Format to save Illustrator files?

Hey guys!

I've been told, but not convinced, to save all Illustrator files as .eps -- not native illustrator, .ai !

Comments, suggestions?

Depends on what you expect to do with them. EPS is good, AI is good. Never mind the sun, it's freezing here....

Go with your tips.....

On the mac even if i specify an "illustrator eps" it still has the .ai extension....

Long story short..... Save -AS-
and save it as a version 5.5 Illustrator eps and the problem will be gone.

CorelDraw, Illustrator and FreeHand ALL will open the 5.5 .ai file....

I believe that if it's EPS, it can be opened in Photoshop aswell.....I tried it before and it sure did so.....Not sure what other programs that can open a EPS file.

Okay, (the light is slowly fading to on), I understand using .eps to go to Photoshop or another application, but what if I just want to save it and work on it some more with Illustrator? Doesn't the .ai save ALL the necessary info to define the file? Plus, isn't the .eps epically bigger?

Not questioning you, just questioning myself!

Thanks for the help, btw.

~Dan

eps and .ai both are importable into photoshop and they both will save all layers included in the original illustrator file...
*edit*
That didn't sound right.... PHotoshop will not have them on seperate layers! All the (visible) layers will just rasterize.
*/edit*

I'm not sure where you are headed with the file... but I have an idea that the problem they are trying to get you around is They don't have Illustrator.... The way to get around that is to use the old illustrator formats (5.5 and lower)

I helped Charm with a similar problem a while back...

If you want shoot me the file and I'll give you back 3 or 4 files that ANYONE on "earth" can use at least ONE of.

.eps files will open in just about any vector program. I do a lot of sticker work on my car and other people's cars, and if you want to get a custom logo to the vinyl cutter, they generally request the file to be in ".eps" format. And the 3 main vinyl cutters that I work with all use different software, and they DON'T use any "off-the-shelf" software products do to their cutting.

Torn: it's not a specific file I'm referring to, it a procedural issue @ work for how we handle files internally. If I understand correctly:

If you are staying within Adobe applications, there is no advantage or need to go to .eps format.

If you want to export data, or go to some 'other' application, .eps is the standard.

How'd I do, Teach?

Thanks guys!

You've got it licked.

That is in a nutshell how I handle it.

As force of habit I use "save as" and save as a version 5.5 "illustrator eps" (note it still will have the .ai extension coming from illustrator) ALWAYS... even if I'm gonna stay on Adobe apps... you never know when that dude from "wherever" might want that file.

I should also say CorelDraw is a GREAT "middle man", when making files from .ai's and .eps' for everyone.... I use it all the time and it has a TON of "export" file types.

I convinced our new industrial designer to switch to .ai (she ALWAYS used .eps) based on "the graphics guys from teamphotoshop said...". The file went from 27Megs down to 500K.

:D