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MBP '23 Current PS. Can't export to .ai


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MartyS

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I am needing to make selection > make work path > Export to illustrator, and for some reason it doesn't work.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks Marty
PS 25.9.1
MBP M3 2023

Mostly I am using these paths to laser cut, and we need to nest all the shaped economically on the material. This is easy with PS.
Once the file is saved as .ai it is there open in the laser cutter software.
I was told I could also convert my saved .ai files to .svg and that would work, but I have gotten an error on three different web based converter sitters, so that is why I think there is an issue with my computer or with photoshop.
 
Hi @MartyS
From what you have written, I assume that the steps you took created an AI file, yet you cannot see these "paths" in Adobe Illustrator.
One suggestion is to use the Attach Button at the bottom of the post you write and attach the AI file in question for examination by forum members.

Yet it would be good to check and see if you have the Outline View turned on in Adobe Illustrator. The paths will be invisible if you don't have the View Mode enabled. An online post summarizes that succinctly:

The path will be there, but they will be "hollow" (no fill no stroke) so you'll need to switch to Outline Mode to see them (View > Outline). You can then select them and apply fills/strokes as necessary.
Click to expand...

Just some quick suggestions
John Wheeler
 
thebestcpu said:
Hi @MartyS
From what you have written, I assume that the steps you took created an AI file, yet you cannot see these "paths" in Adobe Illustrator.
One suggestion is to use the Attach Button at the bottom of the post you write and attach the AI file in question for examination by forum members.

Yet it would be good to check and see if you have the Outline View turned on in Adobe Illustrator. The paths will be invisible if you don't have the View Mode enabled. An online post summarizes that succinctly:



Just some quick suggestions
John Wheeler
Click to expand...
Hi John, Thanks for the tips.
The command I use to export the paths made in photoshop is FILE>EXPORT>PATHS TO ILLUSTRATOR. I am exporting the paths to use in a laser cutter and I do not use Illustrator.

I do not have illustrator, just photoshop on the photo plan ($9.00/mo) When you suggested that I switch to outline mode, I think you meant I should import the paths to illustrator. What I have always done in the past was import straight in to my laser cutter's software.

I looked at the text of the .ai file, is there simply a line in the .txt I could change to add the stroke width?

Someone else on the laser cutter forum said I would need to set my file type to illustrator 8. I am lost on that as well

Before when I was exporting the .ai files from photoshop to the laser cutter program, laserworks, the files would open to the same exact measurement that they had been designed in in photoshop. That was a big help. I think I could probably work around by saving the drawings as a BMP and using Lightburn trace, but there are a bunch of headaches if I do that. For example the Option Key > Make Path command in photoshop give you the option of resolution (smoothness & number of nodes) which can make a big difference in there cut line, depending on the integrity of the file.

I have a lot of Photoshop actions set up to speed the work flow, for example one function button expands the selection by 2 px and then fills the shape with black, while another just expands the selection by 1px to help avoid leaving shadows that end up becoming unintended objects etc. Automation helps when I have many parts on there file to cut.

Thanks for the help. Marty
 
Hi @MartyS
This may not be a Photoshop problem per se.
There are many ways that an Ai file can be structured and its possible that your laser cutter software does not support all possible Ai structures.
So it is unclear when PS creates the Ai file, that it is always done in a way that is readable by your laser cutter thought it may work in Adobe Illustrator just fine.

To help narrow down the issue, please Attach the Ai file (or an example file that has the same issue) for examination. It would also help to Attach the PSD file for examination. This can help confirm if the Ai file matches the selection you have created (some forum members do have Adobe Illustrator). Please include the model of your laser cutter as well. There may already be a posted solution online.

Also, by any chance are you using a Mac with Apple Silicon (the M processors)?

John Wheeler
 
Sorry, I missed that you did post that you had a MacBook Pro M3 2023
The other question what are the file formats that your laser cutter accepts.
You can pull SVG out of Photoshop though Adobe has been lukewarm about SVG (not sure why)
John Wheeler
 
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