Not enough memory error when trying to export large Illustrator 10 file

[k4s...@adobeforums.com]

Hello everybody,

i've a serious problem with my illustrator. i've created a large
poster image with a high number of bitmap graphics included. the
size of the poster is 1,23m x 0,88m (DIN A0). the *.ai file is
about 54mb.

my computer's configuration:
winxp pro
athlon 2200+
512mb ram
(harddisk c: 3,6GB available -> primary scratch disk
harddisk d: 5,4GB available -> secondary scratch disk)

to print the poster, i'll need it in any bitmap format, like
* .tif, *.bmp, *.jpg, ...! for that, i've tried to export the file in any of these formats (resolution: 150dpi or 300dpi).
but anytime i try to export the image, illustrator says that
there is not enough memory for that operation. i know, that
the free ram isn't enough for that but, doesn't illustrator
uses the window's virtual memory?

an 24bit uncompressed bitmap image with the described
dimension and 150dpi resolution would need about 4,4GB of
free memory.
but even if i set the window's virtual memory to 5GB the
export doesn't work. what's wrong ? a remarkable issue is,
that within illustrator the free memory display always shows
only the free ram (without the virtual memory or internal
cache). how does the internal (scratch) cache works ?

any ideas ?

thanks in advance

k4simir

[LenH...@adobeforums.com]

k4simir,

You will NOT be able to create a raster file that is greater than 2 gigs -
and even if you could, you wouldn't find any application (other than the
latest Photoshop CS) that could open the file. This is largely an Operating
System restriction which prevents applications from addressing more than 2
gigs of memory.

[k4s...@adobeforums.com]

mhh ... thanks Len

but how is it possible then to print images of such dimensions?
i've no plotter at home :( and for that reason i'm going to print
the poster in a printing office.
but at the printing office they don't support illustrator files
directly. they want the file in one of the following formats:
tiff, cgm, hpgl, pstscr or ascii.
exporting my image to one of the first 2 formats [tif,cgm] (with
a resolution of more than 72dpi) doesn't work ! what about the
other formats ? i don't know these ... ?

any ideas, how to get my poster to any of the accepted formats
in a higher resolution (144, 300dpi or above) ?

thanks.

k4simir

[Paul_A...@adobeforums.com]

Illustrator has a limit on the width (in pixels) of an image it can produce. Unfortunately in AI10 it reports the rather obscure "out of memory error" when it hits that limit. AICS now gives a more useful message.

To get round the limitation you could try saving the Illustrator file and opening it in Photoshop. Photoshop can rasterize Illustrator files. I don't know whether Photoshop has the same width limitation as Illustrator but if you've got the app handy its worth a try.

[LenH...@adobeforums.com]

k4simir,

EPS - that stands for Encapsulated PostScript

[k4s...@adobeforums.com]

thanks for your hint paul,

opening my ai file in photoshop 7 and rasterize it really works
fine for all resolutions (up to 600dpi)! nevertheless i can't
understand why illustrator has this kind of pixel limitation ...
is it a bug !?

k4simir

[LenH...@adobeforums.com]

K4smir,

>>opening my ai file in photoshop 7 and rasterize it really works
fine for all resolutions (up to 600dpi)! <<

That's not possible! A 1.23m image would hit Photoshop's 30,000 pixel
limitation at a mere 61 ppi.

[k4s...@adobeforums.com]

ok! that could be. i've tried it with 300dpi and 600mm x 1187mm (so that the image width fits DIN/ISO A0 ...) and that has worked. i
also have tried it with 600dpi. photoshop started rasterizing without any warnings or errors, but after a while (at ca. 50% of progress) it seam to stop ... canceled the rendering process. yesterday i had no time to try it again and so i (only) thought it was ok !

but i'm wondering that it has worked with 300dpi ... because:
118,7 cm * 2,54 inch/cm * 300 pixel/inch = 90449 pixel > 30000 !?

it has really worked, u can believe me! why photoshop has a 30000 pixel limitation ? do you mean 30000 pixel in each direction x/y
(or the allover number of pixels ... but that wouldn't make sense)?

a 30000 pixel limitation in each direction of a image would mean
photoshop can handle images of this size:
(30000*30000*24bit) / (8bit * (1024)^3) = 2,5GB (uncompressed) and
an allover number of pixel of 30000^2 = 900 000 000 is this correct?

if so, the following image-imports won't be allowed:
(300ppi: 90449 pixel x 60cm*2,54*300ppi = 4 135 328 280 >> 900 000 000
150ppi: 45224 pixel x 22860 pixel = 1 033 820 640 > 900 000 000)
but it has worked ... don't know why ...

i'm going try rasterization again today in the evening at home.
and tomorrow i'll post the results. ok !?

k4simir

[LenH...@adobeforums.com]

K4simir,

Photoshop 7 has a limitation of 30,000 pixels in EITHER direction and a
maximum filesize of 2 Gbyte.

The 2 GByte restriction prevents you having any image over 30,000 x 23,900
pixels RGB with a single layer.

You MIGHT be able to create an image a little over the 2gig but having saved
it you would NEVER be able to re-open it.

You COULD create a 30,000 x 30,000 pixel image in greyscale or bitmap, but
not larger.

[den.hut...@gmail.com]

Work with large illustrator files with the aid of fix .ai

http://www.fixaifile.com/