AI 8 files with gradients needs converting to CMYK press opt PDFs 1

[HeyLawn]

Greetings, please inform me if I need to post this in another forum.
I have a real throwback set of Illustrator 8 (Mac) illustrations with lots of gradient fills. Most are in CMYK color, some have spot defined colors in blends. My question/problem is, how to create press-optimized PDFs that will rip to CMYK with no errors. I do not have enough chops with Illustrator to attempt re-doing files without going back to the artist who made them. I need to create CMYK seps to send to the Harlequin RIP for our CTP workflow. I am on OS 10.3.9, G4.

I have tried:
1) creating EPS file from AI original>placing in InDesign 2>exporting to PDF (there is grey box and no preview when I try this method);
2) printing from AI 8 to PostScript then distilling (gets a shading error and will not complete distillation)
3) creating EPS>placing in Quark 5>saving to PostScript>distilling to PDF (same error message as #2 method)
4) Save from AI 8 to PDF (not an option, I need a PostScript level 3 to accurately render the gradients, blends to the RIP and AI 8 to dang old for PS 3)
5) what about merging all to a new AI file, then working with that in a newer AI version like CS? I haven't tried this but wouldn't want to unless it's the only way...

About out of ideas. If anyone has experienced this problem and has come up with a solution, I would very much appreciate suggestions to overcome this scenario.

 

[HeyLawn]

Oh, by the way--- I almost forgot to say the reason I have to convert to PDF is because our imposition program works ONLY with PDF files, and this is for a multi-page job.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[jmgalvin]

Here are a few things you can try.

Give all the files the ",ai" extension if they don't have them. It might be handy to make copies so you can't do any damage to the origianls if you don't have backup.

Use the Place command in Indesign and place the AI files directly in teh blank ID doc and run a press pdf export & see how it goes. You might preflight the ID doc beforehand to see what it picks up. If the sopts you mentioned are over process, there could be a problem and the preflight should pick it up. If you cnosult the Pantone solid to process guide, you can see if changing spots to process will cause major color shifts. Using pdf X as a preset might help prevent problems.

Open the the old AI files in AI CS. If you assign AI CS as the default app for all files with the ai extension they should open with a doulbe click. If not right click and choose open with AI CS. You should get a warning about updating the files for compatablity. Try either yes of no and check the result against the original, If both are ok use the updated version. Then try an export from that or print a postscript for Distiller.

You might also want to check for any color profiles embedded in the old pics. Also make sure that you set any transperncy flattening in pdf export to high. If printing postscript make sure that you send ALL image data.

Last, depending on the complexity of the things, you can try opening them in Photoshop. You should get a window asking for the resolution. Try 1200-2400 dpi and see how it looks. You can also create a new PS cmyk doc of the correct size and use the Place command. If you do this change your view to print size so the AI import shows at the correct print size If you need transparency, you can throw in a clipping path. You can save as tiff or pdf from photoshop.


Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[HeyLawn]

Thank you jmgalvin, your input is appreciated.
Since the Mac is at work and this is the weekend, it will be a few days before I can test your suggestions out in real time, but wanted to thank you for your ideas (whether or not this is a fix)--- something should work. I will use the Photoshop method as last resort, since the files when rasterized would be gargantuan, and would limit the scalability factor (if the finish trim size changes.