Illustrator CS6 will not save files. Unknown Error has occured

[akt77]

I am not able to save my files and illustrator gives the message 'An Unknown Error has occured'. In a previous discussion transparency is called out as the culprit however I am not using transparency in my document and have checked all the items. I have also tried copying the work into a new ai file however this also will not save. This is has happened to me about 5 times since I updated to CS6. Anyone else having this issue?

Update - I just closed Illustrator and lost all my work and then an Adobe update window showed up asking me to update Adobe Air. I recall an Adobe Update window appearing once before when I had problems solving. Could the Adobe update window interfere or prevent me from saving my documents?

[fc_ct]

I had this issue today and was running for a deadline, the stress it caused was insane.
I drove to my brother's place and he was able to do the following, which HAS WORKED and so far I can save multiple times:

1. Open Terminal:  Navigate to /Applications/Utilities and double-click on Terminal.
(The Terminal comes with OS X but if you're running OS 9 then you'd have to upgrade to OS X before looking for Terminal. If you are running Jaguar (OS X 10.2) then the Terminal app will be in the /Applications/Utilities folder as previously posted. If it is not there, then it has been deleted. In which case, you'll either need to obtain a copy from another Mac system, or repair your OS X installation.)

2. When Terminal opens, type in the bold bits below so it looks like this:

Users-MacBook-Pro:~ user$ cd library

Users-MacBook-Pro:library user$ open .

3. A window will then open, find a folder called "Preferences" and open it

4. Then find the folder called "Adobe Illustrator CS3 Settings" (or whichever adobe version you have)

4. NB: Now quit Illustrator, and then drag that "Adobe Illustrator CS3 Settings" folder into the trash (no need to empty trash)

5. Re-launch Illustrator, you will see a new folder "Adobe Illustrator CS3 Settings" will appear in the terminal window that you just dragged the folder out of.

Adobe Illustrator can then be launched, and it should then work, and be able to save.

Repeat if the error message crops up again.

All thanks to my brother, love that guy.

[Monika Gause]

You don't need Terminal for this.

[rizkyi33914886]

i tried many solutions above and no one can solved it .. i just installing it a moment ago and test by adding 1 box and 1 text but as usual the ilustrator cant save in .ai or .eps and .tiff what should i do ?? i just able to save to jpg etc .. but thats file cannot be modified again in later times

going on frustated ... it so confusing and take a whole time to get no answer

[Monika Gause]

THis is an old thread where many people describe different issues.

Please open a new thread and write down what eactly is happening for you.

Exact system and version,

exact error description.

[ciliboh]

i'm newbie here. please give a guide...

i have get quick solution about this. it maybe happen because of the text in the file. it happen to me.

the solution:

1. select all the text in the file. Select>All

2. change text to outlines. Type>Create Outlines

3. save. Files>Save

hope it will help.

source: Using Adobe Illustrator How to Convert Text to Outlines

[ciliboh]

quick solution 2:

if you want the text can edit in next use, try save under other format;

1. Adobe FXG (*.FXG)

2. SVG (*.SVG)

3. SGV Compressed (*.SVGZ)

[JamesWinslow]

Crazy, if I use any text in the document I get the “Unknown error has occurred” ... saving as SGV seems to be a work around to keep text live without having outlining it ... BUG

[HELMAAA]

i have the same issue can anybody help me .

[Monika Gause]

HELMAAA schrieb:

i have the same issue can anybody help me .

There are already 53 answers. Have you tried them all?

[HELMAAA]

yes i tried them all

[HELMAAA]

but i still can't save in a pdf or ai file but in a svg file.

and i like to talk to someone who speaks dutch and i tried find a number of the consumer service in holland but i were not able to find anything.

HELP NEEDED !!!!!!!!

[HELMAAA]

0202013331 is het nummer in nederland, maar uiteindelijk kom je dan toch in contact met iemand in Ierland, wat niet erg is, want met haar kon ik screen-delen, en heeft ze het gevonden.

[doug.draws]

I had this happen this morning. My file had nothing complicated in it - no meshes, text, clipping masks, etc. It was just some simple icons I created. I couldn't find any solutions on the web so I checked here and found this thread.

[Monika Gause]

Where are you saving your files? Your hard disk?

[doug.draws]

Same place I always save them - my HD. I closed AI and opened the file again. I just moved something then undid it and saved. It saved fine this time. I think perhaps it could be the fact I had so many documents and windows open last time. Maybe. I dunno. Just a guess. This time I only had this browser window and AI open when I saved.

[doug.draws]

Found this on YouTube: "Can't Save Illustration" - Adobe Illustrator Problem With Saving Files [Solved]

[Monika Gause]

It suggests saving under a different name. Actually one of the first things I would try. But since it's so basic I assumed you're having really serious problems.

So did saving under a different name help you?

[doug.draws]

No ... when it happened I just closed the file without saving, then closed AI. I posted that YouTube link because that sounds like a good workaround for anyone else who encounters the issue.

[bettierage21230]

"I ended up tracking it down to a path deep inside a distortion mesh that had no fill, no stroke, and nothing showing up in the appearance palette, yet was still marked as having some appearance effects applied to it; I hit the 'clear appearance' button in the appearance palette and was able to save just fine."  Egypt Urnash‌

I have a file with many objects, and I tracked my problem down to a similar issue.  I deleted then hit Undo for each group until I found the culprit.  There were several paths within the group that showed they had appearance attributes (by the gradient-filled target indicator in the layers palette), but only two paths had transparency - the rest were just "false positives."  They did have fills, though, so I couldn't use the Clear Appearance button without having to recolor everything.  What worked for me was Object > Expand Appearance.  This cleared all the false appearance indicators without actually clearing transparency where it was applied, and I was able to save the file.

I'm not sure why this was suddenly a problem, as this group is a fairly old illustration. I am currently consolidating my generic illustrations into files (e.g., cellPhones.ai, laptops.ai, etc.) so I can find them quickly in a pinch, and this particular group has been saved in this file before without problems.  The only thing I can think of is that I am also changing all the files to RGB from CMYK - just out of personal preference - so maybe that confused Illustrator.  You know how easy it is to confuse Illustrator!

[easmall07]

I have had the exact same issue - I re-saved my native file as a different name and it seemed to fix this problem.  Though I can't say this works all the time.

[easmall07]

It is difficult to even screen shot anything because the error message is gone in a nanosec!

[Guest]

You must save with creat outlines of all fonts in your work space, it's work on my pc

[Fadichmn]

I have found the solution for this mess. The answers about saving without the "Create PDF Compatible File" is correct.

Steps:
1. Save your current work if you have one without "Create PDF Compatible File".

2. Close Illustrator
3. Download a new Adobe PDF/Acrobat Reader if you have one, otherwise download it anyway.
4. Reopen your previous work or create one with the "Create PDF Compatible File" is turned on.

I hope this may help you!

[rsdm]

i had the " an unknown error occurred " and i solved it by finding out that it was a corrupted font..

I couldn't save the file, so i lost everything i designed.

• delete the font you are using and install it again. open your file and check if it wants to save again. and save it on a other name for safety.

this was my problem on the unknown error.

Hope it helps someone..

Saludos

R

[KimberlyFair]

I had the same problem! There is a solution that I found and worked for me. I saved the file as a EPS instead of a AI file. Once it was done saving I deleted the old AI file and save a new Ai file. Worked like a charm! I have no idea why it happened but this was nice fix!