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• • July 21, 2010 at 7:36 am #56419
    Jennie

    Member

    How many of you still get or make eps files for use in InDesign files? I just got a whole bunch of them and can't quite figure out why they may have been used. It just seems rather “stone age” to me.

  • July 21, 2010 at 5:43 pm #56429
    Tom Pardy

    Member

    Before Adobe merged with Macromedia and thereby acquired Freehand, I used to use Freehand for vector graphics. Thereafter, of course, Freehand was doomed to obsolesence — though I quite liked some of its features that have not been picked up by Illustrator. The version of Freehand I used (hadn’t updated for a while) had EPS as its standard output. Consequently, I have a number of EPS files lurking in various obscure folders on my hard drive. Occasionally one of them is the best graphic to use for a particular project and I drag it out for another brief moment of fame.

    Ever since I began using Creative Suite and Freehand became obsolete, of course, Illustrator has become my app of choice for vector graphics and now there are many many more .ai files on my hard drive than .fh* files. But, as I said above, the old ones still crop up occasionally. Yes, I know I could use Illustrator to convert them all to .ai but there seems little point in doing that when InDesign still happily accepts EPS files. I have compromised by converting the ones I use most.

    But I agree that EPS is now rather “stone age”, even though it was Adobe’s invention in the first place.

  • July 22, 2010 at 1:18 pm #56435
    Anonymous

    Inactive

    I don't use EPS anymore – not since switching from Quark back in 2005.

    Here's an interesting article and an interesting quote at the bottom from Dov Issacs (of adobe I believe) https://www.prepressure.com/lib…..ormats/eps

    Anyway – I am getting files sent in EPS format from Photoshop and I really don't know what to say to the supplier. I don't have any hard reasoning other than I know it's not the best but I can't formulate my hatred for EPS into logical reasons for not using it.

    InDesign, in my opinion is best with either PSD, TIFF or PDF from Photoshop.

    Reasoning is that an EPS can't retain layers, it's completely flattened when re-opened in photoshop. Therefore, any vector goodness, like shapes, text or masks, would be rasterised. Where the EPS where you've used vectors like text, masks and shapes, will export fine from the initial export to EPS and it also outputs the vectors. It's handy – but there are more reasons for not using EPS files, and I can't formulate the explanation into any sort of reasonable argument.

    Surely though, PSD or TIFF where you have just raster and/or layers, where the PSD and TIFF will always output as raster regardless whether you've preserved text layers, vector shapes/masks.

    Then by sound reasoning a PDF from photohsop would be far better as that can output the vectors, retain the layers and also maintain the raster elements. And it's fully editable if you select the “maintain photoshop capabilities”. Which is tré handy.

    As for Illustrator files, I just prefer the AI format. I don't know why I just don't don't like the EPS. I used to know why – but I've forgotten why? And now when someone asks me I can't explain it. But – I maintain an AI or PDF from Illustrator is better.

  • July 22, 2010 at 2:56 pm #56436
    David Blatner

    Keymaster

    There is virtually no reason to use EPS from Photoshop. See this great post and the followup comments for more:

    https://creativepro.com/my-…..llenge.php

    There are some reasons to use vector graphic EPS files, but in most cases I'd recommend PDF instead. Here are my main reasons to use vector eps files:

    • The graphic was created by a program (not a human), such as a barcode or a pattern created by Teacup Software's plug-ins. Those create EPS files algorithmically, and it is much better to use them as EPS files for technical reasons. Similarly, some database or technical programs export EPS files and cannot make PDF files, so your'e stuck with EPS. No big deal.
    • If you already have a vector graphic EPS format, there is very little reason to change it to something else. I might change if it were a logo that I was going to be using a bazillion times, but I just leave more eps artwork alone.
    • If it's a graphic that you may need to use in QuarkXPress 4 or 5 or something, then leave it as EPS, which works best in those old programs.

  • July 22, 2010 at 3:37 pm #56437
    Theunis De Jong

    Member

    The one and only thing I can think of to use EPS is … because these can contain algorithms! Now hold on (I hear you say), what if you convert the file to a PDF by dropping it onto the Distiller? Well, the algorithm is executed, which usually results in a nice image with all vectors, fills, strokes et hoc genus omne in their own place — a static image.

    When should the EPS not render into a static image? With a random maze, of course! Every time you open the file Maze.ps with the Distiller (or with Apple's Preview), you will see a different maze.

    Sadly, although you can rename the file to Maze.eps and place it multiple times into InDesign, it'll always render the same maze …

  • July 23, 2010 at 6:01 am #56439
    Jennie

    Member

    Thanks for your replies. David, I had forgotten about Sandee's contest until I clicked on your link.

    I'm not an expert on format strengths and weaknesses but felt strongly that PSD or TIF were the way to go in most instances.

    BTW, The many of the files that I received were duotones. They were almost all created within the past 2-3 months.

    You are all great!

  • July 23, 2010 at 7:47 am #56441
    Bob Levine

    Participant

    Just a quick note on PDF from Photoshop. If you save it with a PDP extension, the operating system will recognize it as a Photoshop PDF. Makes a double click to open it or edit original from InDesign a bit easier.

  • July 27, 2010 at 12:13 pm #56469
    AaronA

    Participant

    I had a recent unexplainable separations problem using .ai files, which corrected itself when they were saved as EPS. Sorry I can't remember all the details but that solution definitely came as a surprise as I, too, regard EPS's as archaic.

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