Jump to content
You must now use your email address to sign in [click for more info] ×

Is there any hope for opening Illustrator EPS files?


Recommended Posts

I've seen threads in the past about EPS files that open as low-res bitmaps, commonly from graphics services like Shutterstock etc. I'm wondering if there have been any developments in solving this in Affinity Designer.

I subscribe to Freepik's Premium plan. Their vector graphics are supplied as EPS with JPG previews, and some have AI as well. For the EPS files, it's truly hit-and-miss.

  • Some EPS files open OK in Designer, and I can select & edit objects.
  • Some EPS files open with gradients or backgrounds turned into thousands of individual vector sections, or random non-adjacent parts of an image combined as single vector (or even un-editable image) objects.  (Example attached)
  • And some EPS files open only as small, blocky bitmaps, with no vector elements at all -- like it's only seeing the bitmap thumbnail, not the vector EPS.  (Example attached)

I assume this has to do with some Illustrator-specific encoding, or how the file is saved? It's nothing the end user has control over. And as Illustrator remains the "standard," it's a small minority of a service's users who can't open the files, so we can't expect any action on their part -- especially since this happens across different major graphics services.

Since Designer can open Illustrator files, why do these EPS files open so strangely?

And, is there any hope for a solution with Affinity Designer?  (Getting Illustrator isn't an option, which is of course why most of us have Designer in the first place.)  :)

Thanks for any insight, and I really hope this can be resolved.

B

 

AD-snowcaps-eps-jpg-comp-2.jpg

AD-Christmas-tree-elements-2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Staff

Hi Bmuse,
Welcome to Affinity Forums :)
The Affinity apps are only able to read/access the PDF stream contained in the Ai file if it includes one otherwise they won't display anything (the Ai file must be saved with PDF compatible file ticked/checked). The Ai data is private/closed. We aren't able to read it. Same for the EPS files. We only have access to the EPS data. Adobe Illustrator embeds Ai data when saves the files as EPS which is what it uses to load them back and keep everything editable. The EPS format itself doesn't support gradients meshes, blend modes or any type of transparency. That's why EPS files submitted to stock sites must be Illustrator compatible - so users can edit all objects.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi MEB, and thank you for the reply! I appreciate the great explanation.

Re: your last sentence -- that EPS files submitted to stock sites must be Illustrator compatible -- you're saying that an EPS must be Illustrator-compatible for Illustrator to read it, but it still can't be properly read by Designer or non-AI apps? Did I interpret that correctly?

So, when an EPS file from a stock site does open correctly in Designer, how does that mean it was encoded? Without AI data?

Just trying to figure out the differences when things work, and don't.

Thanks again,

B

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"when the passthrough/embedding is here."

When, when when??? - I'm not holding my breath! :/

As haakoo says, rather than wasting limited resources on trying to improve the import of Adobe's proprietary file formats, it would be much better to improve their PDF import (using passthrough and embedded fonts).
Apart from anything else, PDF is the way Serif recommend that we should "transfer" files from their own Plus/Legacy range, yet we've been waiting for years for them to make it fully functional - in all the Affinity apps!
Quite often I still have to open PDF files in PagePlus, convert text to curves, save as a new PDF, then open that in APub. If they could get it right in PagePlus, why on earth can't they get it working properly in the Affinity apps?

Acer XC-895 : Core i5-10400 Hexa-core 2.90 GHz :  32GB RAM : Intel UHD Graphics 630 : Windows 10 Home
Affinity Publisher 2 : Affinity Photo 2 : Affinity Designer 2 : (latest release versions) on desktop and iPad

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 11/27/2019 at 4:03 PM, MEB said:

Hi Bmuse,
Welcome to Affinity Forums :)
The Affinity apps are only able to read/access the PDF stream contained in the Ai file if it includes one otherwise they won't display anything (the Ai file must be saved with PDF compatible file ticked/checked). The Ai data is private/closed. We aren't able to read it. Same for the EPS files. We only have access to the EPS data. Adobe Illustrator embeds Ai data when saves the files as EPS which is what it uses to load them back and keep everything editable. The EPS format itself doesn't support gradients meshes, blend modes or any type of transparency. That's why EPS files submitted to stock sites must be Illustrator compatible - so users can edit all objects.

Is there any workaround without having Illustrator to get the Stock Eps editable for Affinity? Convert it to Pdf, just didn't work... 

I just started to write to the support from the stock images sites, that they get aware of this problem. Affinity Designer is getting bigger and bigger... So they should start acting...

Still missing the tracing tool... ;)

Thanks Dirk

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Staff

Hi Dirk!

Unfortunately there's no workaround that I'm aware of, as Affinity (and most other third party apps) are unable to read the embedded AI file from the .eps container - my apologies!

Please Note: I am now out of the office until Tuesday 2nd April on annual leave.

If you require urgent assistance, please create a new thread and a member of our team will be sure to assist asap.

Many thanks :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I have got the same issue. 
Want to work with Affinity Designer, but can't work with the Freepik eps-files.

When you open the file in AI, then you can easily select the raster.

This seems quite a disadvantage of Affinity Designer.

Is there an eps converter to Affinity format?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Staff

Hi Marcel_nl,

Welcome to the forums :)

13 hours ago, Marcel_nl said:

When you open the file in AI, then you can easily select the raster.

As explained above, this is due to the .EPS file having an embedded .Ai file that Affinity apps cannot read - as this is a proprietary Adobe format and we don't have access to the specs to parse these.

13 hours ago, Marcel_nl said:

Is there an eps converter to Affinity format?

Designer can open regular .eps files, it's simply the .eps file type that's uploaded to these vector websites which are basically .Ai files 'in disguise'. Unfortunately there's no way to convert these files for use in Affinity without opening them in Illustrator and exporting them in another format, such as PDF, for import into Affinity.

I hope this clears things up.

Please Note: I am now out of the office until Tuesday 2nd April on annual leave.

If you require urgent assistance, please create a new thread and a member of our team will be sure to assist asap.

Many thanks :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a big problem. I'm very disappointed. There is also no converter tool available anywhere. Shutterstock doesn't want to help me either. I want to stop the payment plan at Shutterstock precisely for this reason. BUT: Which Stockphoto download store is suitable for Affinity with vector based images?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suspect the situation won't improve until enough people drop Adobe products for Affinity, and make it worthwhile for stock companies to provide file types which work in Affinity apps.

Acer XC-895 : Core i5-10400 Hexa-core 2.90 GHz :  32GB RAM : Intel UHD Graphics 630 : Windows 10 Home
Affinity Publisher 2 : Affinity Photo 2 : Affinity Designer 2 : (latest release versions) on desktop and iPad

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, PaulEC said:

I suspect the situation won't improve until enough people drop Adobe products for Affinity, and make it worthwhile for stock companies to provide file types which work in Affinity apps.

Yes, I also think it's right. Nothing happens before a lot of people have switched. I hope that somebody can develop an app that can convert eps / ai to a file with pdf layer while maintaining resolution, layers, shadow, gradient and other effects..

For now.... BUT: Which Stockphoto-download-store is suitable for Affinity with vector based images?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Staff

I recommend checking out the following threads - 

Unfortunately any stock site will accept these 'sudo' .eps files, so you may find that some files from one site work, whereas others do not.

Please Note: I am now out of the office until Tuesday 2nd April on annual leave.

If you require urgent assistance, please create a new thread and a member of our team will be sure to assist asap.

Many thanks :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Guidelines | We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.