older files from 1996

[big3b69]

I have three eps files from 1996 and one unknown file and I cannot openthem in anything that we have. They could be either mac of pc, any ideas?

matt

[Dov Isaacs]

By +unknown+ I assume that there is no file suffix or no Mac file type, correct?

In the case of the EPS files, have you tried creating PDF from them via Distiller?

- Dov

[big3b69]

Yes, and distiller does not likethe eps files. I am using Distiller 8.
matt B.

[Dov Isaacs]

By +does not like+ I assume you mean that you are getting some type of PostScript error from Distiller? Which PostScript error specifically?

Perhaps what you actually have is the resource fork of a Macintosh EPS file which contains only the EPS file preview.

- Dov

[big3b69]

this is what distiller says:

%%[ Error: undefined; OffendingCommand: «Í ]%%
%%[ Flushing: rest of job (to end-of-file) will be ignored ]%%
%%[ Warning: PostScript error. No PDF file produced. ] %%

Matt B

[Blair Wolfe]

We have had to deal with some of these, some even older and all of which were certainly made by older versions of who knows what software. We have had to reuse an older computer that had older versions of PageMaker, Quark, Freehand, etc, and open the old files in whichever program recognized it, then save in a version that could be opened in a later version, until getting back to the versions we run now. Most modern software can only go so far back in recognizing older files. EPS files from that vintage are probably dependent upon an older file recognition that the new software doesn't read.

[Dov Isaacs]

Probably you have the resource fork of a Mac EPS file somehow moved into a data fork (assuming you are on a Macintosh) or possibly some non-standard EPS preview header from who knows what. :-(

- Dov

[Cory Smith]

Try to open the EPS in a text editor like text wrangler. Sometime you can find some information in the header of the file.

[margadri]

Sorry to be obvious
Did you try to scroll the error info up
I mean, it happened before to me that the error was longer than the lines I was reading
Scrolling up the text box where the error was, I noticed more info such as fonts not in the system
Put the font, restarted distiller and problem solved
Good luck

[WharfRat]

Did you check out if "Graphic Converter" can recognize the file?
You should have it on your MAC.

MSD