Software that takes your ai library and puts it in a PDF?

[XabuJr 1]

I've seen PDF files that come with different clip art disks. Maybe I'm using the wrong search terms but I'm looking for software that will take my ai files and put them into a PDF. Having the file name also would be great. Is there such a thing? I want to be able to print or have PDFs of all the sticker options.

Thanks!

[dwp99 283]

I think I know what you are trying to do.  You have a massive AI and EPS collection and you want to put a catalog together so you can easily find and show clients the files.  I tried the same thing.  I have AI files and EPS files that won't open let alone show a thumbnail unless I import them into my sign software.

 

I did a search and found a program that will allow you to import all your AI and EPS files into it and display them as a thumbnail.  You can also print pages of thumbnails to create a paper catalog.  Try Extensis Protfolio and see if it will work for you. 

 

http://www.extensis.com/portfolio-standalone/

[mopar691 281]

Adobe Bridge

[XabuJr 1]

I think I know what you are trying to do.  You have a massive AI and EPS collection and you want to put a catalog together so you can easily find and show clients the files.  I tried the same thing.  I have AI files and EPS files that won't open let alone show a thumbnail unless I import them into my sign software.

 

I did a search and found a program that will allow you to import all your AI and EPS files into it and display them as a thumbnail.  You can also print pages of thumbnails to create a paper catalog.  Try Extensis Protfolio and see if it will work for you. 

 

http://www.extensis.com/portfolio-standalone/

 

Indeed, this is exactly what I want. More just to even have as a reference for me, so I can keep track of things.

 

Adobe Bridge

 

This looks like what I want. I'll have to look into it more this evening when things slow down.. 

[mark-s 1,126]

Adobe Acrobat

 

mark-s

[OWJones 1,981]

If you have Adobe Creative Suite 3 (CS3), then you can use Bridge and Photoshop to create a catalog (Adobe calls it a Contact Sheet) of your vector and raster clipart*.  From there you can export each page as a PDF file and join them together to form one large PDF catalog.  Or, you can just Bridge as a clip art viewer on your PC.  I printed out and bound my PDF pages into 3-ring binders to take with me to shows, but it's faster for me to find what I need just looking in Bridge.

[mark-s 1,126]

Adobe Acrobat.

 

mark-s

[Coaster36 327]

You want adobe bridge and its called a contact sheet. If you use EPS or AI files, youll have to open and resize each image to fill a page or it will be very small and pixelated. If you can convert them all to JPEGS you will get much better results. 

 

 

Here is how to do it.

 

http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1661129

 

This link should about sum it up.

 

Rereading and noticed OWJones posted, I missed it the first time. He helped me when I was trying to figure out how to make my books. I started doing it with a vector cd pack I bought awhile back but stopped after a few sections, Its a lot of work!

[OWJones 1,981]

Study up on how to use Actions in Illustrator and you can automate the page-filling process. Of course I didn't figure that out until after I had manually done thousands of them...

[OWJones 1,981]

Here's the actions I use to enlarge the clip art to fit the page:

 

Select All

Group

Transform Panel - Scale Height to 10.75" (make sure proportional scaling is enabled!)

Alignment - Vertical Align Center to Art board

Alignment - Horizontal Align Center to Art board

Fit In Window

Ungroup

 

Then use the menu on the Action Pallete to Batch process a folder or selection of files.

 

You'll want to create two separate sets of Actions - one that scales to a height of 10.75" and one that scales to a width of 10.75" for clip art that is wider than it is tall.

 

You can also add another menu item at the end to Save As and select EPS as your format and then you can batch convert .AI files into .EPS files while  you're at it...

[Jay2703 704]

Adobe bridge or Irfanview is freeware that works too.

 

http://www.irfanview.com/

[XabuJr 1]

Wow, there's a ton of good info here.  I will look into the contact sheet aspect first, then maybe go through the illustrator actions..  Thanks!! 

[gcextreme 475]

Adobe bridge or Irfanview is freeware that works too.

 

http://www.irfanview.com/

 

how does this software work...i downloaded it and dont understand it..

[mopar691 281]

You also need the plugin Ghostscript. If you have the adobe pack just use bridge. Much more robust and no other mumbo jumbo needed/.