Expert: Amy - 7/13/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

I hope you can solve a very frustrating problem Im having. I am operating on a G4 OSX and OS9.2 and am not able to save any illustrator files. Save As does not work either. This is killing me! I have re-installed Illustrator 9 and upgraded to 9.02. I re-installed OS 9.2, restarted numerous times and still, no luck. ( this has happened before and I have had good luck reinstalling Illustrator) I at wits end and project due dates are looming....

any ideas?

thanks very much in advance

JP


ANSWER: Hi John,

What error message(s) are you receiving?

Are you starting Illustrator by double clicking on its original app icon? I've read that using aliases results in strange errors.

I'm going to assume you're not working on a network - that's a whole 'nother can of worms with a similar smell.

I assume you've tried deleting the preferences file (AIprefs) since you've already tried re-installing.
You need to delete the AIprefs file even when you do a re-install.

Another regular troubleshooting step: Try searching for and deleting all instances of adobefnt*.lst files on your Mac where * is some number. They will be re-created. I think it's the same on a Mac as on a PC although the names could be different.

Get back to me with the error message and we'll take it from there.

Amy Pace

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi again, Amy

Im not getting any error messages at all. The program seems to work
fine otherwise. I just cant save or save as. Its almost like its behaving
like some kind of trial software, but I have never had this problem
before!

when deleting the AI prefs, should I be deleting the whole folder, or just
the AI prefs file itself? I have deleted the file itself, and it was recreated
by AI, but still having the same problem.

Im stumped...


thanks, JP


ANSWER: Is save "grayed out"?
I've never had that problem either.
Let me research that.

With v9 you only delete the AIprefs file itself or the Color Settings file... if that's the one causing issues. Don't think it's either one of those anymore.

Sounds like a problem I had when I installed on a Windows NT network a LONG time ago... so it might be related to permissions, file locations, etc. I'll be back.

-Amy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi, Amy

Save is not grayed out after I create something in a new file or open an existing file....

It really behaves like normal otherwise, but when I go to save, the save box does not pop up....

same with save as.

save for web works, though.

Something is corrupt somewhere, but I dont know where to look. Since I have re installed the program 3 times, Im thinking its not in the program itself, but somewhere on the OS.....could it be in my OS X even though Im running it in OS 9?


hmmmm


thanks again  for your advice!

JP
ANSWER: John.  I had a thought. Make sure your plug-ins folder is correctly targeted.

Do this in Preferences>Plug-Ins.

Click choose and select the correct plug-ins folder.

While you're at it, make sure there are files populating the "Illustrator Formats" folder in that plug-ins folder. If there are no formats in there... or if AI can't find them (above) it will think you cannot save at all.

And - a Mac-sided thought - could OS9 be having finder corruption issues? Can you throw away your finder prefs and restart and see if the problem still happens?


-Amy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi, Amy

thanks again for getting back...

I checked the Illustrator formats-standard in the plug-ins folder and found DXFImport, DXFExport, Flash format, GIF89a format, jpeg Format, Save for Web, SVG format, TextExport, Tiff Format and adinit.dat  

Should there be more plug ins in there? the program will save for web....and I did try to load just the plug ins from the Illustrator CD and it loaded only those that I already have in there.....

I feel like we are getting closer...


Answer
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add'l info

I see you posted on the Forums. I'll watch it too but I think that if it were scratch space, you'd get an error message.

I did find in the Google Groups Mac Illy group that the problem you're experiencing is not new. It happened way back in 2004. The fixes involved suggestions like turning norton autoprotect off, not running iTunes in the same sessions, trash finder prefs, zap PRAM (i doubt it), another guy says that the bug only occurs with the first file you open during any session.  He says it works find once you create or open a few new documents.

I'll keep looking. I use 9 at home because it's my favorite version... so I feel your pain.

=================
Hi.

I have some photoshop import filters but those are identical to what I have.

I'm going to do a little research on it. Sounds fixable. Try trashing your finder prefs. (With Illustrator not running).

Also, I may have said this already. But make sure you are launching Illustrator from the original icon and not an Alias.

BBL
Amy