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Illustrator Error in Illustrator, "Can't open the illustration. Illegal operand."
- Thread starter joshlab
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Tom Mann
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Does this problem occur only with this one particular file? Do you have a previous saved version you can try opening?
If the previous version (and/or other *.AI files) open without problem, it sounds like that particular file is corrupt. If so, without utterly extraordinary measures (and with no guarantee of success), your best bet is to give up on it and revert to a previous saved version. If you haven't been saving versions under different file names as you work on a big project, you now realize why most pros do so. ;-)
Tom
If the previous version (and/or other *.AI files) open without problem, it sounds like that particular file is corrupt. If so, without utterly extraordinary measures (and with no guarantee of success), your best bet is to give up on it and revert to a previous saved version. If you haven't been saving versions under different file names as you work on a big project, you now realize why most pros do so. ;-)
Tom
SPWA
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Hope this may shed some light on it.
http://daxxter.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/how-to-recover-a-corrupted-illustrator-ai-file/
http://daxxter.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/how-to-recover-a-corrupted-illustrator-ai-file/
Tom Mann
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Thanks for finding that SPWA. It was a great tutorial, and is exactly what I had in mind when I said, "...extraordinary measures (and with no guarantee of success)..." .
Although I have never had the pleasure of attempting to recover an AI file, when I have attempted low level recovery of other file types, the problem usually is never the toggling of a small number of bits (eg, like classical bit-rot), but is usually due to someone shutting down the power in the middle of a save, bad data in one area of the HD (ie, involving many bits), etc. In these cases, the user has to go in and repeatedly remove offending sections without mucking up something else. This gets old fast.
If someone has not programmed before, delving into postscript-like code in this way can be daunting, which is why my first recommendation is always to go back to a previously saved version of the file (assuming the user has these). If the situation makes it worth it to try this sort of recovery, I recommend that most graphics people find a programmer to do this for them rather than attempting it themselves.
Again, thank you for the find -- it was certainly a good read and could be an appropriate approach in some situations.
Cheers,
T
PS - BTW, I find the very existence of the content recovery toggle interesting. This must happen often enough to be worth Adobe including such functionality.
Although I have never had the pleasure of attempting to recover an AI file, when I have attempted low level recovery of other file types, the problem usually is never the toggling of a small number of bits (eg, like classical bit-rot), but is usually due to someone shutting down the power in the middle of a save, bad data in one area of the HD (ie, involving many bits), etc. In these cases, the user has to go in and repeatedly remove offending sections without mucking up something else. This gets old fast.
If someone has not programmed before, delving into postscript-like code in this way can be daunting, which is why my first recommendation is always to go back to a previously saved version of the file (assuming the user has these). If the situation makes it worth it to try this sort of recovery, I recommend that most graphics people find a programmer to do this for them rather than attempting it themselves.
Again, thank you for the find -- it was certainly a good read and could be an appropriate approach in some situations.
Cheers,
T
PS - BTW, I find the very existence of the content recovery toggle interesting. This must happen often enough to be worth Adobe including such functionality.
Hi,
i hope the thread is not dead yet. I have tried the troubleshooting steps. It doesn't work for me. The steps advised by SPWA is to recovered the file. However, when I tried there was no action anything. When it tried to opened it will either show as per the screenshot above or it will hang, and prompts illustrator is not working. I have tried to reinstall illustrator, it's the same result.
I notice that it happens only to files with 2.0MB and above. I've check that memory of the PC and it still have about 6 GB space
I'm using illustrator CS5.
i hope the thread is not dead yet. I have tried the troubleshooting steps. It doesn't work for me. The steps advised by SPWA is to recovered the file. However, when I tried there was no action anything. When it tried to opened it will either show as per the screenshot above or it will hang, and prompts illustrator is not working. I have tried to reinstall illustrator, it's the same result.
I notice that it happens only to files with 2.0MB and above. I've check that memory of the PC and it still have about 6 GB space
I'm using illustrator CS5.
Tom Mann
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I'm sorry to hear that approach didn't work for you, but I do want to thank you for checking back in and letting us know. Information like you just provided (ie, that it didn't work for you) may guide others facing similar problems in the future.
If it truly is worth spending more time and money on this (ie, versus regenerating the most recent changes in the illustration made after your last working saved version), I still would suggest following my previous recommendation to find a programmer experienced in postscript and have them take a look at the file.
I was once heavily involved in writing my own Postscript code to produce repetitive, mathematically defined patterns, but unfortunately, (a) that was years ago, and (b) I just can't take on a job like this at the moment. Maybe someone else here might volunteer to do so, but it could easily require many hours of work for even an experienced programmer. Then again, you could get lucky and someone might spot the problem more quickly.
Good luck,
Tom
If it truly is worth spending more time and money on this (ie, versus regenerating the most recent changes in the illustration made after your last working saved version), I still would suggest following my previous recommendation to find a programmer experienced in postscript and have them take a look at the file.
I was once heavily involved in writing my own Postscript code to produce repetitive, mathematically defined patterns, but unfortunately, (a) that was years ago, and (b) I just can't take on a job like this at the moment. Maybe someone else here might volunteer to do so, but it could easily require many hours of work for even an experienced programmer. Then again, you could get lucky and someone might spot the problem more quickly.
Good luck,
Tom
quigondjin
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Re: Error in Illustrator, "Can't open the illustration. Illegal operand." - FIX
Hi guys, i dunno if its too late or not. But i know how to fix this problem "Illegal operand" thingy. (well at least it works for me, hope it works for u too).
1. U need to change the extension (.ai) to .pdf
2. open in adobe acrobat (mine is Acrobat X Pro). In my case the ai file that i changed to .pdf opened nicely at
acrobat to view.
3. go to Tools > Protection > Remove Hidden Information.
When you click the "Remove Hidden Information" it will examined the file and will tell u how many hidden
information u can erase.
4. DONT ERASE ALL the Hidden information found. I just ticked the one named "Metadata", then click erase.
(if u erase all data, when u open it again at illustrator your illustration will become an image (rastered))
5. Then save as a new PDF file (preserve your error file, just in case u need it again later).
6. Open it at your illustrator, and VOILA!
The problem is the metadata saved in your illustrator file conflicted with something you just made earlier (before u last saved the .ai file). So u need to remove the metadata. Theres nothing wrong with your computer or registry or memory.
Hope it works for anyone who have the same problem with me.
U can ask me if u confuse about the fix tutorial i made. And sorry for my bad english
Hi guys, i dunno if its too late or not. But i know how to fix this problem "Illegal operand" thingy. (well at least it works for me, hope it works for u too).
1. U need to change the extension (.ai) to .pdf
2. open in adobe acrobat (mine is Acrobat X Pro). In my case the ai file that i changed to .pdf opened nicely at
acrobat to view.
3. go to Tools > Protection > Remove Hidden Information.
When you click the "Remove Hidden Information" it will examined the file and will tell u how many hidden
information u can erase.
4. DONT ERASE ALL the Hidden information found. I just ticked the one named "Metadata", then click erase.
(if u erase all data, when u open it again at illustrator your illustration will become an image (rastered))
5. Then save as a new PDF file (preserve your error file, just in case u need it again later).
6. Open it at your illustrator, and VOILA!
The problem is the metadata saved in your illustrator file conflicted with something you just made earlier (before u last saved the .ai file). So u need to remove the metadata. Theres nothing wrong with your computer or registry or memory.
Hope it works for anyone who have the same problem with me.
U can ask me if u confuse about the fix tutorial i made. And sorry for my bad english