Turn expanded strokes back into simple editable strokes?

[adam281572717o34]

I purchased a 30 piece clip art set. All the strokes are expanded. Yikes!

Is there a way to turn them into simple editable strokes?

This way I can resize them any way I want but adjust the strokes so all art looks consistent.

MANY tthanks in advance!

[adam281572717o34]

Agreed - I think the habit is quite outdated. And I also think anyone using this art in Illustrator will see the woopsie of not setting the strokes to scale will slap their forehead and go fix the settings. BTW - isn't scaling the default? I think so many people who aren't designers are now working with Canva and other similar programs that they'll be fine with editable strokes. BTW, my name is Fredericks. Such similar names! 

[Ton Frederiks]

I don't think it is the default, but as with so many things in Illustrator, it stays that way when changed.

Fredericks is the wealthy part of the family 🙂

[Bobby Henderson]

Most vector "draw-type" graphics applications will usually interpret a uniform line stroke properly. The caps on the end of the stroke are usually treated in a similar manner as well. After that? Consistency goes right out the window. Any settings on automatic scaling may not be preserved. One or more vector graphics applications allow a stroke to be placed behind the fill. One vector application's version of arrow heads may not import correctly into a rival vector application.

And then there's all the unique effects Adobe Illustrator can apply to line strokes. Art brushes and pattern brushes created in Illustrator do not export well at all. Those effects must be expanded first. Gradients on line strokes and free form gradients are both very unique to Illustrator. I'm not sure how someone could get those effects to translate to rival applications without rasterizing the objects. Stock image/art vendors may weigh in on the use of such effects in artwork they might agree to buy.

[Jacob Bugge]

I agree, Bobby.

My considerations leading to the double delivery suggestion were limited to the editability of shapes created as simple stroked paths, recognizable as such.

[Ton Frederiks]

You just mentioned all the reasons for 2 versions, the native and the dumbed down.

[Monika Gause]

Most vector "draw-type" graphics applications will usually interpret a uniform line stroke properly. The caps on the end of the stroke are usually treated in a similar manner as well. After that? Consistency goes right out the window. Any settings on automatic scaling may not be preserved. One or more vector graphics applications allow a stroke to be placed behind the fill. One vector application's version of arrow heads may not import correctly into a rival vector application.

And then there's all the unique effects Adobe Illustrator can apply to line strokes. Art brushes and pattern brushes created in Illustrator do not export well at all. Those effects must be expanded first. Gradients on line strokes and free form gradients are both very unique to Illustrator. I'm not sure how someone could get those effects to translate to rival applications without rasterizing the objects. Stock image/art vendors may weigh in on the use of such effects in artwork they might agree to buy.

By @Bobby Henderson

All the special Illustrator things are being taken care of by the EPS. Clipart companies demand the EPS file format. There is nothing live in the EPS. Only Illustrator will open that embedded AI file that contains the brushes and stuff. All the other apps will open the EPS part.