Quark Forums

Sorry if I sound like a moron, but I'm new to Quark and I don't see the point of EPS files?

I've just read an online tutorial, but it wasn't very helpful.

It seems they are used to create images with clipping paths, but I can do this easily with a jpeg either in Quark or Photoshop.

Please advise.

 EPS is an older format that works well in some circumstances, but no format is appropriate to every situation. If the scope of your question is what format to use when saving bitmap images from Photoshop, I'd say that eps would be down the list of my choices (I'd use .tif or .psd). On the other hand, if I have to export a vector image from another program that contains lots of font info, jpeg wouldn't be my choice either (I'd use .eps, .ai or .pdf).

And keep in mind that when saving a .jpg, there is a quality setting from 0-12. The lower the number, the smaller the file size, but that comes at a cost. In order to reduce file size, areas where color is similar are averaged, detail is lost, and those pixels can't be recovered after the file is closed. In that respect, .eps is better than .jpg if your main concern is preserving every pixel.

So, it really comes down to what you want to do.

 To add to Mig's comments. If you want vector art use EPS. EPS preserves vector data including fonts and, yes, clipping paths. If it's just raster images (Photoshop) use TIF or JPG, or whatever image format you may need for the situation.

Caveats. EPS can store raster data. So, if you have a image in an Illy file but also have type in that file you'd still want to save as EPS to preserve the type. Likewise with Photoshop, if you had an image and type you'd want to save as a Photoshop EPS with vector data preserved so that the type doesn't rasterize.

BTW, TIF is multipurpose. You can store layer data and fonts in TIF. A TIF can have an alpha channel AND a clipping path. But if you do your work in a TIF and have type in it you'd still want to save out an EPS from that to preserve the vector data. It's for these reasons I usually use TIF over PSD. They are essentially the same.

JPGs will not store layer data or font information. So, once you're done and you close the JPG, all your work will be lost.

...another point.  Curves in tifs, jpg and bitmaps as in the edge of a ball, are defined by pixels.  If you need to enlarge the image the pixels are enlarged also and at a certain point the edge of the ball starts looking jagged.  A curve in an eps is defined mathematically and will remain smooth if/when you need to enlarge the image.

Otherwise, my favorite choices are:

- Tiff or Psd for bitmap files (both preserve layers, alpha channels and clipping paths)

- Psd for bitmap files containing spot color channels

- Pdf or Eps for vector files

BTW, TIF is multipurpose. You can store layer data and fonts in TIF. A TIF can have an alpha channel AND a clipping path. But if you do your work in a TIF and have type in it you'd still want to save out an EPS from that to preserve the vector data. It's for these reasons I usually use TIF over PSD. They are essentially the same.

I've just come across a TIF file with layers, vectors, and type. This is to be placed into an Illustrator CS4 file which is then saved as a PDF with native transparency. Do I need to save the photoshop file as EPS or PSD or PDF to keep it all vector sharp? I don't recall all the rules with these complicated files but a single format that is both editable and sharp would be nice.

Glenn. +1 on the TIF uses. I do the exact same thing.

As to Illy and this file. Use the PSD, Simply open the PSD with Illy. You''l be asked if you want to flatten layers or convert objects to different layers. You want to convert. You'll get Illy text boxes with sharp type and so on for your art. Then you can save out a PDF from there if you need.

 HTH. 

+1,- no. I was trying to quote from your post but safari won't let me even if I  pretend to be firefox.

No I don't want to convert the photoshop to illy.

I know that if I save the photoshop as EPS it will keep fonts and vector sharp but I can't subsequently open it up to edit it without rasterizing.

I'm pretty sure that saving as PSD means that the text will get rastered downstream.

Which leaves PDF, I can't remember whether this still leaves the editability of layers back in photoshop.

TIF is giving me editibility but I'm not sure what will happen to the text (I'm switching layers on and off, but I need at this stage to keep it non destructive). 

PDF is closely related to EPS.

It's better to keep vector and bitmap completely seperate. Which is the point of Quark really - to bring EPS and bitmap files together in one layout.

Glenn. I think I understand what you mean. You want to be able to edit the PSD file in Illy at a point later in the process just as if you would in Photoshop?

I don't think that's possible if this is what you mean.

Now, I know that Photoshop 7 lets you save a PDF that preserves layers/editing. I'm not to sure where you'd find that option in the CS flavors. But I've received quite a few of these that I was later able to edit in PS because the PDF layers were preserved. Again, no clue on where this option would be in CS and above. 

 I don't need to edit the photoshop file in Illy, but that would be cool wouldn't it if you could turn on/off layers. All I need is to edit in photoshop and update the link in illy, but I'd like the text and vector to raster at the plate resolution, with TIF I'm seeing 300ppi jpeg in the final Illy PDF. 

OK. I'd try PDF. My familiarity with Illy is limited to what I need to know to do my job so I'm not too sure how this would all work.