Dia, AI files, PDF import [was Re: [Dia and stuff] give some people an inch and they will take a mile]

[Alan Horkan <horkana tcd ie>]

I am bringing this on to the Dia list because i think people might be
intersted in some of the tools we have been looking at (for Adobe
Illustrator and PDF converision to SVG and stuff) hope you dont mind.

On 21 Oct 2002, Ian Redfern wrote:

> Date: 21 Oct 2002 14:32:32 +0100
> From: Ian Redfern <RedfernI logica com>
> To: Alan Horkan <horkana tcd ie>
> Subject: Re: [Dia and stuff] give some people an inch and they will take
>     a mile
>
> Do you know about pdf2svg from http://www.solidcode.net/backup/pdf2svg/
> ?

I had not seen it, it seems to also be written in Perl (which they
negelect to mention on the web page).


> I've just run it on a modern .ai file and it seems to work, though
> there's still a few bugs.
>
> I'm going to contact them and see if I can make it produce Dia output as
> well.


> > > Agreed - it's PDF (1.4) from Illustrator 9 onwards - before that it was
> > > PostScript.

> > > > Older versions and version output by visio seem to be more like postscript
> > > > but i dont really know that much about it.
> > >
> > > What version output by Visio? Is that a Visio export as illustrator
> > > option?


> > > I've looked at it, and it seems good quality. In fact, I may adapt it to
> > > replace my pstoshape. But I'll need .ai files to test it on - I have
> > > none.
> >
> > I can probably help out with sample AI files.


> > > It also won't work with Illustrator 9 and above. For that, I suggest
> > > something more like pdf2ps followed by pstoshape.

> > working with old AI files would be great, the kind of people who use open
> > source dont generally have the latest and greatest versions of these
> > things.

> > > > I also think that it is something that would be useful for Dia, Sketch and
> > > > possibley even OpenOffice Draw.
> > >
> > > Not directly, unless Dia starts importing SVGs soon. But I could easily
> >
> > i am sure you have noticed the that the Dia.shape are mostly SVG
> > Dia has some sort of SVG import in CVS i have no idea how good it is but i
> > will try and impress upon the developers that i think it is a hugely
> > important feature.

> > > enough make an ill2dia as well. It wouldn't handle Illustrator files
> > > made in the last two years though.
> > >
> > > Would it make more sense for me to turn pstoshape into pstosvg? How much
> > > use will ill2svg be if it only handles files from before June 2000
> > > (which is when Illustrator 9 shipped)?
> >
> > I dont really know, I guess you can only ask for files and based on the
> > response get an idea of how useful it would be.
> >
> > The way i see it OpenSource is built on idealism and wishful thinking so
> > before i get any more cynical i may as well continue putting my random
> > ideas out there.
> >
> > Good luck, i will help out in whatever ways i can, back to my job hunting