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the file is an unknown format and cannot be opened (.ai file)

Engaged ,
May 31, 2011 May 31, 2011

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Hi. I am on XP and working with AI CS4.

I cannot open an Illustrator file that I created last year. I did NOT have this file emailed to me. I just need to make a couple edits and reprint it.

This is what I have tried to do:

I tried zipping the file and opening it.

I tried Ctrl + Shift + Alt clicking on Open when trying to open the file fro the Open dialog box.

I tried copying & pasting the file to another directory to open it.

I tried using another version of Illustrator, 10.

I tried right clicking and selecting Open With Illustrator.

I found another post on this topic that mentions to enable content recovery mode:

http://forums.adobe.com/message/2560449#2560449

It is just here, http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/500/cpsid_50031.html it says it can be risky and I am afraid to damage other Illustrator files. There are a lot on the system.

I was just wondering if there was another way. I do not have a backup of this file (didn't think it was important). I may have a jpg, but I'd like the actual Illustrator file to work with if possible.

Thank you.

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correct answers 2 Correct answers

Engaged , May 31, 2011 May 31, 2011

Here is what I did...

I found this link: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Adobe-Illustrator-1027/open-ai-file.htm

I placed the .ai file into InDesign then exported it as an .eps file. It now opens in Illustrator. There are no text boxes, just those blue lines (I don't remember what that is called), but I can edit text.

I saved as a .ai file and it opens.

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New Here , Sep 23, 2022 Sep 23, 2022

I found this thread in 2022 for this same issue, the "correct answer" of putting into InDesign did not work for me.

What DID  work, was (with a copy of the file) I simply changed it from a .ai to a .svg in file explorer, accepted the warning, then the new .svg file opened up in illustrator for me. Even the layers were preserved under a parent layer. Hope this helps if anyone else encounters this again.

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New Here ,
Nov 16, 2021 Nov 16, 2021

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Sometimes if you do not have enough memory, RAM, you will get that message. 😉

Sandy Rowley
Best SEO Expert in the World

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New Here ,
Feb 23, 2022 Feb 23, 2022

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this guy solve your error

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New Here ,
Mar 30, 2022 Mar 30, 2022

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QUICK FIX

 

I tried using a few online converters to convert to EPS (thank you stella), but they kept having issues with my file. 

It seemed all hope was lost, until I simply duplicated the file, and then removed the spaces between words in the title. The duplicate of the damaged file is now opening fine with every element in tact 👌🏽

 

I don't know if removing the spaces did anything, it likely didn't, but you never know. I'd reccomend this combo for anyone who's receiving the above message

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New Here ,
Sep 23, 2022 Sep 23, 2022

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I found this thread in 2022 for this same issue, the "correct answer" of putting into InDesign did not work for me.

What DID  work, was (with a copy of the file) I simply changed it from a .ai to a .svg in file explorer, accepted the warning, then the new .svg file opened up in illustrator for me. Even the layers were preserved under a parent layer. Hope this helps if anyone else encounters this again.

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Explorer ,
Feb 28, 2023 Feb 28, 2023

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Did not work with me, it seems if it's corrupted then it's corrupted.

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New Here ,
May 23, 2023 May 23, 2023

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Thank you very much! It helped me 🙂

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New Here ,
Feb 22, 2024 Feb 22, 2024

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LATEST

You're a lifesaver. THANK YOU!

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New Here ,
Feb 06, 2023 Feb 06, 2023

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Hey! I had the same problem and found a very simple solution. Ai file wouldn't open in illustrator and said "unknown format". I found the file from finder, right clicked alt (mac) on it, hover over "Open with" and click "Illustrator". Not sure why it needed to be opened in this way, but it worked for all of my damaged ai files.

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Community Beginner ,
Jul 03, 2023 Jul 03, 2023

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So I am having the same issues. I figured out the the ai file was locked why I don't know. I unlocked it and it said that you can save it as a tiff. I hit accept and then it opened up in illustrator. See images.

Open in preview, then follow enclosed pictures. I hope this helps someone.

 

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Community Beginner ,
Jul 03, 2023 Jul 03, 2023

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I found this to happen after I uploaded my files to an external harddrive. These external harddrives are not pre-programmed and have to be in order to move files. This is the second 2TB external harddrive that has messed up my files. Now I just use it as a my backup plus. However I have been searching to find the answer to moving all my photos on backup plus so that I can delete them off my phone. I have over 10k photos on my iPhone and I think this is why my HD is overloaded with so much "Other Files". I don't know, it's so fruserating.

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Community Expert ,
Jul 03, 2023 Jul 03, 2023

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You saved an AI file as a TIFF? Then all the editable data will be gone.

 

You should really get your drive formatting sorted out. And also: what happens when you save to your internal harddisk? 

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