Read Only Option for Illustrator Files

[Flying Colors]

Is there a program you can buy that allows you to just view Illustrator files and not make changes?

I would like to have this type of program for our sales and customer service people. Customers email them illustrator files to get quoted or email them a P.O. with the art file attached.

Right now we have them send those files to the artists to open and save as a pdf and email back to the sales or customer service personnel.

Mark

[IntegrityShirts]

Adobe Acrobat will read illustrator files. Not sure how much it costs alone though. Doesn't regular Adobe Reader work for Illustrator files too? I have acrobat so can't test it.

[inkman996]

http://aiviewer.com

[3Deep]

Whats wrong with sending a jpg or a png file still looks the same and can be open in just about any program.  We send out jpg/png all the time and what I do is send it at print size or 8x11 never had any problems.   Why do you need to send an Illy file anyway what's the benefit of that if I may ask.

darryl

[blue moon]

Whats wrong with sending a jpg or a png file still looks the same and can be open in just about any program.  We send out jpg/png all the time and what I do is send it at print size or 8x11 never had any problems.   Why do you need to send an Illy file anyway what's the benefit of that if I may ask.

darryl

Darryl,

I think Mark is saying that the customers send the sales staff the .ai files and then the sales staff does not know how to quote since they cant see the art. . .

pierre

[ZooCity]

I think adobe ought to have a free or cheap app for this.  Nobody wants or needs to purchase CC seats for every sales person on their staff. 

[jvanick]

I would never want to send sales people .ai or .pdfs of the art...
they'll start sending that to the customers, who now have the 'vector/print ready' files to work from.

better to just 'save for web' from illustrator and save it in the same directory as the rest of the files.

we're working on a new process where we take the jpg of the art, add it into a spreadsheet, and then export that as the quote/proof process.

[blue moon]

I would never want to send sales people .ai or .pdfs of the art...
they'll start sending that to the customers, who now have the 'vector/print ready' files to work from.

better to just 'save for web' from illustrator and save it in the same directory as the rest of the files.

we're working on a new process where we take the jpg of the art, add it into a spreadsheet, and then export that as the quote/proof process.

agreed, but in this case Mark is talking about incoming files from the customers.

pierre

[Ripcord]

Adobe Acrobat will read illustrator files. Not sure how much it costs alone though. Doesn't regular Adobe Reader work for Illustrator files too? I have acrobat so can't test it.

Yes, Adobe Reader will open AI files. I do it all the time. It also will let you save the file as a PDF.

[jvanick]

agreed, but in this case Mark is talking about incoming files from the customers.

sorry .. missed that part.

[3Deep]

agreed, but in this case Mark is talking about incoming files from the customers.

sorry .. missed that part.
me too as well    Adobe Reader will open it sometimes, not all the time, I've tried and I think  it might have something about how the person saved it in there files

[Dottonedan]

When I send files to a printer, I try to keep in mind that I need to send a jpg (for review in email) as well as the original art file. Often times, a mock up is best and some shops require it.


A mock can be a part of the approval process to assure it gets placed in the right position. A jpg or a flat background can enable you to quote it, but does not assist as another check point of placement along with your order.

[Ripcord]

When I send files to a printer, I try to keep in mind that I need to send a jpg (for review in email) as well as the original art file.

I do this as well. A jpeg, being a raster image, can't be misinterpreted by another computer's software the way a vector file can. So the printer knows exactly how the design is supposed to look, and if he sees something different on the vector file it raises a flag.

[sqslabs]

Gmail will usually allow you to view AI files right in your browser by clicking on the attachment.  Might not be the most optimal way, but you could set up an account just for this purpose that the sales team can forward the files to and then log in for viewing.

[Flying Colors]

Appreciate the advice guys. We will try them and see which one works best.

Pierre, thanks for clarifying for me.

Mark