No FreeHand in CS3

Bad news. See the table below the packshots. FreeHand ain't
there.
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2600

quote:
Stick with FH if you like, but it will be a bit like sticking
to BetaMax. In its day it was a better format than VHS but VHS won
the war. Dont stick with a falling stock, get off of the elevator
ride to the basement and grab hold of something that is at least
continuing to rise...however slowly.
Pappy, I don't think that's a good example. Four years of
sticking with the same app is not unheard of when you have limited
funds. Unless your a latest and greatest type of person, there is
nothing wrong with sticking with an app that works in your current
system. Your analogy of beta versus VHS is unfair...people had to
switch to VHS as they couldn't rent Beta. People can use FreeHand
to be productive. You cannot compare those things with FreeHand
because people can get the results they want from FreeHand without
less quality.
And I have one question I would like to throw out there. How
come Adobe does not say anything about FreeHand at all? If it is so
they could keep selling it, get this...they could still sell it,
even with the knowledge that it won't be updated. So WHY does Adobe
not say what their plans are for FreeHand? It's not going to hurt
business either way for them.
This is the only reason for me that I keep hope alive that
FreeHaand will be updated (at least with bug fixes) because Adobe
is not saying anything.
I am surprised Adobe didn't say anything about FreeHand at
it's conference about CS3. So why doesn't Adobe say anything...they
wouldn't lose money either way. I am tired of some people saying
for sure that FreeHand is dead when Adobe did not say anything yet.
Pappy, I think it's perfectly healthy to stick with a
software package whjile it still works. What is wrong with that if
it gets the job done? If you want analogies...I guess your
saying..."might as well never listen to classic rock as there are
new songs out there"!

Similar Messages

Copying objects from Illustrator CS3 to FreeHand 11.0.2

Working on a Mac in OSX 10.4.11, I was able to select and copy objects in an open Illustrator CS2 file and paste them into an open FreeHand 11.0.2 file, where they would be fully editable. After migrating to OSX 10.6.2 and upgrading to CS3, this no longer works - the objects selected and copied from Illustrator either do not appear (only corner indicators are visible) or a pale version appears as an uneditable low-rez image with funny colors....
Because there are so many missing features in Illustrator, it's important for me to be able to work back and forth between the two apps. Has anyone been able to achieve this (formerly) simple interactivity?

I got the following post from Danny Haas:
If you go to Edit>Special>Paste Special and then select AI/EPS from the list
it should paste just fine. It works well for me.
Worked for me too, although text was not imported as editable text. To do
that had to special paste the text separately as unformatted text, and then
reformat in FH.
From: Judy_Arndt <[email protected]>
Reply-To: <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:19:27 -0700
To: PETER AGOOS <[email protected]>
Subject: Copying objects from Illustrator CS3 to FreeHand 11.0.2
I skipped AICS3, but now use AICS4 for some tasks.
The only solution I've found is to save the AI CS4 file as AI 8, open that
in FHMX and copy from there.

Illustrator CS6 has corrupted CS3, freehand files cannot be opened.

Have a computer with CS3 on it, which is used to open FH10 files.
However last week I installed CS6 on it and now I am unable to open FH10 files in CS3.
Uninstalled CS6, didnt work. Reinstalled CS3, didnt work.
So CS6 has aperently corrupted CS3. Does anyone have a solution?
Im thinking I might try a registry transplant from a computer with a fresh install of CS3.

In your Illustrator CS3 application folder, go to Plug-ins>Illustrator Format, do you still have the Reader for FreeHand.smrd plugin installed or did CS6 remove that?

Illustrator CS3 - still 5 years behind FreeHand

What have they done! - just got a demo of Illustrator CS3, no
FreeHand tools. How about multiple pages and masterpages - how
about you can have a hole exhibition, folders, letterhead an
bussines cards in one file like with FreeHand - you can copy a page
just by a key command, and re-arange a hole brochure page by page -
how about paste inside (even InDesign got that) - the drawing tools
are still just awfull and you still have to make a colour "global"
just to get a tint - no way to set bleed (besides in print options)
- I could go on and on - I almost hope that Quark will "buy"
FreeHand. They should dump Illustrator and go on with FreeHand -
I've been working with FreeHand and Illustrator since Illustrator
even needed at prrogram just to print, and it seems to me that
Adobe still are in the bussines of just birthday cards (wake up -
we can use Microsoft Office for that - and - perhaps that will do a
better job).

quote:
Originally posted by:
At-Work
Thamks for all replies...
maxman23 - I do think that this is the right forum - sorry.
In my frustration I just can see CS3 as a program to make
things the easy way - just did an ad in FreeHand with round corners
- a 2pt stroke (2 round corners - one at the bottom left and one at
the top right) - a feature in FreeHand - can't do it in Illustrator
- had a background photo - Paste inside - can't do it in
Illustrator - the ad should be in 3 sizes - can't do it in
Illustrator - I also did a rollup banner in the same file - can't
do it in Illustrator - put bleed on all separately - can't do it in
Illustrator - made all ready for print as a PDF (remove white) - I
know that I can do it with the new cropmarks Illustrator CS3, but
then I have to make each ad or poster one at a time - did I mention
that I used the MasterPage option in FreeHand?
Hey, you are perfectly free to disagree with me without
saying you're sorry!
Anyway, you are preaching to the choir here. I understand
your frustration but take a look around... it's just us FH
die-hards in here. Adobe has come clean and indicated that FH is
dead. So neither your passion nor mine for this one app means squat
in the larger scheme of things. That's what I mean about going to
the Illy forum - but *only* if you want to agitate for Adobe to
change Illy in ways that would be meaningful and useful to you as a
veteran FH user. If however you would rather gripe / lament what's
done, that's different... here is where you belong.

Indesign CS3, a FreeHand flavour?

With this new version of Indesign, we, FreeHand lovers, won't
be upset by the new indesign interface.
Take
a look

Now I am the biggest Freehand fan and used it for all of my
vector creations and full layout for the last 10 years.
I switched to InDesign for all of my layout work several
months ago and honestly I wouldn't go back, even if we got a brand
new freehand I would only use it for the vector part.
you guys have to know one thing, InDesign is NOT another
Quark Express!
its truly outstanding, to me it feels like freehand with a
whole bunch of extra features thrown in, and what features!
imagine having access to all of your photoshop layers
including transparency, right within layout,
live shadows, feathering, glows, etc for any objects
including vectors,
high resolution native pdf output, fully postscript complient
including all of the transparency effects.
the most incredible text control, too many features to list
here, but the best text features on the planet bar none.
best of all, the realtime onscreen postscript rendering
engine is very fast, I can work on a 50 page document with vectors
and images in full resolution all day long without slowing down at
all, try doing that in freehand!
using InDesign has not slowed me down one bit, it took a
couple of days to get used to where everything is, but I pretty
much hit the ground running,
I still use freehand for all of the vector parts and I guess
I always will, if I have to run Freehand in emulator mode for the
next 10 years then thats ok for with me.
seriously folks, take a look at InDesign, its a true
designers tool, and I for one am having a lot of fun discovering
the capabilties of this amazing app.
check out the other podcasts for "The InDesigner" and you'll
see what I mean.

Inset Paths in Indesign CS3

Does anybody know how o create a inset path in CS3!? I am talking about frame shape inset paths, not text inset paths. In the old Freehand you had this feature which was very helpful! PLEEAAAAASSSEE!!!! Help!

I don't think there is an "inset path" option in InDesign. You could copy and paste your object into Illustrator and do it there, then copy and paste back into InDesign.
However, you might be unable to copy and paste from InDesign to Illustrator right now...seems to be a bug depending on your ID and OS X versions. In that case, you could export a PDF from ID, open in Illustrator, do your inset path thing (Object > Path > Offset Path... use a negative value to inset instead of offset), then copy and paste that object back into ID.
Note: I found an Adobe tech note saying this bug was fixed in ID 5.0.2, but that's my version and I still have the problem. Here's the link, for what it's worth (which isn't much): http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=kb402949&sliceId=1

I've just switched from Freehand and I'm going to have a heart attack ...

In two weeks, my tech department is ripping Freehand MX off of my machine and I'll be finally forced to use Illustrator.
I know it is going to take a bit of time to get used to Illustrator after using Freehand for the past 15 years, but if someone out there can help me with two questions, I'd sure appreciate it because the Adobe help files aren't as helpful as I'd hoped. (Adobe: screen captures are a useful visual guide when I can't find the "t-slider" and have no idea what it might look like ...)
1. How do you adjust the tint of a color? Apparently there's supposed to be a "t-slider" in the color palette. Perhaps mine isn't visible for reasons unfathomable, but if I create a color and I want to use 10 percent of that color as a tint, I don't want to whip out a calculator and drag each of the CMYK sliders accordingly. I want to use the feature Freehand had, where you type in "8" in the tint box and voila, you've got 8 percent. InDesign has this feature, so I know Adobe knows about it. Where is the tint slider in Illustrator? (I don't want to change its transparency, I did find that palette easily enough ...)
2. If I paste in a graphic from Freehand into Illustrator, everything comes over on one layer. That's annoying, but understandable. But I can't select parts of the graphic and assign them to new layers, they remain firmly on the first layer they were pasted on unless I copy each item, delete the original, click on my new target layer and paste it on that way -- and then, it doesn't paste perfectly back into place, it moves randomly around the page and I have to reposition it. ARGH! How can you reassign layers without cutting and pasting? Clicking doesn't work. What am I doing wrong?
Many, many thanks in advance from a *very* frustrated designer. If I thought I could secretly reinstall Freehand on my machine without tech hunting it down and ripping it out again, I wouldn't be fretting about such things ...

Doug, you gave me the first giggle I've had since I opened this blasted program, so thanks for that.
I'd love to keep secretly installing Freehand, because you can save your finished work as an Illustrator file, and I could then open it in Illustrator CS3, save the final as a CS3 EPS file and nobody would be the wiser ... except my tech department is prone to periodic look-sees on everyone's machines, there was a massive freakout that went all the way to the publisher's office when they discovered I'd installed .... wait for it .... free fonts on my machine that weren't part of the Adobe package they bought. In the end I had to yank the fonts out, despite showing them the read-me files that came with the fonts that expressly permitted usage in commercial applications. It's a very controlled environment. I now have 12 days left to start converting all my files ...
The good news is I'm pretty sure they're going to hurl the Freehand install disc at my head when they rip it out of my work station, so I can put it on my home iMac, where I'm still running Tiger. Now to convince them to let me work from home ...
Thanks again to everyone for all the advice,
~michelle

How can I reinstall parts of CS2 suite w/o harm to standalone AI CS3, CS4?

On my G4 I have been using Photoshop CS2 from the suite, but over the years as disk space has gotten slim, I've deleted my InDesign and Illustrator CS2 folders to make space. Because the suite is expensive and unwieldy, I have upgraded Illustrator CS3 and CS4 as stand-alone applications (these are upgraded from my FreeHand 10 serial #).
I used to have my applications scattered between two partitions on my hard disk but have enlarged the OS10 partition and shrunk the (rarely used) OS9 partition so there's room on the OS10 partition to put all my applications and files on one disk. Unfortunately, the last time I resized the partitions, I neglected to run a disk utility first, so had to reinstall OS 10.4.11.
Nearly everything works again, except I seem to have lost some sort of permission or activation file for Photoshop CS2. (I've already thrown away the "previous operating system" that the reinstall saved). When I try to reinstall or reactivate Photoshop from my CS2 suite installation disk, the installer thinks I still have all the applications installed (except Version Cue, which I seem to have successfully deleted entirely once upon a time). There is no option in the installer to restore/refresh/reinstall a program I've already installed (i.e. if I damaged a file).
I can find "uninstallers" for CS3 and CS4 applications, but all I have for CS2 is the PDF with instructions for how to chase down and delete a dozen or so files from libraries and preference folders. Some of these are easy to find. (They tend to have 2005 and 2006 creation dates). Other files and folders seem to be intermingled with items installed by (and NEEDED by) Illustrator CS3 and CS4. So I am reluctant to delete every last file on the PDF instructions.
Is there a specific file or folder I should delete that will make the CS2 installer think there are no CS2 applications already installed? I'm happy to do a complete reinstall, but I'd like to not have to reinstall my later copies of Illustrator too. (Mac OS 10.4.11, PPC chip)
At this point I've deleted about 2/3 of the items on the uninstall instructions, and I've emptied the trash, but no luck re-installing. Any ideas?
Thanks - Ben

Oops! Housekeeping again. When cleaning out my old drive partition, I had left the CS2 applications in the old applications folder, and copied the contents to the main applications folder. I intended to hang onto the old CS2 files until I was sure they were no longer needed, or the new ones worked; instead I forgot about them.
Although I had deleted the CS2 files from the new application folder, the installation disk detected the ones in the old location, and wouldn't let me install new ones. I erased those files and it's now reinstalling properly.
Thanks for your help.

Your Favorite FreeHand Features You Would Like To See In Illustrator

I am really curious to hear about the favorite features that Freehand users think would be important additions to Illustrator.
I would also be interested in hearing why you think this feature is better than the way Illustrator handles the same task, unless you the feature just doesn't exist in Illustrator.

Just found your question, Wade. Many thanks for asking since it is very encouraging to know that Adobe is aware of Freehand (FH) users' frustrations, beyond the usual learning curve challenge. Many CS3 Illustrator (AI) features are terrific and not available in FH, but the frustration of seeing FH's many intuitive options disappear from our desk top is difficult. I'd hardily amen the words of Ken Nielsen: ... 'incorporate EVERY feature possible from Freehand.' I am quickly improving my ability to exploit AI's advantages but still get frustrated that many of FH options are not available in AI. Here are a few and will try to add others later:
PAGE SIZE TOOL: I cannot change the page size with FH's page tool. To get a page size to fit new art work I have to guess and run the risk of something not being open and not adjusting if I move my work. This is important to keep the white border from appearing in exports, although I have found that making a Clipping Path can solve this. Why not have the FH option, however, of diagonally dragging the corner of the page and fit it the size of the page to the art work?
PEN TOOL DRAWING: The pen tool does not have an option that automatically makes beautifully curved lines (which always and exactly fit the complex map borders I draw), and simply by holding down Option in FH while clicking the pen tool (dragging out in AI is nice sometimes, but I had to buy a Big Wacom tablet to do what FH does naturally).
OPEN/CLOSED PATH: I always knew in FH if my path was 'closed' or 'open.' I know fill does not depend upon this in AI but in my work to know this is very important.
SWATCH BOX: In AI I have to remember the short cut or travel around my 30" screen to change between stroke and fill. In FH it was right in the color palette where it should be. As in the case of layers below, my choice of viewing swatches (small list) does not stick and I have to choose again every time I reopen AI. Have you thought of layers for swatches for those of us who have many?
GRAPHIC STYLES: I thought AI had a 'Redefine' option in the Graphic Style but can't find it. Since AI does not allow the editing of a graphic style in the Style palette, I have to make a new style and toss the old one. FH has both of the possibilities (redefine and editing).
PASTE INSIDE/CUT CONTENTS: Paste Inside, etc. was great in FH. I understand how it works in AI but to have the old FH option, and edit inside (hold down Option) were so easy.
LAYERS: AI's great layer/sub layer/sub layer organization is especially exciting for me since my 300-400 layers in FH can be nicely 'compacted.' This has vast potential and already I cannot live without it. However, you should demonstrate how good it is to new users rather than simply imply 'you'll get used to it.' I have tons of docs with tons of layers (maps and charts).
COMPRESS ALL SUBLAYERS NEEDED: I have my layers collapsed so that my palette is very easy to use, *but* when I close the doc and bring it up again they are all open again and I have to go through and close them. Make them 'stick' so they open the way we close them, and 2) put in a way to deal with sub layers so that we can make all of a certain set of sub layers visible/invisible or locked/unlocked without affecting other layers. Yes, I can drag my mouse down the list, but when I have 600 map city names in their individual sub layers that is a bit much.
A BIT OF TROUBLESHOOTING: A graphic style fill would not change (disappear) although fill color was nothing. I even use 'Break Link to Graphic Style' and tried again. Something is wrong since the stroke changes color if I choose it manually or via a style, but the fill remains the same (one of my styles = 50% red) although I change it many all or via the Graphic Style palette. Thus it appears the the fill is stuck in one mode, or rather two since it will change color or change to gradient, but it will not disappear and always default to the 50% red. I tried quitting the program and bringing it up again, and also rebooting. No change. Finally, after long hours I tried putting the graphic on a new layer and it was okay. Thus, it appears that something can be 'caught' on a layer, in this case the fill color, or rather the fact that I could not get rid of the fill color, no matter what it was. I do have 310 layers in THE doc, most as sub layers under main layers.
Must add that AI's Opacity, Layers, and other features are terrific. I finally have gotten over my reaction in the move from FH to AI, especially since CS3 version sped up the very slow CS2 version. Again, do everything you can to get all of FH features into AI. FH is a tremendous program which relatively few people knew of and exploited. If Adobe wants to create another real success story, follow Ken Nielsen's advice (as you are doing with your question, Wade.)

End of Upgrade Cycle for CS3 and CS4... Really Adobe?

As if business wasn't bad enough now I see there will be no upgrade paths past december for CS3 and 4 users. Is this how Adobe plans to keep users away from stopping their upgrades and reducing the number of machines they run Adobe products on? I understand Adobe is not a non-profit and has has to turn a revenue, but the geniuses at Marketing here have made a huge mistake by basically telling their customers that what they have so far will be worth zilch in comes 2013. That arbitrary deadline, is not consider some people who on the east coast are now cash strapped as anyone having to choose between home repairs and other such marvelous stuff and upgrading to CS6 guess what they'll choose. And for the lucky ones not heavily affected by the storms, they will donate to help their community before they will spend money to upgrade perfectly good software.
It wasn't enough that the upgrade path wasn't much of a discount, but in the current economy every penny counts! The choice of stopping support for CS3 and CS4 in my personal opinion an ill-advised move. I personally went from 3 to 4 within a short amount of time... then when 5 came out my budget didn't allow so I needed to wait. The new CS6 isn't direly needed so I decided I'd have to loose some additional "upgrade power" because money need to be directed elsewhere now... but the news that I'd loose all the upgrade power and would have kept on upgrading for nothing it's just ridiculous... and if that's the treatment a customer will have to expect from now on I think I'll use what I have and move to alternatives stopping to personally support Adobe products an rely on licensed copies at work instead. Perhaps Adobe hasn't notices we aren't exactly doing that great in US between the current economical situation, the various setbacks experienced across the country and for the fact that in this particular business most work is often being outsourced out of US these days... I am sure you will have a huge market on the countries where the outsourced work is being sent... as far as I am concerned comes 12/31/2013 I will no longer be an Adobe customer as Adobe is forcing me out of the upgrade cycle and I won't plan to re-enter anytime soon in the coming future... lesson learnt.
Thank you for your time (if any of the marketing gurus will have cared to read this far without laughing and discounting with a "screw those old customers, they should've upgraded earlier" which was basically the content of the email I got this week... pasted below)
Cheers,
tfbkny
Content of email received from Adobe saying last chance to upgrade now or what you got will be worthless in less than a couple months.
Dear Creative Suite customer:
We want to make sure you're aware of an important change to Adobe's upgrade policy that may affect you.
Beginning January 1, 2013, only Creative Suite customers with licenses for CS5 or CS5.5 versions will qualify for upgrade pricing to CS6.
Due to this change, we will only continue offering CS3 and CS4 customers like you special upgrade pricing through December 31, 2012.*
* Owners of CS3 and CS4 individual products and suite editions will be eligible to receive upgrade pricing to CS6 until December 31, 2012. After that date, only customers on CS5 or CS5.5 will qualify for upgrade pricing to CS6.

Adobe doesn't care, they don't have to. I like Phsotoshop and have been using it professionally for 20 years, but lets face it, I wouldnt mind some really good competition from another source. It didnt use to be the only game in town, and doesnt have to remain so.
I could brainstorm how I would want competing software to look like. Pshop is not the easiest workflow possible. Illustrator is clearly deficient to even CorelDraw, and certainly Freehand. I've been meaning to reconnect with CorelDraw. It did some cool things.
Google Chrome is pulling a lot of manoevers software wise and I hope they try to go a little deeper and give Adobe a run for their money on the one program they feel justifies unbelievable gouging. Go investigate Ableton Live if you want to see what a company that cares about its customers is doing, ADOBE. Audition is a JOKE compared to Ableton Live. Thank God we're not powned on the audio side by these suits.
The idea that a company would peddle buggy software, which CS4 was..., although some of that was Apple's fault, is bad, the upgrade prices were ridiculous, and this is the end of the road for me currently. The idea that a company would actively
push away customers is pretty incredible. "But I sent you an email!" Whoops, you gotta pay $1900 for production premium CS6! HAHAHAHAHA. Time for a YT video with my old hard copy box. Sounds like a good idea.
There are too many options on the motion graphics side, and I'll keep a static machine to run Pshop and AE CS4.
The masters of the universe will have theit way, and the rest must bow to their ambivalent greed. At least that's the way they think. It would seem that Adobe and Apple really, really want some upstarts to come up. Maybe $360 for a year to figure out an exit might work. It will be interesting to see if this hits earnings. VERY interesting.

Plug-ins factor into crossgrade to AI CS3

Yes, you can crossgrade to AI CS3 from FH9, 10 or MX for $199
US.
However, when planning a switch, make sure you also include
the price of the
ton of third party plug-ins you'll need to buy to get close
the same
functionality as many FH features you may rely on. You'll
need to fork out
wads of cash for features such as multiple pages, scale
drawings, bending
line segments, joining multiple path segments, knife tool,
perspective
drawing. I could go on.
If there are plug-ins and/or scripts that can fully duplicate
the
functionality of FH's Find & Replace Graphics, I haven't
found them.
Do your research before assuming you can easily jump to
Illustrator.
Here are a few reasons I use FH instead of Illustrator:
-- Name all colors in document
-- Find & Replace color in document, page or selection
-- Find & Replace path shape
-- Multiple pages
-- Paste Inside
-- Interactive rounded corners on rectangles
-- Live shape primitives - polygons, stars, etc.
-- Live ellipse segments
-- Join selected path segments (requires concatonate plug-in)
-- Convert multiple points to curve, corner, retract handles,
automatic
handles
-- Split paths at multiple subselected path segments
-- "Bend-o-matic" -- bend straight path segment by dragging
with pointer
-- Custom ruler scales
-- Scale raster images numerically from original size
-- Easy handling of linked images, including extract image
-- Adjustable snap and pick distances set in preferences
-- New object default preference
-- Type on a closed path, upright top and bottom
-- Zoom view to 512,000 X
-- Tiled printing with specified overlap
Additions or corrections welcome.
Judy Arndt

> However, when planning a switch, make sure you also
include the price of the
> ton of third party plug-ins you'll need to buy to get
close the same
> functionality as many FH features you may rely on.
I rave as much as anyone about the ill-advised need to build
dependency upon third party add-ons in AI. However, it can also be
argued that Illustrator offsets some of that with other features
which FreeHand has never had. Yes, GF&R saves time in FH. On
the other hand, AI's built-in macro facility (Actions) saves huge
amounts of time, too. FH has never had a macro utility.
Illustrator's (and the rest of the CS apps') support for
Javascript is another huge productivity advantage. And I'm not just
talking about building Javascript substitutes for FH features like
joining multiple paths, reversing paths, retracting handles, etc.
I'm talking about the ability to create your own features for your
own specific needs. Just a few examples which I use:
A simple Javascript instantly creates a set of numerically
serialized text objects for such things as callouts in maps and
tech illustrations, or for serialized items like tickets.
Another script randomly fills a user-defined rectangular area
with any number of copies of any object.
Another randomly assigns defined swatches to any number of
selected paths.
Another creates a halftone from a raster image in which each
halftone dot is an instance of a user-defined Symbol.
Another corrects the z-stacking order of selected objects,
based upon their vertical position on the page. (I use this for
processing tabular text in CAD imports.)
Okay, you don't want to build Javascripts. Point is, the more
AI users do it, the less likely you have to. AI Javascript is
completely cross-platform. People share them all the time, for
free. So for me, this is a huge productivity advantage which FH
cannot match. I miss having GF&R when using AI, too. But I've
already become just as dependent upon AI's Javascript support and
Actions. Moreover, the JS advantage is compounded because the same
thing is supported in both InDesign and Acrobat.
> You'll need to fork out wads of cash for features such
as multiple pages, scale drawings,
And you'll find after doing so that even the most often-cited
plug-ins for those fall far short of the elegance of built-in
features. CAD Tools' treatment of custom scales looks to me like a
bitmap overlay over the AI rulers. I don't have the latest version,
but in the version I have its performance is quite poor.
On the other hand, FH's custom rulers compare rather weakly
against those in other programs, too. Just the other day, Judy, you
answered someone needing to set up a scale using microns as the UOM
with a rationalization that FH "is not a CAD program." Well, Canvas
isn't either, but the kind of scale the correspondent needed can be
set up in seconds in Canvas.
Third party plug-ins for "multiple pages" are really nothing
more than schemes to use layers or page tiling as pretentions of
multiple pages. Those who offer them just don't get it. FH's
innovative approach to multiple pages offers illustration-centric
advantages none of the AI plug-ins I've seen offer.
On the other hand, Adobe did in CS2 add a reasonable
interface for managing an array of same-size page tiles on AI's
artboard. No, it does not even come close to measuring up to FH's
versatile page handling (and I tell Adobe that at every
opportunity). But again, when it comes to the bottom line of total
productivity, an advantage in one program can compensate for an
advantage in the other. For example, it's pretty dang handy to be
able to be flipping through a multi-page PDF in Acrobat, rightClick
the page with the TouchUpObject tool, select EditPage, and have
that page open in Illustrator for editing. Make the edits, select
Save, and you are returned to the PDF in Acrobat.
> Do your research before assuming you can easily jump to
Illustrator.
Always good advice.
> Name all colors in document
> Find & Replace color in document, page or selection
I haven't laid hands on it yet, but reading between the lines
of the new color handling in CS3, I suspect it may provide those
and more. If not exactly those, then other color handling features
which FH does not have. I, for one, will welcome the color schemes
functionality.
Find & Replace path shape
> Paste Inside
I'm not sure if this has changed in CS3, but I suspect it may
have. The problem with AI's Clipping Masks is not functional, but
interface. The interface displays the edges of masked portions of
whole clipping path group when selected, and displays the whole
contents' dimensions, and performs alignments upon the whole
contents' bounds, rather than those of the clipping path. But I've
see mention of ability to align points having been added to CS3,
and it seems logical to me that some of the Clipping Mask problems
may have been addressed as part of that. Again, we'll see.
Live shape primitives - polygons, stars, etc. [including
rounded rectangles and ellipse arcs]
Agreed. On the other hand, the ability to apply Convert To
Shape as a live effect to individual stroke or fill attributes in
the Appearance Palette is a somewhat offsetting advantage of AI.
> Join selected path segments (requires concatonate
plug-in)
I built a pair of Javascripts for this, which work much like
FH's Join command, but which gives me the option of whether
pre-existing outboard handles are respected. I use it every day.
Understand, this is NOT to make any excuse for the inexcusably poor
Join command in AI.
> Convert multiple points to curve, corner, retract
handles, automatic handles
Judging by the screenshots of CS3, most, if not all, of that
is now provided. Yes, 20 years late, but today is what matters
today.
> Split paths at multiple subselected path segments
Actually, you can do that in AI, but by different means.
DirectSelect the segments instead of the points. Cut, tap Delete,
PasteInFront. For my own purposes, I wanted it to work more like
FH, so again, I wrote myself a pretty simple Javascript to just
break selected points.
> "Bend-o-matic" -- bend straight path segment by dragging
with pointer
As you may recall, you're singing one of my favorite tunes
there. On the consolation side, though, selection behavior has been
altered in CS3 (something I really figured would be "holy ground",
never to be improved). According to what I read between the lines
in Teri Petit's description, the tedium of having to continually
deselect when using AI's white pointer should be aleviated in CS3.
> Easy handling of linked images, including extract image
Like multiple pages and Collect For Output, it should be
built into AI. But for those who may not know, it's not that big a
deal to save the AI file as PDF, have it automatically launch
Acrobat, and then use Acrobat's Extract All Images command.
> Adjustable snap and pick distances set in preferences
Has been added in CS3. Also settings for the display of
points and handles.
> Tiled printing with specified overlap
You can do that in CS2. It's in the Print Dialog's Setup
pane. Select Tile Whole Pages, set the desired overlap, click Done.
Turn on View>Show Page Tiling.
continues...
JET

Freehand files aren't recognized by Illustrator CS6?

Am I only the one with this issue? This creates a huge bind after signing up for the full CS6 Creative Cloud service when I have hundreds of archived Freehand vector client jobs that I still refer to by dragging the files into Illustrator. After CS3, CS4 & CS5, I've finally embraced the Adobe Creative Suite workflow completely and confidently updated my OSX system to Lion, generating my Freehand MX application useless. No Freehand. No Freehand support. Must I keep Illustrator CS5.5 on my system indefinitely? Is this a file feature that was overlooked but will appear in the first update?

It might benefit you guys to drop a feature request in the proper place - this here is just a user forum.
https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

What is the best way to import Freehand files to InDesign?

Has anyone developed a fast workflow to convert Freehand files intact to InDesign CS3?
Illustrator CS3 will import Freehand files directly, but from there I cant bring editable and formatted text into ID CS3. Formatted text is converted to paths via the clipboard. This is incredibly frustrating.
Till recently I used "Copy Special" within Freehand MX which allowed a reasonably useful way to copy graphics and fully-editable and formatted text across to ID. This is too slow for multiple FH pages however.
Adobe have provided a useful tool to open Freehand files via Illustrator but why on earth didnt they see that many Freehand files are set up as page layouts and are better placed into InDesign?
Any constructive ideas or successful workarounds most appreciated. Thanks. JETNZ

> Maybe I don't appreciate the robust functionality of FH.
I can't let the Freehand-bashing go undefended.
Freehand was never "just" an illustration program. And for many people, it was the "only" page layout program available.
b Freehand had a huge following in Israel
where it was the first multi-page program that allowed people to set type in Hebrew (right to left). For small documents (I always put a limit of 20 pages), Freehand was a terrific product.
b Freehand has a huge market share in South Africa.
During the years of apartheid, many American companies, including Adobe, honored the boycott of doing business in South Africa. Macromedia chose not to honor the boycott. Therefore Freehand became the only program available. I don't justify the decision to do business in SA, but it explains why people used Freehand.
Apart from market share, there were also many legitimate reasons to use Freehand as a page layout program:
b Freehand had a "wrapping" tab feature
that made it unnecessary to put tabbed text into separate boxes as Quark and PM required. This wrapping tab is still unique to Freehand and would be a bonus in many word processing and layout programs.
b Freehand has different sized pages
in the same document. How many times have I heard people ask for such a feature here? Yet Freehand has it where Quark, PM, and ID don't.
b Freehand has some of the most advance selection tools
in the business. I'm thinking of the ability to select items within a range of stroke weights as well as other attributes. Again neither Quark, PM, or ID have such a feature. And even Illustrator, which has a "Magic Wand" selection tool can match Freehand's selection dialog box.
There are other features, but I don't need to go into them.
However, I do agree that Macromedia did not give Freehand the time and attention it needed to do well in today's market.
The code is ancient.
The output to PDF directly from Freehand is stuck back on Acrobat 5.
Some of the transparency features are not what we consider true transparency.
And so on.
But to just lump anyone who uses Freehand into a category of not professional is wrong.

Freehand MX and Photoshop CS5 duotone

I used to be able to make duotones in Photoshop CS3, save as EPS, and import them into Freehand, but when I make one in CS5, it imports into Freehand as an empty box with an X through it. Is there a Photoshop setting I am missing? I tried most all of the variations in Photoshop I could find.

" Is there a Photoshop setting I am missing?"
when you 'save as' .eps there is a dialog box that appears--you have 3 choices for a 'preview'--none, 1 bit tiff, or 8 bit tiff.
IF you are set to 'none'--you will get a box with an X in it (because there is NO preview)--see attached file--the eps on the left was saved with preview set to 'none'--the same eps with the preview set to 8 bit tiff--is on the right...when the page is printed--the images are identical.

Rich Black in AI CS3

I'm a long-term Freehand user so please bear with me!
OK, I've got some experience with AI but have used Freehand extensively for the past 10+ years. Decided to give AI a try via the CS3 30-day trial, since I know it will handle Freehand MX files. I've come across a problem almost straight away, however.
I noticed, when I opened an MX file in AI CS3, that all my rich blacks had been changed into 0,0,0,100k blacks - and all the 0,0,0,100k blacks had been left as they were. I can't work with that - I need a rich black and I need a 100k black. Does anyone know why this is happening, and how I can solve the problem?

No, unfortunately that makes no difference. Basically, my work files always include two blacks: the basic 0,0,0,100k black and a rich black, which Freehand always composes as 75,68,67,90. Whenever I opened a Freehand file in AI CS2, it would respect the two different blacks as I'd originally set them in the Freehand document. Opening the same file in CS3, for some weird reason CS3 is altering ALL the blacks to the same: 0,0,0,100k.
When I look at the colour swatch in CS3, whether using a brand new AI document or opening one of my Freehand files, I see two blacks listed. One labelled "black", the other labelled "K=100". However, both have an identical makeup: 0,0,0,100. That's surely not correct? The colour named "black" should surely be a rich black, not just 100k. Otherwise, what's the point of the K=100 colour?
I have to say, apart from this issue I've been impressed with AI CS3. For a Freehand user, it's much easier to work with than previous versions. I'm very tempted to make the switch, though probably to CS4 now that it's available.

No FreeHand in CS3

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