How to convert to curves or graphics in Illustrator?

[Mathew Gibson]

Hi Nigel

Might work if you select with Direct Selection Tool (A)

Then Object>Expand

Or Type>Create Outlines

Hope this helps

Regards Matt

[Jamie Wood]

Can they send you the fonts? This would be the easiest way. Failing that, we use a
piece of software called Pstill, which will convert missing fonts to outlines in PDF files.
It’s not free though.

Is the file small enough to post? Could maybe convert and re-post.

[Nigel Hindley]

Ill try that Matthew thanks.

Jaimie – this is sensitive information with major copyright issues so cannot post and they will not send fonts, agghhhh…..

Pstill sounds good may try that!

Nige

[NeilRoss]

I don’t use AI but can’t they export to EPS. I imagine fonts can be converted to curves in the export process? Just a thought.

[Nigel Hindley]

Hi Neil,

I have checked this and there doesnt seem to be any way of embedding fonts when exporting unless it converts it to a bitmap, which is sort of pointless 🙁 ….still foxed by this…

[NeilRoss]

No I don’t mean embedding fonts. Is there not an ‘Export text as curves’ option in the export process? If AI can do that then there is no need to have the fonts installed at your end.

[Jamie Wood]

If you can open the file in Illustrator with all fonts intact, click on your ‘Direct Selection Tool’ (V), use the keyboard shortcut CMD A (Mac) or CRTL A (PC), then use the ‘Create
Outlines’ command from the Type Menu. This should work, unless there are any limitations on the font licensing, ie. not all fonts can be outlined using this process.

[Nigel Hindley]

Neil, not that I can see, export as what type of file.

Jaimie, The create outlines is greyed out and not usuable? any other ideas?

Nigel

[Jamie Wood]

What happens if you view the file as outlines? Can you see the font in black or is it
already outlined?

[Nigel Hindley]

– some fonts dissapear, the rest can be seen as outlines?

Nige

[NeilRoss]

quote Nigel Hindley:

Neil, not that I can see, export as what type of file.

Nigel

EPS – Encapsulated PostScript

Not at the beginning of the export process but during the export setup.

If you try a sample export – give the output file a name – click continue or whatever – I would expect to be presented with an options dialogue where I can set a number of parameters. One of these I would expect to be "Export as curves". So I would expect to see an option to choose between Export text as curves, or Export text as text (meaning as fonts) – choose Ecport as curves and the text will be converted to shapes and therefore your system will not need to recognise shapes as fonts.

As I say I don’t use AI but I would expect it to have that option. Many guys here who use AI so I’m happy to stand corrected if AI doesn’t provide that function.

[Nigel Hindley]

tried this Neil, it turns to a bitmap, though there was no export as curves, but there is an embed fonts, will take another look..

[Jamie Wood]

Illustrator doesn’t have an export to curves option. The font is outlined before the file
is saved in the required format. If you embed the fonts, the recipient will need to have
the font on their system if they want to edit the file. We often have this problem when
clients haven’t outlined the fonts in a PDF, and we need to edit the files to add print
marks etc. Pstill has helped is get over this problem, so that we don’t need to go back
to the client all the time.

[NeilRoss]

quote Nigel Hindley:

tried this Neil, it turns to a bitmap, though there was no export as curves, but there is an embed fonts, will take another look..

Just to be clear – they need to do the exporting at their end as they have the fonts on their system which should allow them to export to curves.

If AI doesn’t export to EPS, does it export to EMS Enhanced Metafile?

[Jamie Wood]

….also to save an Illustrator file as an EPS, you need to ‘save as’, not export.

[NeilRoss]

quote Jamie Wood:

….also to save an Illustrator file as an EPS, you need to ‘save as’, not export.

Sounds like a plan… 😉

[Nigel Hindley]

Did you get my email Jaimie?

Nigel

[Jamie Wood]

Yep, just replied.

[Nigel Hindley]

thanks Jaimie 😉