[Mike Gondek]

Another file saving limitation that can cause this is if you are NOT in 8bit mode

image >> mode >> 8 bits per channel

16 or 32 will disable many file formats

[Mike Gondek]

No there is not, Illustrator does not keep track of the original attributes before transformation as a page layout program like InDesign or Quark does.

Can you set a new point text with all the characters you need?

If all the type are different fonts I would set a line of point type in arial, then select each letter by characters, and use the eyedropper to sample the character attributes (size/color/font/etc). You may want to doubleclick the eyedropper prior to this and check to pick up appearance attributes also.

[Mike Gondek]

Try
file >> script >> export layers to file >> psd

Then make an action to save as all your files to the png file format, or use a utility if you have one to convert to .png.

Set your destination to a new folder so you don’t overwrite your files. Check the box called Override action save as (this is most likely what you were missing and woudl liketaek a page to properly explain this.

Try to see if you can use the .psd since the script does not have .png availabel. Another recomendation is do not use bullet points \/* or special characters as many conflict and will cause the action to fail. Underscore, parenthesis and dashes are safe to use.

[Mike Gondek]

SUGGESTION 1
I would print out a hard copy adn put about 4×4 or 6×6 up on a page: file >> Print >> setup options >> thumbnails.
You will even het the page numbers above each thumbnail, adn can go to 11 x 17 paper if you want to fit more on a page.

This way you could free up your monitor real estate and not wait for any previews to render.

SUGGESTION 2
You could create a new library, select all on a page, and add this to the library, rename the item. You will get your thumbnail previews, adn you can easily rename each library item.

Suggestion 2 may disapoint you at the end depending on the speed of your machine and complexity of your artwork, as you may have to wait long if you library gets complex. You may also want to backup your library once creaeted if you try this method and like this.

[Mike Gondek]

If you want to relink files, it is easier to place all your linked graphic in one folder. That when you relink one, the rest will automatically relink if they use the same name, as InDesign will check that folder. You can have more than one folder but you will have to update atleast one file in each folder.

InDesign is really great as if you change the name of your folder from “2006 Brochure” to “2007 brochure”, it will still follow the same path and link to the documents, even if your folder has folders called “psd”, “pdf”, “ai” within the job folder.

[Mike Gondek]

Sounds like these 500 images are without layers and you are doublelciking to chaneg the layer for a bakcground layer to a floating layer.

If so to get around this you want to use image >> image size >> keep resample image checked. You could recors in your action to have the layer float, adn then flatten at teh end to get back to the file format you need, but the image size will make you action simpler and you can change form pixels to percenatge to enter your 60%.

[Mike Gondek]

The best solution is to always keep an original of an image before distortion, because each time you distort an image the quality degrades.

Since you probably do not have the original undistorted image to go back to you will have to undistort the trapezoid shaped image back to a rectangle shape. Pull out 4 guides to roughly what you beleive the original shape fo the image was. Do a free tranform and try to get as close as possible. Once you have undistorted, you may want to shave off a row of pixles if you notice a nasty looking edge.

If you do have the original, place that into photoshop. I ofen keep a layer hidden if I know will need to distort it may times and duplicate the layer prior to distorting so you don’t loose the original.

[Mike Gondek]

Unfortunately the envelope distort will distort your artwork.

Curved text paths is what I always use for packaging design nutrition facts/ingredients.

Atleast machines are faster nowadays, I used to have to do this on a Mac IIci when that was the fastest machine, and for the entire Kraft salad dressing line. Atleast I got paid some OT.

You can link text though so it will automatically reflow, Which is great as you can use that once created as a tempalte and just past over the text.

[Mike Gondek]

Not only do you need to point to the correct destination folder, but you need to watch out for the setting “Override action save as command”. The naming for this option is confusing, but is explaned when you turn it on.

[Mike Gondek]

You can do this by recording an action. Your action needs to include:
select all
copy
close
paste

After you recorded your action create a new file to paste to, and use batch to run your action on a slected folder of input images.

Works perfect. Items do paste in center though, so works best with images of the same pixel dimensions.