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Dude0921
Participant
May 27, 2011
Question

converting .pdf files to .eps

  • May 27, 2011
  • 3 replies
  • 59218 views

Hello,

I am not a illustrator user; indeed I am terrible with softwares. However, i need to use my plotter cutter and i have to convert some pdf vector files to eps format.

To do that I tried current trial version AI program. However, current AI CS5 is way too expensive for me. knowing that I am going to use thi program for this particular simple process, can anybody recommend me may be an earlier version of AI(least expensive) to do my job?

Thanks

      3 replies

      H
      Hasibul_Islam8134
      Participant
      July 1, 2025

      [personal information removed by moderator]

      Monika Gause
      Community Expert
      Monika GauseCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 1, 2025

      This is an ancient thread. Please create a new one and describe your issue. 

       

      JETalmage
      JETalmage
      Inspiring
      May 28, 2011

      Unless you are working in a closed environment with a set of PDFs, the content of which is known, you are almost certainly going to need to modifiy the content in order to make it suitable for plotter cutting. A cutter cuts anything that is a path. Vector drawings (especially AI artwork) not drawn expressly for the purpose of cutting will very often contain cross-cuts and overlaps that you'll need to remove before cutting.

      In short, you need something more than just a translation of a PDF to an EPS file.

      Most sign vinyl cutting equipment users drive the device with a more vertical-market (i.e.; expensive) program. Such programs often provide the tools necessary to manipulate Bezier paths, albeit often with more cumbersome and limited drawing tools. Those programs typically require EPS just because EPS was established as the normal exchange format for Bezier curves described in the PostScript language. But both EPS and PDF are meta formats. They are like "wrappers" or "boxes" which can contain any combination of raster images, vector paths, and live text. So just "converting" one meta format to another is like dumping the content of one cardboard box into another. You'll still need to be able to manipulate the paths.

      Bottom like: It's rather self-defeating to try to operate vinyl cutting equipment (I'm assuming vinyl--you don't specify) without a program that can manipulate paths. If a large portion of your source material is going to be PDF, you need either a drawing program that can extract the content of a PDF, open it as objects native to the drawing program, and then export it as an exchange format (EPS) that the cutter-driving software can open; or a cutter-driving software that can open the content of a PDF. (I don't know of any.) And, of course, you're going to need to know how to use that program.

      JET

      _scott__
      _scott__
      Legend
      May 27, 2011

      You can convert to EPS from Acrobat Standard or Pro. (Save As > Encapsulated Postscript)

      The real question is... do you want to manipulate the image beyond simply converting it? There are other applications out there which can edit EPS files. Inkscape is fairly inexpensive, or Xara if you're on a Windows box.

      You might try and find an older version of Illustrator on eBay (triple check that it's legal and can be registered) or at Amazon.

      D
      Dude0921Author
      Participant
      May 27, 2011

      Scott W, thanks for the answer.

      I do copy the image, do multiply the image to fit as many as possible along width the roll / Cutter's width. and than I save this new image to .eps

      I was thinking of using Adobe Illustrator earlier versions (like 8 or 9) to do this; per yoru recommendation, I see there are Adobe Standart and professional original softwares sold on EBAY at okay prices. Which one do you reccomend?

      _scott__
      _scott__
      Legend
      May 27, 2011

      Well, realize that Acrobat Standard or Acrobat Pro will not allow you to edit the eps file. They will only allow you to make the conversion from PDf to EPS. That's all. To edit an eps file, you'll need a vector editing application.

      I'd suggest you try some software packages like Inkscape or Xara. They may be able to do the PDF to EPS conversion as well.

      And for basic EPS files, Illustrator 8 or newer would work provided your system can run the older versions. Moderm Macs will not run any version prior to 10.

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