphics Software without any significant hitches? When we bring in an AI.eps file we basically end up rebuilding several facets of the job. I thought this software was for trapping? Oh it is, after you reinvent the wheel. How do you remain competitive if you have prepress charges your customers wont and shouldn't pay for. Esko users, talk to me.

[David]

Morning Kelli,
Welcome to PPF. Pull up a chair and stay awhile. Look out for the goofballs (some will say I'm one, 8O )
We actually have a section here just for Esko Users.

Have you tried using the "export to EPF" function in Illustrator?
Anytime we get some really gnarly Illy files, we use that instead of an .eps, it keeps all the layers and maintains the native placed files.

Here's a link (download one, depending on your version of Illy and OS):
http://www.esko.com/ep/plugin_epf-export.asp


hope this helps,
David

Thanks, I have pretty much lirked in all the available forums for some time now. Thank you for the welcome. In regards to your response to my question. Yes, we use .epf on export. However, it just seems that the original AI is not in a wreck of condition until the export or at times, the .eps file is actually opened in PE. Sometimes these corrections take so much time just bringing the file back to a reasonable condition to start trapping and such. Do you find the same to be true? I wonder if we should just keep the files in AI and use the heck out of the Deskpack Plugins <?>

Kelli,
I would "guess" it might be easier for you to keep it in Illy.
It depends on the "quality" of the file you are getting..
If it's not set-up correct, exporting out to place or run through a workflow may be worse.
So, printing right out of Illy rather than exporting out and... may give you better results.
- what do you think _maberry?
Vee

[David]

Like Vee says, it depends on the condition (ie: how well the "extremely intelligent person" built the file), whether or not to export or just stick with Illy.

We don't really have too much trouble with our Illustrator files.
We're using Backstage Edit 4.0 on our PC workstations and the files, for the most part, RIP in fine as long as the person who built the file didn't use some funky transparency (like Hue or one of the other "bottom five" selections).
We can use either an .eps, .ai, or an .epf to get it to work, or sometimes, a combo of them.

Which, as far as a billable item, it's charged as keyboarding time, whether it takes five minutes or one hour. If they complain that it took too long, I can usually show them how and why and sometimes they actually listen and don't repeat that type of situation. It's not Esko's fault that they can't render every weird "feature" some of these designers put in their files, some of this stuff wouldn't work on an Adobe RIP either (without some sort of massaging).

hope this helps,
David

Thanks for sharing your comments.