Good question. I have the same problem! I also want fonts and images to be all collected automatically. It should be part of Illustrator.

Regarding the fonts, I understand that Adobe doesn't want to make it easy for users to share their fonts, since Adobe is a major font vendor. They probably think let every user buy their own fonts from us or suffer! But, regarding the images, I can't find an excuse. :(

every time I finish something for print, if it's illustrator, freehand, indesign or whatever, I always outline everything and export it as a PDF. That way your sure that no one has any problems with your stuff... and even more, your sure that no one can mess with your stuff after it leaves you.

another tip reguarding this, and this tip goes out to all you people using stolen software (i don't, i get versions from my school to use, but if you do, keep this in mind!!!). Some print-labs are teaming up with the big companies, like Adobe and Macromedia, to stop people from stealing software... they do this by running some sort of check on the file you send them (if it is an original file from one of these programs) where they can check your serial number and stuff. This is then sent to headquarters and if it comes up to be a number on their "black list" they slap you a fine!

This is no joke. I know of at least one freelance designer here in Iceland who got in trouble with this.

They way around this, if you can't afford your software just yet, is to PDF everything... there is no way for them to check that! ;)

Its a good tip if you are working with small pictures or with just a few big ones. But my main problem is the incapability of seperating the pictures from the document. What if an embedded TIF is changed meanwhile Im working on the Illustrator document? If this happens (which is really likely at a working-environment ) then I have to use linked ones. But then if I pass the document to my workmate he has to find all the Tif's. Now theres the problem :(

I don't know a specific utility or plug in that would do it, but I know it's possible, even with OS X. I recently did a postcard job using the online printer http://4by6.com/. part of the process of prepping your AI files is to save them as EPS files and then download their file-checker utility. It then analyses your AI EPS files, then creates an upload list that it will use to send via FTP your AI, linked graphics and fonts to their servers. You won't be able to use it to your own means because it only uploads to their servers based on a job number. However, because of the way it works, I know a utility that you describe would be possible.

There's only really two options: Art Files from Code-Line or Flightcheck from Markzware will do exactly what you want. I'd go for Flightcheck over Art Files as it can do much more than collect files from Illustrator. It is quite a bit more expensive though.

Hope that helps...

:o thanks a lot! will check them out right away!

Thanks for the quick answers! You guys are REALLY helpful!!

Thank you again. I try to convince my company to buy FlightCheck Professional

if you are having such issues with large files, it seems like you would use InDesign for your layout. It has a "Collect" function and allows for better file-handling in the way of replacing linked art that may have changed. Illustrator isn't meant for the type of work that requires collection and output. We print our Illustrator work all day and have to output to Flat EPS everytime because of RIPs and such.

I understand what you saying and I'm using ID as well...

See when I back up Illustrator files on cd I like to have the related fonts

with it, that way if in 6 months or an year from now I need to pull up the file I have everything. Art Files works great for that!

Scoop operates within Illustrator to collect all necessary support files used in layouts. All files are copied to a user-defined folder with subfolders for images, document fonts, and fonts used in linked EPS files. Options include collection of linked images, fonts (including or excluding application support fonts) and extraction of embedded raster images. A copy of the Illustrator document can also be included in the Scoop folder with links updated to the collected and/or extracted images. Scoop is useful for archiving complete jobs and ensuring that all needed files are present when sent for remote output.

www.adobe.com/products/plugins/illustrator/

but unfotunately it doesn't support MS Windows !!

Can't you just import the Illustrator file into a blank InDesign page and collect it that way? It would catch all the fonts, at least.

I don't think it will collect the images, however.

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natobasso