Illustrator: Embedded or Linked File
Jframe2002 (91 pencils) | Thu, 2011-05-12 15:47So when I import PSD files into illustrator (to set up die lines for the printer, etc. ) a decision must be made. Link the file, or Embed the file.
Linking
• If I make a change to the artwork in PS, then it will change in Illustrator.
• When I save to a PDF the quality suffers.
Embedding
• Its like a JPG. cant make anymore changes to it. If I do decide to make a change to the Original, then i have re-"place" the file in AI.
• Saving it as a PDF Quality is Full Rez.
Which brings me to my point. Does anyone know a setting inside AI that makes the embedded file full rez when exporting to a PDF without having to include the original PSD to the printer?
This would just be an easier way to make updates to files, and help with workflow. If anyone has any ideas.. please let me know?
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The difference between linking and embedding in Illustrator is that when embedded the Illustrator file becomes bigger in megabytes.
There is no quality deifference between the two ways as long as the original psd still has the link with the linked file. Otherwise Illustrator will use the placeholder information which is a 72 ppi version of the original file.
What you have here is another reason to learn a page layout program.
But to answer your question - linking and providing the original linked file(s) is always better than embedding. Embedding was some crazy programmer's idea of making things easier. It doesn't make things easier - it creates problems where none existed previously. It makes huge, unwieldy files that almost always have problems requiring the artist to produce the original art anyway. So just link the files, provide the original art and do your service provider a big favor by learning a page layout program asap.
As always... jmho.
I know InDesign, so its not really a page layout issue. I'm setting up die-lines for printing and cutting purposes. so i need to set up the die-lines in illustrator because I need to use paths, spot colors, and overprinting. So if i have artwork in photoshop, I need to bring it into Illustrator to set up the cut lines.
The issue i come up with is if i put the PSD in the same folder, will the printers batching process read it. It would make things so much easier when making slight changes to the artwork that does not affect where the cutting takes place.
Nothing to do with a page layout program, but thanks for the advice. :-)
In my scenario you could do one of two things - create the die lines in the page layout program itself OR import the die artwork from Illustrator into InDesign just as you import the psd photos.
Concerning your second paragraph... Your layout program is responsible for your artwork links (and in this respect "layout program" would mean Illustrator if that is the program they are using to print your document). If the ai file and the photos are linked and in the same folder - they should not become unlinked at the production facility. Taking it a step further, your production facility should alert you beforehand if there are any linking issues with your files (if - for instance - you changed a photo without updating it in the Illustrator or InDesign layout file). They preflight every file before it's run to make sure all the parts are there and linked correctly ready to go.
Lately, I've been taking die lines and pasting them directly into InDesign. You simply open the Illustrator file and copy everything then go to InDesign and paste. It might remove the need to use Illustrator for layout.
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
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