Extracting text and lines from .CI files

[Helmar]

I need to extract the text objects (along with the font and XY position) and simple vector graphic objects (lines/boxes) etc. from a Illustrator .CI file.

I've tried:

1. Printing the document to a "File" PCL printer and then parsing the PCL (I wrote a utility to do this). Unfortunately, the text items seem to be printed as graphics rather than text and are useless for this purpose.

2. Parsing a .CI file using the CS3 file format documentation. (things don't seem to match the files.)

Is there some other way to extract the text and vector graphic objects into a text file?

Thanks for any help.

Helmar B. Herman

 

[jmgalvin]

Are you referring to a Citect-scada file? If yes, I think you might be out of luck.

It is very common for text to be outlined in vector docs. Once it's outlined, turned to a vector graphic, there is no way to make it back to text.

If you can open the thing, see if you can select any text. If not it's outlined.

Using OSX 10.3.9 & 10.4.11 on a G4, G5 & Intel Macbook