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You should have no problems opening FH7 - FH11 files using Mountain Lion and AI CS5.
However as before, it is still recommended that somewhere, you have a functioning Snow Leopard installation, also with FreeHand and AI-CS5 installed and working.
If you only have one computer, may I make the following suggestion(s).
Before upgrading to Mountain Lion on your current machine, purchase a 500gb or 1tb FireWire hard drive, and then "clone" your entire Mac installation drive to the new drive. Afterwards, you can boot from that drive by going to System Preferences => Startup Disk, and choosing the FW drive.
It's not a bad idea to clone your installation from time to time anyway...and not only with Time Machine. You can then easily reinstall SL, just in case Mountain Lion doesn't appeal to you. NOTE: please be sure to repair permissions using the Disk Utility BEFORE cloning(!)
It MUST be an exact bootable clone, and I suggest Carbon Copy Cloner from very good past experience. Also, don't even try booting from a USB drive: it's painfully slow(!)
When it comes to the day that you have to purchase a new Mac, where SL and the drive that you cloned will no longer run, you should look into purchasing Parallels Desktop, and a **Snow Leopard Server** installation disk. You can "virtualize" SL Server and migrate your clone drive programs to that.
** There are ways to virtualize the normal Snow Leopard client, but they are somewhat for the tech-experienced because Apple "technically" doesn't allow SL-Client to be virtualized. You may want to Google it anyway, just as an alternative 
** Trying to use SL on a new Mac may ... or may not... actually work, due to missing drivers. I really can't say at the moment. I will be trying to do this shortly for a client, and I will report back my experience.
** Last but not least, you CAN still make use of your Parallels Desktop purchase if SL doesn't work, by installing Windows 7 and a purchased license of FreeHand MX (eBay). Actually, you can install as many "virtual OSes" as you like, from WinXP to Win7 to Ubuntu... and even SL "Server"... all at the same time. I have one client that runs all of those simultaneously due to being a web developer.
One last note: the translation from FH data to Illustrator has always been tricky, and especially so if you use deeply nested groups.
That means with for example: 3 squares grouped, then grouped with a picture, then grouped again adding Text, etc. etc.
The most problems with such nested groups comes from the resizing of those groups in your FH project. When translated (opened) in illustrator, that is (mostly) when text breaks up or flows differently, and often line-widths are wrong, etc.
If you have such a problem with any FH file, it is advised to go back to FH, and ungroup everything.
It is a pain once back in Illustrator, HOWEVER... if you have the FreeHand specific (*not found in AI yet) preference checked "Remember Layers Info", and you previously had layers set up before grouping, FH will ungroup and place your objects back into those layers for easy selection once opened in AI.
* FH's "Remember Layer Info" is not the same, and is far more useful, than AI's simple "Paste Remembers Layers". You can group to your heart's content, Ungroup later, and you'll have the same multi-layer document you started with. That is if you actually "use" layers. FH was so easy to sub-select things, many people only worked on one layer. This is NOT advised in Illustrator
<added> PS. Makes ya wonder when all of the 64-bit goodness of Illustrator is going to be able to do the lowly "little things" that the woefully and worthless 16 and 32-bit FreHand could do for decades...?
Jacob,
I lost track of what you're replying to truthfully.
I was (woollily) referring to all the different issues, and hoping that most could be avoided by keeping at least one of the lower CS versions alive, rather than downsaving to 7.
Actually, I am suggesting keeping at least Illustrator CS4 or CS5... somewhere... if you plan or need to open Freehand documents.
If you have Snow Leopard or a SL compatible machine: keep it if you can. If it dies, check eBay for a replacement.
Tip: not only Mac Minis, but you can also look for a cheap, *busted up MBP with a broken screen, keyboard, etc. Because you can install with a BT keyboard and/or attached external monitor, and later run it "headless" as they say. Meaning: as long as it starts up, you can control the machine from your main Mac through Screen Sharing. I advise, speed-wise, that you have a "cabled Ethernet connection" between the 2 machines rather than Wifi... but that depends on your Wifi router and speeds.
* naturally it still has to work, and not been thrown from a cliff... or at someone, then hitting a wall and bouncing down 3 flights of stairs (true story!)
As for down-saving: I don't, and actually continue to save from FreeHand as normal .fh11 documents. I never found it useful to down-save, especially not as far down as AI-7(!).
NOTE: Just because Freehand is no longer available on Lion or Mountain Lion, doesn't mean that the files disappear or that you can't open them with your program of choice, *as with any document of any type for that matter.
Just in case someone doesn't know this, this will force FH documents to always open with Illy CS5
a) Mac: you can "Get Info" (Cmd-I) on any FH document type; from the "Open With" drop down, choose "Other.." if AI CS5 isn't listed, choose AI (the program, not the folder); then click "Change All" before closing the window.
b) Windows: right-click the document, choose Open With => Choose Default Program.
Summary: don't get discouraged... there will be a way to open FH docs. Just have to get "creative" sometimes 
ALTHOUGH: it would be very nice of Adobe if they could include the function with CS6 at some point in the near future(!) I would like to stick being "creative" with my graphic work and tools, rather than with my tech-support.
Ok so just to be clear 
I don't have any old versions of illustrator at all - only Freehand MX, I don't have spare Mac's lying around and I only get one chance at this upgrading thing and I just wondered if anyone had any simple advice.
The macbook I'm using now will go to someone else in a few months and a new macbook pro will arrive for me this month along with Illustrator CS6 which I will have to get to grips with somehow and make the best of a bad situation! I'll have a month or so to salvage what I can in whatever formats seem most useful.
My work is very simple illustration and layout for training resources, (eg. I'm not big on layers or complicated fills) and I really want to salvage illustrations which I often adapt and reuse in different forms, if text goes a bit wonky then the world won't end I'll just have to stock up on migraine tablets.
I save important stuff as PDF files anyway but I would like to save freehand stuff also in a format that I can edit and pick bits off if I need them in the future. I'm not expecting a seamless transition. I am going to make the break from Freehand this time - I should have done it 5 years ago and didn't! 
Just for interest / info in Freehand MX I can export documents in these formats:
(some of these are a mystery to me!)
Illustrator 1.1,88,3,5.5 and 7
ASCII text
BMP
DCS2 EPS
FreeHand 10, 8,9
Generic EPS
GIF
JPEG
Mac EPS
Macromedia Flash (SWF)
MS-DOS EPS
Photoshop 3 EPS, 4 & 5 RGB EPS, 5
PICT
PNG
Quark EPS
RTF text
Targa
TIFF
And I can save as a FreeHAnd Document, FH template or an Editable EPS
vickyjs-2007 wrote:
Ok so just to be clear
We have tried, wouldn't you agree?
The macbook I'm using now will go to someone else in a few months and a new macbook pro will arrive for me this month along with Illustrator CS6 which I will have to get to grips with somehow and make the best of a bad situation! I'll have a month or so to salvage what I can in whatever formats seem most useful.
I don't want to discourage you in the least(!).... however, giving yourself only a month to learn the intracacies and differences working with AI vs. FH... it's cutting it tight. Even experienced graphic pros have their difficulties and experience a learning curve of about 2-3 months from my experience training them. Real productivity comes at about 4-6 months, similar if not even better than FH for some things.
My work is very simple illustration and layout for training resources, (eg. I'm not big on layers or complicated fills) and I really want to salvage illustrations which I often adapt and reuse in different forms, if text goes a bit wonky then the world won't end I'll just have to stock up on migraine tablets.
Tip & Warning: You just might want to rethink "not being big on layers" when switching to AI.
See below for re-using "vector-based" illustrations.
I save important stuff as PDF files anyway but I would like to save freehand stuff also in a format that I can edit and pick bits off if I need them in the future. I'm not expecting a seamless transition. I am going to make the break from Freehand this time - I should have done it 5 years ago and didn't!
That bolded line above, is what caused me to warn you about your learning expectations of a month.
Breaking apart PDFs in AI... which I have a lot of experience with... is quite difficult if you don't know the ins-and-outs of AI and it's toolset and functions. Text is mostly easy... save your Aspirins for doing illustration conversions from a PDF!
Just for interest / info in Freehand MX I can export documents in these formats:
(some of these are a mystery to me!)
Illustrator 1.1,88,3,5.5 and 7
ASCII text
BMP
DCS2 EPS
FreeHand 10, 8,9
Generic EPS
GIF
JPEG
Mac EPS
Macromedia Flash (SWF)
MS-DOS EPS
Photoshop 3 EPS, 4 & 5 RGB EPS, 5
PICT
PNG
Quark EPS
RTF text
Targa
TIFF
And I can save as a FreeHAnd Document, FH template or an Editable EPS
Only the red items should be considered, just as you guessed in your first post.
a) The rest are either platform or software - specific export formats not "normally" associated with AI (many you can "Place" but not edit with vector tools);
b) PDFs have their own unique set of problems you will face (see above); and the rest will save as "pixel-based formats" and will no longer be "vector-based";
c) Again, you can "Place" many of them (TIF, JPG, etc.), but editing takes place in Photoshop for example.
Considering that you're stuck with only 1 computer and 1 vector software package due to your employment... I'm thinking we're going to be hearing a lot from you in this forum in the near future. Not sure if that's good....? Although we enjoy your company
As a consultant to the industry, and considering your level of knowledge at this point (just an assessment!-NOT derogatory!), I can't state enough that I think you're going to have a really tough time doing this as planned.
Especially that you will be trying to learn a completely new OS (yes, it is different enough from SL to say this)... AND a completely different software program than FH. I am NOT saying that FH was better or worse... just stating the facts as I see them.
Summary: I would tell any client, "No. Don't do this to yourself!" Consider one of the "alternatives".
NOTE: I assume your Org is purchasing the CS6 - Design Standard package(?) If so when you find the time, you might want to look into doing your books with InDesign rather than Illustrator. Too many reasons to go into here... just watch some free AdobeTV or YouTube videos.
You might also consider getting up to speed with the (subscription) training videos at Lynda.com.
Did you check on eBay or CraigsList? I hear that you can get used/deactivated software there. Unfortunately I'm in Europe, or I'd check for you
madameblossom wrote:
DocPixel-BMW, you are a star! So helpful and patient and knowledgeable. I shall keep this info for when I upgrade to CS6 and Mountain Lion, so that I will know how to open my old Freehand files.
<Blush!> Thank you... but no... not a star... just being helpful.
Just one thing though, not sure why I will still need Snow Leopard (on a separate drive). If I keep CS 5.5 (as well as having CS 6) surely if I am on Mountain Lion I will be able to open my FH files using CS 5.5?
Yes. You will be able to open your Freehand files on Mountain Lion using CS5.5.
However, I'm a "cautious" type... possibly over cautious.
I have always cloned a working system before upgrading any OS, incl. Windows. More than a few times it has saved me from unforeseeable problems or snags. Such as printer drivers not working (yet) or a "must-have" program not being available (FH for instance), etc.
In the case of the "never to be used again Freehand", I consider that short-sighted. I don't know how many FH files you have, but I have north of 600,000 at last count. Any one of these may be needed at short notice.... and it never fails to follow Murphy's Law... that it is exactly that one file that won't translate/convert well when opening in AI.
In that case, I open up the file in FH, do the ungroup everything trick and try again. If that doesn't work, than Copy Special from FH to AI and rebuild the file, or pull only the pieces I need and paste to AI.
No Snow Leopard = No Freehand == embarrassing excuse to a customer. Can't afford that, or often the time it would take to recreate the job from scratch.
So you see... just dumping out the "ability" to open a FH file natively, might not be the best choice, hence: keep a drive around with your last updated Snow Leopard and Freehand.... just in case Murphy's Law bites ya
Thanks again for all you help.
Your very welcome!
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