Exporting FreeHand files to EPS files

I got a job awhile ago that involved converting 50 FreeHand 7 files into EPS files for later use in some brochures and then into GIF files for the web. Well I knew I could use the EPS files for creating GIF files later by importing them into PhotoShop but I was not looking forward to sitting there and manually converting 50 FreeHand files into EPS files. Below is the solution I came up with using AppleScript.

Version: 7-10 (Mac)

After sending a distress call to the FreeHand e-mail list, I received a quick response from Soren Olin. With the response was some AppleScript code that I quickly compiled into an application and it worked wonderfully. I looked over the code and learned a few things, after which I rewrote the code from scratch and created this script. Below is the downloadable script in a Stuffit archive.

Script Download Macintosh Stuffit File exporfhfilestoeps.sit

Within this archive are scripts for FreeHand 7-10 depending on what version you wish to work with.

Simply drag the native FreeHand files on to the script and it will first ask you where to save the EPS files (This can be the same folder the files come from if you prefer), then it will ask if you want to save the file within the EPS file. It will launch FreeHand, open the files and export them adding the .EPS extension. You don't even have to sit there and watch it. If you want to export FreeHand 7 files from FreeHand 8, just drop the v7 files onto the script for v8, and the same for FreeHand 9 etc. I haven't figured out a way to remove the "(Converted)" part from the file name however.

For now it only works if you drop just files, not a folder with files. See more below in Expanding the Script.

Also, one other thing. Before you start the script for FreeHand 8-10, Export one file manually. Make sure you check to see that the Convert Color settings are what you want and for FreeHand 10, you can choose to Embed Fonts. After you export that file, all the remaining files will have the same Export settings.

Expanding the Script

Here are some other options I'd like to add to this script:

• I've been struggling with being able to drop a folder containing FreeHand files on to the script and getting it to work properly. For some reason it skips files, and if there is another folder already in the folder I drop, it fails. If anyone can give me some tips on this it would be great!

• Would like it to consolidate all the scripts into one. So it will detect what version of FreeHand you have installed. If you don't have FreeHand 7 but drop a FreeHand 7 file onto the script, it will open FreeHand 8 instead then export the file. Right now, the beta script I have will just give an error if it can't find either. If you'd like a copy of some of the script work I've been doing, please send an e-mail. Thanks!

Version History

• v1.7 - Added a script for FreeHand 10. Fixed the scripts so that they ask where to save the EPS files instead of where to save the originals.

• v1.6 - Updated both scripts to give an error if Navigation Services is not detected. Added a script for FreeHand 9.

• v1.5 - Rewrote the entire script from scratch. Added the ability to choose where to move the original files via a dialog box. Added the choice of saving the FH file within the EPS file or not.

• v1.0 - Initial release with code originally written by Soren Olin.

If anyone out there can help out it would be great to make this a fully functional and option packed script that would prove to be very useful for anyone. Just send some info via the FeedBack page.

About the Script

You can edit this script yourself with the Script Editor that is free from Apple and is usually installed with the System software. Below is a peice of the driving force behind the exporting script.

• I chose to add to the line "open currentfile without Dialogs" so it suppresses any warning dialogs that may come up during the opening process that may ask for missing fonts or links. The reason I chose to add this is because I didn't want it to stop in the middle while I was off, just because one file was missing a link but the others were fine. This is something you can find out for yourself later.