AI88 file format

[Jeroen ter Lingen]

How can I make an AI88 file of an Illustrator file? I want to use it in 3D
Max v3. All other fileformats won't work. I've tried AI 3.0 to AI 8.0.. all
failed..

Any suggestions?

[Macromed5]

> How can I make an AI88 file of an Illustrator file? I want to use
> it in 3D Max v3. All other fileformats won't work. I've tried
> AI 3.0 to AI 8.0.. all failed..

You can open it in FreeHand and save out as AI88... it reads and writes various
versions of Illustrator, Acrobat, and Photoshop files.

Note that not all modern features will be available in the older file format...
no gradient mesh, for instance. The older formats would be best for simple
curves.

I'd expect Max to read later Illustrator files, though. Perhaps the Illustrator
swatches are getting in the way... they fouled export to many older file
formats. I don't remember the exact scenario, but if you search the FreeHand
technotes with keyword "Illustrator" then this will show how to make a
backwards-compatible file in Illustrator. If this pans out then you should be
able to make simple curves that Max could again read directly.

(If you instead need to immediately accomplish a job, then you can use the free
30-day evaluation version of FreeHand available from the Macromedia site.)

Summary: I suspect you may be able to have Illustrator and Max communicate
directly... in any event, FreeHand and/or the FreeHand technotes can help.

jd

John Dowdell, Macromedia Tech Support, San Francisco CA US
Technotes: http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/powersearch.htm
Public forums have first claim on support hours -- for private email,
see Priority Access at http://www.macromedia.com/support/

[Poul Solbjerg]

I have a similar problem, until recently I have been able to import AI.8.0
files
into max, but suddenly I get the same error "invalid file"-"improper file
format"
and that is on the exact same files that I have imported earlier ???..!
The AI import flter is located in Stdplugins and is called AIIMP.DLI
I have tried reinstalling both Illustrator and Max without any any improvement.

If you have Illustrator 7.0 you can save as an AI88 file.
If you have streamline you can export dxf, Max will import that.

If you find any solution to this, I would very much like to hear about it.

Regards Poul Solbjerg