I can't open an Adobe Illustrator (*.ai) file from mail - PostScript Error in Adobe Illustrator,

[sevak1]

I can't open an Adobe Illustrator (*.ai) file from mail - PostScript Error in Adobe Illustrator,  Someone emailed me .ai files. When I download the attachment I get an error saying "Postscript Conversion Error", "The PostScript File filename.ai.ps cannot be converted to a pdf file". I don't know why this happens. The file in the e-mail is an .ai file. I try to download it to my desktop from my Gmail account.  I have a Mac Book Pro.

File downloads as  name.ai.ps     ,Once I remove the extension.ps from  .ai.ps I am able to open the file in illustrator cs4, this I will need to do in every file I want to understand how do i fix to get the file downloaded correctly.

Thanks in advance

[Guest]

most browsers cannot open an .ai file--it needs to be downloaded first--also--it is a best practice to have the file zipped before it's sent

then download it and unzip

[sevak1]

I don't think I have any Browser issue ( have safari and firefox) here if I send same file  from Gmail to mac.com account and download it from there file DL as .ai

Something else is going on here and its with all  illustrator files when downloaded from gmail.

More over the file does not open as a Zip, it tries to download it as .pdf file.

[Ignatius Fay]

So, what you are saying, actually, is that you CAN open the .ai file. It is the .ai.ps file that is giving you problems. I do not have the technical knowledge to understand why it happens, but my experience is that some mail programs or mail servers will add the .ps suffix to files that they consider to be postscript files just prior to sending. It has happened to me, always with someone else's work mailed to me.

When you get them, AI expects them to be postscript because of the suffix, but they are not, so it doesn't know what to do and returns an error - my understanding is that .ai files are .pdf-based. Removing the .s ends the confusion.

As far as I know, you'll have to remove the .ps each time or accumulate a bunch and use OS X's batch renaming capabilities to remove it.

[sevak1]

Your understanding is perfectly the same as mine, the problem is that same files when forwarded to another macbook pro that have snow leapord opens just fine, I called Adobe the lady was clueless, I got apple tech support the guy spent more than two/three hrs and than put me on specialist, he spent another two hrs and had me create a new admin account and than forward a report file to him than finally came to conclusion that I need to go back to my re-instal  Cd's and re-instal them which will mean I spend another couple of Hrs doing all the upgrades, The point is why is this happening? any GURU's there?

We can always find ways to work around an issue but its always best to find out the source of trouble, I have design premium on my computer, bee working for years with illustrator never had this issue. Is it something to do with CS4?

If its acomputer issue should the same thing not happen when I download files from @mac.com account?

I will forward the file to yahoo account and see what happens.

( Just checked it same thing it attaches an extra.ps after .ai

File name downloads as       name.ai.ps )

Any one who can add imput to this issue will be greatly appreciated.

[Ignatius Fay]

Shelly -

I am running Snow Leopard myself. Interestingly, right after replying to your post, I tried to contribute to two other posts both of which required downloading their example. Both files in their posts were .ai files, but when they arrived on my computer, they were .ai.ps files. I had to remove the .ps to open them. I do not think the computers are at fault - I think it is the Internet server software - but then again, who am I? Certainly not an Internet software guru.

[sevak1]

Well If you have the same issue than may be its something to do with internet software.

Not so fast ...........................................

Very interesting Find, I opened the same email in Firefox and it asked me

What should firefox do with this file?

Options were

O Open with Preview application default

O Save file

I opted for save file and Wallah the File DL with .ai

I think its the Gmail in safari adding extra extension .ps to file saved as .pdf in illustrator, when DL from Gmail.

Now that we know the  issue can someone help finding the solution?

[sevak1]

Well

This is an Ongoing issue with Safari, The solution (not really very good) that I could find  so far is this ----------Posting it here for others to read if they encounter this problem:

1. Select the PDF file in the Finder.
2. From the File menu, choose Get Info.
3. In the Info window that appears, click the disclosure triangle next to "Open with."
4. Set the pop-up menu to Preview.
5. Click the Change All button that's immediately below the pop-up menu.

__________________________________________________Please post if you have any other solution_______________________________________

[HollyBHoney]

Fox fire worked! YAY!

[rizziechan · Accepted solution]

Make sure that you're not using the Safari Browser because this browser cannot open app files that it cannot read, so it automatically tries to download it as a PDF. Try using another browser like Firefox or Chrome, and you should be able to download it with no problem