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Importing .ai file "Adobe version CS3 or later required"

Question asked by Caroline Foster on Feb 16, 2015
Latest reply on Feb 9, 2018 by Megan Anderson

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I am trying to open an .ai file into SolidWorks. Each time, I get an error telling me that I must use CS3 or higher of Illustrator to open the file. However, I have been.

I first tried it with Adobe CC on a Mac, then saved it as a CS6 version, then as a CS3 version. None worked.

Then I tried it with Adobe CS6 on a PC.

Both times I used SolidWorks on the PC. All versions are 64-bit. Latest version of SolidWorks.

Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions? Yes, I restarted the program. I searched the forums and couldn't find much.

Thanks.

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George Edwards Feb 18, 2015 1:05 PM
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Try changing the file extension from .ai to .pdf. and then importing.

Changing the extension for any .ai to pdf makes the file viewable with any pdf viewer.
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James Lemaire Jul 7, 2015 6:36 PM
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Is this a known issue? I'm having the same problem...
Before moving to Adobe CC, I was able to directly open .AI files for nice, clean SW sketches. Now I have to export the .AI files to .DWG or DXF from Adobe Illustrator CC... the results aren't as clean.
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Ron Chappell Jul 7, 2015 7:04 PM
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Hi,
You need Adobe Illustrator CS3 or later installed on the PC you are attempting to open the .ai files within SolidWorks. SolidWorks fires up Illustrator to open the file which is then converted to DXF internally the data is then imported into SolidWorks.
If you have CS6 you will find it doesn't work and you will need CS3 or later (there is an SPR 678415 - Error: Adobe illustrator version CS3 or later installation is required to import an Adobe Illustrator file to SolidWorks even with Adobe illustrator CS6 installed.) the workaround for CS6 install is to open the file and export as a dxf file.
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James Lemaire @ Ron Chappell on Jul 7, 2015 7:38 PM
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Thanks Ron,
I'm running Adobe Illustrator CC 2015 on a x64 PC.
Has SW been updated to handle the latest Illustrator updates?
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Ron Chappell @ James Lemaire on Jul 7, 2015 8:11 PM
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Hi James,
I can find no information to say it does support the version you have. All I can say is to test it or ask you VAR to enquire on your behalf, if no support for your version is available then exporting the files as a dxf from Illustrator would be the method to employ.
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New Moon @ James Lemaire on Dec 1, 2015 2:59 AM
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i have same problem with 64 BIt windows 7 with solidworks 2015 64 Bit SP 4.0
i think the problem is from illustrator >> 64 BIT <<
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Justin Lee @ New Moon on Apr 25, 2016 1:22 PM
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So this solidworks <-> illustrator feature has been around at least since the release of CS3, which was back in 2012.

Seems like the message is still hard coded to say CS3 is required, when Illustrator is SIX major revisions beyond CS3 (CS4, CS5, CS6, CC, CC2014, CC2015).

Most users will have upgraded away from CS3 by now.

Solidworks' lack of interoperability with newer versions of illustrator is likely the result of the solidworks code not being updated to work with the newest versions of illustrator, rather than an issue with illustrator itself.

+1 on SPR 678415
(I wish there were an easier way to vote on these!)
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Chris Shields @ Justin Lee on Sep 19, 2016 9:02 PM
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I'll vote too. I'm having the same issue. I have both CS5 and CC on my computer but i get the same error message about needing CS3 or higher
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Robert Silesius @ Chris Shields on Nov 16, 2016 6:00 AM
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I just got the same issue. I have Solidworks 2014, Solidworks 2016, Illustrator CS5 and Illustrator CC installed.

When I had just 2014 and CS5 installed, everything worked fine. Now I can no longer open .ai or .pdf files.

Did this issue not get resolved or did this thread die (it's the first one you find when you type the error message into Google)?
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Chris Dordoni @ Robert Silesius on Nov 16, 2016 7:25 AM

It is an unresolved issue

SPR #:

	678415

	Product:	SolidWorks

	Status:	Open

	Fixed in:	none none

	Area:	DXF/DWG

	Sub-Area:	Translator - Adobe Illustrator

	Customer Impact:	High

	Enhancement:	No

	Summary:	Error: Adobe illustrator version CS3 or later installation is required to import an Adobe Illustrator file to SolidWorks even with Adobe illustrator CS6 installed.


	Technical Comments:	Workaround Export the Adobe CS6 file out as a DXF file and then import the .dxf file into SolidWorks

		DS SolidWorks does not guarantee that this SPR fix will be available in the indicated future release of the product since at this time the SPR fix has not completed QA procedures that incorporate all SPR fixes and enhancements into a new version of our product.

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Robert Silesius @ Chris Dordoni on Nov 16, 2016 7:29 AM
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For 1.5 years??

Thank you for the information, although I'm equally amazed and appalled by it.
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Justin Lee @ Robert Silesius on Nov 16, 2016 11:10 AM
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Without evidence of impact, its not going to get fixed.

The best thing you can do is vote for SPR 678415.

More votes means a better chance of the defect getting noticed and fixed.

Then again, given this is probably a 45 min fix for a good dev and its been 1.5 years.....

.....*crickets*

What really sucks is that Adobe keeps burying the DXF export option deeper and deeper in menus in each new revision. So I fully expect DXF export to vanish from illustrator completely before long... That's when SPR 678415 will get finally get some attention.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Robert Silesius @ Justin Lee on Nov 17, 2016 1:21 AM
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How can I vote?
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Justin Lee @ Robert Silesius on Nov 17, 2016 11:11 AM
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I wish it were easier, but here goes...

From the top of this page, mouse over the "Forums" link, with the little down arrow next to it, and click "my solidworks"

on the next page, click on "product support"

on the next page click on "knowledge base" in the right hand column

in the knowledge base search box enter "678415" and search.

Then SPR 678415 will pop up in the results list. Click on it.

Once on the SPR page, the left hand column has a set of radio buttons. Select "Yes, but notify me when this is fixed. (SPR only)" and click submit.

Viola! You just voted and performed your solidworks community civic duty.

Thanks!
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Robert Silesius @ Justin Lee on Nov 18, 2016 1:30 AM
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Thank you for the information!

However:

We detected an Error which may have occurred for one or more of the following reasons:

A scripting error occurred during script execution (event: Script_Finish). Please notify your system administrator.(SBL-CSP-00231)

Guess I'll try again later, or I'll just call up our reseller's tech support and have them to it.
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Kelsie Granning @ Robert Silesius on Jan 21, 2017 6:22 AM
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Not sure if you ever tried this again or not, but I just tried and received the same message.
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Gina Bull @ Justin Lee on Jan 31, 2017 7:56 PM
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I specifically asked a customer rep a few minutes ago if Solidworks imports from Adobe Illustrator. She said it did. But this thread indicates otherwise. I can't "vote" for SPR 678415 because I do not own the program, but I have no need of the program if I cannot use AI. Darn.
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Chris Dordoni @ Gina Bull on Jan 31, 2017 8:39 PM
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The work around is to export a dxf from illustrator.
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Gina Bull @ Chris Dordoni on Feb 1, 2017 6:55 PM
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Thanks. Someone earlier mentioned that, but pointed out that Adobe buries that export, and raised the issue of Adobe dropping the feature in some future release. That kinda spooked me.
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Justin Lee @ Gina Bull on Feb 1, 2017 7:06 PM
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Gina,

I previously speculated that Adobe might drop DWG export in the future, but that is purely speculation based on the fact that they have buried DWG Export deeper in the menus in more recent releases. The feature is still there.. just a few extra clicks to get there.

There has been no public statement from Adobe, official or otherwise, that says they will definitely abandon DWG export in future releases.

(my HOPE is that Adobe recognizes the necessity of DWG export and WONT abandon it, but looking at the trend, one can never be certain.)

There are no shortage of users who use both solidworks and illustrator in tandem. My job would be impossible without a good vector/art program. Solidworks is absolutely abysmal for free-form vector editing

So, if the worst case scenario came to pass and Adobe did actually abandon DWG export, Solidworks would probably (hopefully) get the message, and revisit their Illustrator Importer, which is now several years derelict.

Solidworks stands on its own & is plenty useful without the illustrator importer, but if they were even remotely serious about supporting artists, they'd fix this nonsense already!
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Chris Dordoni @ Gina Bull on Feb 1, 2017 11:44 PM
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Gina,
A couple things to consider:
- Illustrator's bezier curves are not exactly the same as spline curves, so its possible the curve may be slightly different in SolidWorks than what you have in Illustrator.
- If you intend to get CNC cut parts (laser, router, waterjet) from Illustrator shapes, its best to use arcs; however, Illustrator does not have a built in export for arcs. There are a few plugins for Illustrator that convert bezier curves to arcs in DXF format
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Gina Bull @ Justin Lee on Feb 2, 2017 12:10 PM
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I agree with your last statement about artists completely. The 3D niche has been expanded in our culture to include non-engineers now, and a reliable, home-user-oriented product would be nice to have. In the meantime, I've discovered that the SVG format files produced by InkScape do import into 123D Design (the SVG files from Illustrator often do not, primarily due to fonts or curves), so I may use that route for a while. SVG is a not-so-great format, but for what I am doing now I can live with it. As I advance in what I'm doing, though, I may find that I need a 3D program more capable than 123D Design (plus, AutoDesk is ending that product and supposedly merging the features into TinkerCad, which absolutely does not suit my needs at this point).
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Gina Bull @ Chris Dordoni on Feb 2, 2017 12:10 PM
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Thanks! At this point, bezier curves and arcs aren't a part of what I'm doing, but I may get there soon enough. :-) Right now, use of fonts as shapes is what is driving me. See my other reply to Justin today.
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Justin Lee @ Chris Dordoni on Feb 2, 2017 12:14 PM
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Most of what I do is laser cut artwork and text produced in illustrator exported as a dwg for solidworks. I use illustrator besiers for most freeform shapes because illustrator has no method for handling arc tangents.. everything has to be eye-balled, and you end up with minute hard angles, where with besiers, you can get completely smooth transitions from one curve to the next.

If your project requires extreme tolerances and you have your micrometer handy, then perhaps there is some truth to what Chris has to say.
But if that's the case, you probably shouldn't be using illustrator in the first place.

In my experience though, the conversion from AI to dwg is pretty flawless and for most "artwork" the conversion is pretty painless.

Just don't expect to edit the imported dwg splines in solidworks. Editing imported DWGs within solidworks is pretty painful. Make your edits in illustrator and re-export.
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Justin Lee @ Justin Lee on Feb 2, 2017 12:27 PM
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One other thought Gina.

If you're already using InkScape, and if you like free & open source software, you should check out FreeCAD.

FreeCAD is an open source parametric 3d modeler that is similar to solidworks in a lot of ways, and although I haven't used it much, it will definitely let you import DWG/DXF and SVG.
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Importing .ai file "Adobe version CS3 or later required"

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