Expert: Amy - 8/6/2007

Question
QUESTION: My designer sent me a file in illustrator v12 from her MAC.  I have v11 on the PC.  When I highlight text with my pointer, it only treats each line individually (underline, blue, and can move each separate line) and will not allow me to highlight a full block of text.  We assume it's a compatibility issue.  Is it MAC vs PC or versions?  What can we do to work with this so that I can make changes on the document?  Thanks

ANSWER: Hi Keven,

Supposedly, it's the "saving down" to version CS that causes it, and not the platform difference.

According to Adobe, it can't be avoided. CS3 even added a warning that saving down to legacy formats converts type to "point type" making it non-editable.

I haven't found a way around it yet!

Sorry!
Amy



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

QUESTION: Thanks Amy.  If I upgrade to CS3 for the PC will we still have the same (or different/similar) problem?  Then it'll be MAC v12 and PC cCS.

Answer
Hmmm.

Well, I don't think you'd have the problem. But if you ever had to save the file and send it back to the designer, he/she'd have the problem.

But she would have to save the file in native CS2 format for you - the copies you have are still "bad." Right now she is saving down to CS for you and the chunkification of the text happens at save time, not when you open it.

I have CS3 on a PC and can open my old (vs CS and even v9) files with no text problems.

-Amy