Convert illustrator files to CorelDraw
I recently designed a couple of business cards in Adobe Illustrator. The designs were cool, but when i went to the printers in Shomolu to print them, they demanded that they had to redesign them in CorelDraw
.. blah blah blah.
On hearing this, i went back home to do it myself.. i thought; “isn’t there an easier way of converting AI files to CDR?”
The problem:
As simple as the designs were, i didn’t want to redesign them in CorelDraw. And, incase i didn’t mention it earlier; “I hate CorelDraw”. Not that i can’t use it, but I’m like an Adobe fan boy. (Note: the word “Like”)
Another problem was; why aren’t the “printer guys’” flexible with the kind of formats they accept?
As simple as “SVG”:
Let me state here that I’m using Adobe Illustrator CS3 & CorelDraw 12.
1. Save your work from illustrator as an SVG file. (File > Save As)
2. Then from CorelDraw, import the SVG file (File > import).
The difference between this method (using SVG) and opening the AI file directly is that the text is editable and also shape layers.
Also note that; CorelDraw does not recognize crop marks created with Adobe Illustrator, so you might want to crop your work in Illustrator before exporting.
And files may be grouped when imported into CorelDraw.
Final Words:
The guy at the print shop was glad to learn a thing or two, i hope you did? By the way, hope you like the card? ;)
N.B: I skipped a few minor steps. If you have any difficulties, drop them in the comments area.
Post update: Also read Jean-Philippe’s comment below.
If one does not have Adobe Illustrator, one can also open the .AI file with Adobe Acrobat Reader, and save it as .PDF. Next one can open the .PDF file with CorelDRAW.
@Jean-Philippe: Thanks for the tip. Your method also works perfectly. Thanks.
Dear Jean – Philippe, I do as you said but facing problem of font missing & file is corrupted but pdf file is open properly now what to do.
@Hemant: It may be due to the font licensing restrictions. Check out http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/323/323155.html
I’ve used all these programs since their Beta versions!! (Photoshop, Illustrator and Corel!).. Anywho, as a safe guard against ‘lazy-ass’ printers who wine all the time about ‘exact’ file formats (they have actual legitamit reasons due to the vast array of idiocy amoung us Designers), I always copy/paste any fonts used in a document, with instructions to paste them into the (printer’s or other Designer’s) ‘Fonts’ directory on their computers (also tell them to save the fonts elsewhere and delete them from their Fonts folder afterward).. \
That way there will be no ‘missing font’ issue.. Furthermore, wasn’t there an actual “Save As” .cdr in a previous version of Illustrator V10??).. Thx for the Save as SVG suggestion.. I will forward this link to the receivers in Hong Kong (another story altogether).. Cheers! Carl, Toronto..
Btw, beautiful job on the cards!
Thank you so much… I was struggling with this conversion thing for the past few days…. your tips helped a lot…..