# Some Adobe Illustrator help? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515 "2013-10-29T01:06:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/1 "2013-10-29T01:06:53Z")
I have this .eps file: [ADrive | Online Storage, Online Backup, Cloud Storage](http://www.adrive.com/public/eXxBRk/Isla%20Vista%2021%20count%20flags.eps) We’re wondering if this outline, fed to a plotter machine that cuts sheet vinyl, will cut at the lines of the boxes as well as the outline of the letters. We would like to nest the letters closer together, but if the boxes will be cut out, then the rectangles will cut across the letters. Can we get rid of the lines on the boxes? Or will they not count for the cutting? Do they count as outlines in the way that the outlines do on the letters? I admit, we’re new to vector files. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/2 "2013-10-29T01:44:51Z")
That’s one weird file. How are the letters created? They are not editable fonts, and they aren’t outlines. When I tried to delete the bounding box, the entire line of text disappeared. I have a vinyl cutter, and I drive it with Illustrator. I always convert text to outlines, and make sure everything looks OK in “Outline” view in Illustrator. To be extra sure, I view the plotter file in a CAD viewer (Cenon) before I cut it. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/3 "2013-10-29T02:36:58Z")
This was a customer supplied file that was originally .eps. The text is from an image we received. Could you elaborate on how this is not outlines? We opened it in Photoshop, highlighted the image, pasted it into Illustrator, did Outline Trace. We thought this would then be outlines. This is not what’s needed? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/4 "2013-10-29T02:59:12Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > This was a customer supplied file that was originally .eps. The text is from an image we received. Could you elaborate on how this is not outlines? We opened it in Photoshop, highlighted the image, pasted it into Illustrator, did Outline Trace. We thought this would then be outlines. This is not what’s needed? Well, the eps I downloaded doesn’t seem to be outlines - I can’t select any of the lines, although I can select the bounding boxes. I also looked at the eps file in a text editor, and instead of seeing line descriptions, I see a huge chunk of binary data. So, the file may be protected somehow. If you traced the text, just delete the bounding box (if it ended up getting traced), and that should cut fine. Maybe post the file after tracing, and I can look at it. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/5 "2013-10-29T09:26:00Z")
This is odd - I can’t select the lines at all. OP, if you can select the lines, then you can delete the boxes. You may need to ungroup the lines or release the clipping path, if there is one. Can’t tell without being able to select anything. Also note that your file extends way off the artboard, which is the print area. If you want to print the whole thing, amend the size of the artboard (the white bit). ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/6 "2013-10-29T12:47:09Z")
It appears that your file only has guides rather than paths. If you select to hide guides, they disappear. However, they won’t lock like other guides do. There’s definitely something odd with this file. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/7 "2013-10-29T13:34:23Z")
> [@jovan](#): > > It appears that your file only has guides rather than paths. If you select to hide guides, they disappear. Yep, all that stuff is guides for some reason. However, if you send this to your plotter and it works, I guess that’s OK…I just don’t have any idea how you did it. As far as removing the boxes, the direct selection tool (the white arrow below the standard arrow) worked for me to delete them. You will want to make sure “lock guides” is not selected before you can do this. Using the direct selection tool is super basic Illustrator stuff, so I’d recommend working through some basic tutorials or something to help you out, or you’re going to run into trouble pretty often as you learn. Note also that your artboard is way smaller than the content of the file…just a heads up. You can go to Document Setup and resize it if you want or if it causes you issues with sending to the plotter. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/8 "2013-10-30T00:30:38Z")
Thanks for all the help. Good notes. We have tried again, and if the plotter people among us could look at it again, we would be grateful. Cardinal > **[ADrive | Online Storage, Online Backup, Cloud Storage](https://adrive.com/public/SeEQNc/Isla%20Vista%20flags.eps)** > > ADrive provides online cloud storage and backup solutions for personal, business and enterprise-level data. Manage, edit and share your data online with ADrive. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/9 "2013-10-30T04:33:30Z")
That looks fine, although there is still an art board size set that’s only the size of one of your logos. My cutter workflow ignores art board sizes, but it still might be worth re-sizing it to the full page. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/10 "2013-10-30T13:57:06Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > That looks fine, although there is still an art board size set that’s only the size of one of your logos. > My cutter workflow ignores art board sizes, but it still might be worth re-sizing it to the full page. Just FYI to the OP: that’s File–\>Document Setup, then click “Edit Artboards” and drag the edges out so that all your content is on white. As mentioned, it may not matter, but to some plotters it might (at least if a setting defines boundaries as “artboard” instead of the size of the paths. I constantly adjust mine when I’m working on logos and illustrations and stuff just because I’m picky. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/11 "2013-10-30T16:31:46Z")
Well that’s a little frustrating, because directly because of the notes about artboard size in this thread, I dragged the board to match the art. I don’t know what happened. Thanks for noticing. One more time?[ADrive | Online Storage, Online Backup, Cloud Storage](http://www.adrive.com/public/2WWGN7/Isla%20Vista%2021%20count%20flags.eps) We’re really trying to cut out having to use another shop that owes us favors but has a habit of taking so long that they damage our reputation. But we’re new to this, so thanks for the pointers. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2013, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/12 "2013-10-31T06:31:02Z")
Deleted the boxes and turned the letters to normal paths. Is that what you wanted? [Dropbox link](https://www.dropbox.com/s/sc92eu9vfcrrjth/Isla%20Vista%2021%20count%20flags_edit.eps) ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/14 "2013-10-31T15:38:31Z")
Thanks so much for that, but we’re running CS4, and can’t open that. Could you take another wack at that for us? ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/15 "2013-10-31T15:47:55Z")
How about now? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/16 "2013-10-31T19:32:42Z")
Since you’ve been so helpful, here are more questions: How did you get rid of the boxes? What we need are very thin outlines so a plotter will draw or cut only on the edge of a letter. We’re not trying to draw this, but cut it out of vinyl. I think your version will have the knife cutting all through the black. Do you agree? If what you have now are real paths, what did we have? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/17 "2013-10-31T20:20:12Z")
The file is fine. The plotter doesn’t understand “fills” - it only cuts paths, so it will cut the outside of the letters. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/18 "2013-10-31T21:22:05Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > Since you’ve been so helpful, here are more questions: > > How did you get rid of the boxes? > > What we need are very thin outlines so a plotter will draw or cut only on the edge of a letter. We’re not trying to draw this, but cut it out of vinyl. I think your version will have the knife cutting all through the black. Do you agree? > > If what you have now are real paths, what did we have? Your original EPS had what Illustrator calls a “tracing object.” I hadn’t previously worked with them until your file. You can learn more about them and how Illustrator handles them by visiting [Adobe’s Illustrator Help Page on the subject](http://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/tracing-artwork-live-trace-or.html#change_the_display_of_a_tracing_object). When I selected the individual tracing images, an **Expand** button appeared in the Control Bar, so I used that, which allowed me to select the boxes apart from the letters and delete them. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-adobe-illustrator-help/672515/19 "2013-10-31T21:30:20Z")
FWIW, Another way to have gotten around the weird tracing problem would be to set it the word in the typeface (Copperplate Gothic 31 BC, horizontally scaled to 47%) and then outline the type.