In Illustrator (CS3) I have a raster image placed in the .ai file (embedded, not linked)

Is there a way to edit the raster image? Not PS filters, but launching Photoshop from within Illustrator, edit the bitmap, then click save in PS which would update the embedded bitmap.

The scenario above is doable in Acrobat Professional and CorelDraw, I can't find if it's works in Illustrator.

if it was linked ya can use "edit original" in the link tab but since its embedded ya can copy and paste it into photoshop and then relink it. it wont change its position or size unless you change the dimesions that are not in proportion to the original.

Hmm...

Filters... Go down you will see "photoshop filters" vector filter will still work but it will treat that image as a flat panel as opposed to pixel data.

You will find you can move the vectored pixel data...

For example distorting the image, making the image different by manipulating the pixels via vector data but as for adding raster paints you should be using photoshop for that... But you can use the warp tool if you have the relevant layer selected. (Window > Layers)

But the warp tool will alter the vector mesh distorting the bitmap without recking the bitmap.

Illustrator guru at work suggests you copy the bitmap as a new file, save it as an eps and bring it into photoshop to make your changes.

This workaround works. The only problem is
a) extra effort involved in having to save (and find) the edited bitmap file
b) pasting the bitmap in Photoshop defaults to the color mode of the .ai file, so a 2-bit black-and-white bitmap placed in a CMYK document copied/pasted into PS makes a dark grey (100%K)
With Rich Black settings set to on for viewing and exporting I get the following:
ai RGB mode - copy/paste to PS - RGB mode - R:G:B 0:0:0
ai CMYK mode - copy/paste to PS - CMYK mode - C:M:Y:K 75%:67%:67%:90% convert to RGB 1:1:1

Anyhow - thanks for the tip

did you try what eve suggested? save your illustrator file as an eps, then open the eps in photoshop.

My best advice is just to edit the original bitmap in Photoshop, then in Illustrator choose the "relink" option, which will basically update the changes you have just made (found in the same menu as the embed option).

a) this is why ya link, not embed

b) ya can try what eve said. better yet! choose file, export, and then bitmap while in illustrator.

c) marx... did ya even read his post??

Nail on the head.

Actually, the nail on the head is to have client send you all the artwork so you don't have to fark about with the whole mess....

I tried Eve's "export to EPS" workaround. It works the same way as the copy/paste to PS but it requires an extra effort to a) save and find the EPS file and b) enter resolution settings for rasterizing the EPS in Photoshop.

I wish there were a shortcut, much like it can be done in Acrobat Professional - Touch Up Object - Right-click on Image - Edit Image. It would also be nice if in AI I could export the selected image (or objects) only without having to copy paste in a new document. CorelDraw has had these features for a long time.

As a side effect I just realized that placing b/w (2-bit) bitmaps in Illustrator defaults to the white being transparent and you can 'color' a b/w bitmap with the foreground/background colors. To make it 'black-on-white" it needs to be rasterized.

I prefer opening the AI file in PS, not an EPS but keep it as an AI file then you get the option to open just the embedded image. Then edit, save as (whatever) then re-link in Illustrator.


Oh yeah... You have to save the AI file with the "Create PDF Compatible File" checked ON before opening it in PS.

It is a nice feature, but it doesn't work with b/w bitmaps placed in the .ai file (you have to rasterize the b/w bitmap first)

changing the embedded file to eps and re-linking is the way I do it. I tend to make a lot of those PSD's so I can place our press curves on images as well.

Also, did you know if you save a picture or drawing as a .tif, you can change colors in Illustrator from black & white to a pantone? Works great when you have a logo you don't want to re-do, but have a nice copy to scan. and it needs to be a pantone color instead of CMYK.

I just did a quick test with this little thing called File Juicer. You can just drag and drop an AI file on it.

http://echoone.com/filejuicer/