For starters, I just got Moho because a friend of mine recommended it. But here's the problem: I dont have Illustrator or anything like that, but my PSP covers a variety of files, but anything I save for vector importing doesn't import. I get the bar that says its importing, but nothing shows up. I tried to open just the file and got this:
Cannot open file.
Error details:
Bad file header:ÅĐÓÆ
Any ideas/suggestions? I mean, I know I can import img files for tracing, etc., but I'd like to be able to import vectors.
How do I import PSP created .eps and .ai files?
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
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spiku_sama
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:26 am
Re: How do I import PSP created .eps and .ai files?
Well, PaintShop Pro doesn't create vectors, so there aren't any to import. In both EPS and AI formats its possible to include bitmap and/or vector data. Simply because a file is exported as an EPS or AI doesn't mean it contains vectors.
If you are on a tight budget, there is a possibility to transform bitmap data into vector data. This is called tracing. You can trace in Moho manually or with an autotrace utility.
To trace your bitmap manually simply import a supported bitmap file (PNG, JPG etc.), create a new layer on top of it with 50% transparency and draw the outlines point-by-point in this new layer. With a complex drawing this can take a very long time, and you may want to spend your time more productively than that. In that case I strongly recommend to use an external program to create a vector drawing, because Moho's own drawing tools are somewhat limited.
For autotracing there are numerous options, but if you're on a tight budget, I recommed AutoTrace. There is an online version and there's a Windows version (haven't tried that), called Delineate. Both are free. IMO the online version does a much better job than e.g. Flash's Trace Bitmap, because it produces less nodes (points).
Of course, there are other solutions, which may cost you money. You might even opt for a reasonably cheap vector drawing program, like Xara X or others. Most vector drawing programs nowadays support some kind of tracing ability (be it autotracing, or tracing manually, or both). You might also want to draw in those programs instead of in PSP.
Whatever solution you may choose, once you've imported the AI file (IMO much better supported by Moho than EPS), you will still have some cleaning up to do, because too many points will slow down Moho and probably lead to a less well polished vector drawing as well. The trick is to reduce the number of points to a minimum, while staying true to the original (well, the original you envisioned, not the one in the bitmap drawing).
If you are on a tight budget, there is a possibility to transform bitmap data into vector data. This is called tracing. You can trace in Moho manually or with an autotrace utility.
To trace your bitmap manually simply import a supported bitmap file (PNG, JPG etc.), create a new layer on top of it with 50% transparency and draw the outlines point-by-point in this new layer. With a complex drawing this can take a very long time, and you may want to spend your time more productively than that. In that case I strongly recommend to use an external program to create a vector drawing, because Moho's own drawing tools are somewhat limited.
For autotracing there are numerous options, but if you're on a tight budget, I recommed AutoTrace. There is an online version and there's a Windows version (haven't tried that), called Delineate. Both are free. IMO the online version does a much better job than e.g. Flash's Trace Bitmap, because it produces less nodes (points).
Of course, there are other solutions, which may cost you money. You might even opt for a reasonably cheap vector drawing program, like Xara X or others. Most vector drawing programs nowadays support some kind of tracing ability (be it autotracing, or tracing manually, or both). You might also want to draw in those programs instead of in PSP.
Whatever solution you may choose, once you've imported the AI file (IMO much better supported by Moho than EPS), you will still have some cleaning up to do, because too many points will slow down Moho and probably lead to a less well polished vector drawing as well. The trick is to reduce the number of points to a minimum, while staying true to the original (well, the original you envisioned, not the one in the bitmap drawing).
Haven't tried PSP for vectors, but one of the basic things is the file has to be save in Illustrator 8 (or earlier) format. If they have some sort of "legacy" export setting, that might do the trick. You might also look in the "Other Software" forum. Probably something in there. I know there's a link in the free software thread to Expression, which microsoft bought out and then left on the back porch for everyone to use -- alot of people seem to like it.
I visited the corel website to confirm my claim that PSP can't export in vector format, but the darn site won't work properly, probably because I don't use M$ Win IE, or even M$ Mac IE7feet wrote:Haven't tried PSP for vectors
However, if it has a vector export filter: in the past Corel was notoriously known for its substandard export filters.
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spiku_sama
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:26 am
I've tried with PSP up until version 8 with no luck. The ai and eps export seems to not include vector data as it tells you it will merge the image when you export. I haven't tried with 9 and am not home now. I have exported images and used the freeware http://www.inkscape.org/ which I think uses one of those tracers mentioned in this thread. Produces a lot of nodes but does the job.
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LittleFenris
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:29 pm
- Location: USA!
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LittleFenris
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:29 pm
- Location: USA!
This is an egyptian chariot I made in Illustrator CS for my new website. The CS file was exported as an Illustrator version 8 Legacy EPS file (version 8 Legacy AI file looks the same).Toontoonz wrote:How about from Illustrator to Flash to Moho?
How does the Illustrator file look then?
As you can see going straight from Illustrator to Moho causes all kinds of problems with curves, plus the scale was REALLY messed up. I had to scale up the points quite a bit to get it to be the same size as the original Illustrator file plus I had to fix the line widths.
Importing the Illustrator file into Flash, then reexporting to an Illustrator AI file (Flash only does up to AI version 6) from Flash fixes the problem.
Interesting.
Did you try adding extra "anchor points" on your Adobe Illustrator files? If so, did it make a difference in the Illustrator > Moho vs. Illustrator > Flash > Moho chain of imports?
And I wonder if exporting from Illustrator using an older version, rather than 8, makes any difference.
Moho definitely has a different take on what a vector drawing is compared to all other vector drawing programs I have seen.
Did you try adding extra "anchor points" on your Adobe Illustrator files? If so, did it make a difference in the Illustrator > Moho vs. Illustrator > Flash > Moho chain of imports?
And I wonder if exporting from Illustrator using an older version, rather than 8, makes any difference.
Moho definitely has a different take on what a vector drawing is compared to all other vector drawing programs I have seen.
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LittleFenris
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:29 pm
- Location: USA!
No, I didn't add any extra anchor points in the Illustrator files as I wanted to do a direct test from one program to the other to show the results w/o doing workaround solutions like adding the extra points. I think adding the extra points to all the objects would be more tedious than the Illustrator to Flash to Moho solution.Toontoonz wrote:Interesting.
Did you try adding extra "anchor points" on your Adobe Illustrator files? If so, did it make a difference in the Illustrator > Moho vs. Illustrator > Flash > Moho chain of imports?
And I wonder if exporting from Illustrator using an older version, rather than 8, makes any difference.
Moho definitely has a different take on what a vector drawing is compared to all other vector drawing programs I have seen.
I tried saving them as version 3 files and it made no difference in the final outcome. They imported to Moho just as the version 8 files did.
Trivia in counting points - perhaps.... (thanks to 7feet for the script that did the counting of the points in Moho)
I just did a little test - Illustrator >Moho (with and with anchor points added in Illustrator)
versus
Illustrator > Flash > Moho ( with and without anchor points added in Illustrator).
I wanted to see if how many more points were added in Moho compared to what was originally in the graphic created in Illustrator.
-Illustrator (no anchor points added in Illustrator, total points 13) > Moho : Moho image had 23 points in it. Problems with curves in the illustration.
-Illustrator (two sets of anchor points added in Illustrator, total of 52 points) > Moho : Moho image had 92 points in it.
It seems Moho always adds the same ratio of points more to the Illustrator file- 1:1.76 (Or I can´t do math).
------------
-Illustrator (no anchor points added in Illustrator - total points in Illustrator 13) > Flash > Moho : Moho image had 45 points in it.
-Illustrator (two sets of anchor points added in Illustrator, total of 52 points) > Flash > Moho: Moho image had 83 points in it.
No pattern or same ratio of points added.
--------------
Comparing the two, from Illustrator > Moho, Moho adds more points to the object than from Illustrator > Flash > Moho.
What it means in the grand scheme of life, I haven´t a clue.
I just did a little test - Illustrator >Moho (with and with anchor points added in Illustrator)
versus
Illustrator > Flash > Moho ( with and without anchor points added in Illustrator).
I wanted to see if how many more points were added in Moho compared to what was originally in the graphic created in Illustrator.
-Illustrator (no anchor points added in Illustrator, total points 13) > Moho : Moho image had 23 points in it. Problems with curves in the illustration.
-Illustrator (two sets of anchor points added in Illustrator, total of 52 points) > Moho : Moho image had 92 points in it.
It seems Moho always adds the same ratio of points more to the Illustrator file- 1:1.76 (Or I can´t do math).
------------
-Illustrator (no anchor points added in Illustrator - total points in Illustrator 13) > Flash > Moho : Moho image had 45 points in it.
-Illustrator (two sets of anchor points added in Illustrator, total of 52 points) > Flash > Moho: Moho image had 83 points in it.
No pattern or same ratio of points added.
--------------
Comparing the two, from Illustrator > Moho, Moho adds more points to the object than from Illustrator > Flash > Moho.
What it means in the grand scheme of life, I haven´t a clue.