vector file compatibility.

[befehr]

OK, so one of the first things I do when looking at a new piece of software is see if it is "truly" compatible with Adobe illustrator. That is, it can not only import but export a usable file. 

 

Just about every software I have used cannot export gradients without breaking down each color into little bands or rasterizing it. Xara Extreme is the only one I have found thats works well, though they only have a PC version. It seems Affinity Designer is one that does NOT work will with exporting eps or svg files with gradients. Although it says that it can, and there is even a check box that allows files to be editable as a vector file, if there is any object overlapping, if there is a gradient, forget it.

 

In fact, I created a box with a single color and one curve, exported as a eps, and it converted it to a bitmap. (see attached).

 

One of the second things I do is see if I can draw a straight line at a specific angle, or at a angle specified in snap mode. I didn't find that feature yet. Anyone? 

 

I create stock illustrations and these stock sites insist on editable EPS version 10 files, no bitmaps objects. I'm think I did not find my replacement for Illustrator. 

___

This make this software totally unusable for me. SO, I was hoping that someone could prove me wrong and show me how this will work.

[Dave Harris]

Affinity can export native gradients to EPS, PDF and SVG. There are many reasons why a layer may need to be rasterised; if you post a sample Affinity file, we can take a look and see what's happening.

[befehr]

I did some playing around. At best this output is unpredictable.

I have attached two files. The original AD, and an the output PDF. I tried an EPS and it cannot be opened by anything other than AD.

 

I have also exported as SVG. With this and the PDF, both are converted to a clipping mask. None of my customers want a file full of clipping masks. 

 

BTW, when I open the pdf in Illustrator, I get a "Unknown shading type was encounters." error message. 

***

Like many I'm sure, I'm looking to solve a problem...to get out from under Adobe. I need something that works. I DON'T want something that has a bunch of workarounds. If I wanted that I'd go be to CorelDRAW on a PC. So any help here is greatly appreciated. 

 

Thanks

 

Oh, and the system won't let me upload an EPS as an attachment. So here is a link to the file in Dropbox.
 

ChromeApple.afdesign

ChromeApple.pdf

[Dave Harris]

Thanks. I'll take a look when I get some time.

[Dave Harris]

OK, I think the line rasterised because you used a texture line style. Texture line styles can have pressure profiles, opacity and other effects, so in the current release they always get rasterised. We have improved this, and in the next update simple texture lines will be expanded to curves instead, if they don't use opacity or bitmaps. It would still be better to use solid lines if you don't need the power of texture ones.

 

I've exported the ChromeApple, and as far as I can see nothing in it got rasterised or turned into bands. The gradients are preserved at full vector quality. It does use vector clipping. That's because we currently use Apple's Core Graphics for PDF and EPS output, so we are limited to what that can support. Core Graphics is also the reason the EPS won't load in all apps. iDraw has the same problem.

 

Thanks for your feedback, and I'm sorry if the export quality of our first release doesn't satisfy you. It will improve with free updates over coming months, so I hope you don't write us off altogether.

[PierMax]

Hi, I need a recommendation for no create error exporting to EPS compatible with Illustrator 10, Affinity don´t have this option, thanks