I would say Big Stock is the least time consuming upload for eps files, just upload the eps and thats it. They generate the thumb, however, in the past I have noticed that there can be quite a big shift in colour from the original file to the thumb. This may now have been fixed, or it may be the colour space used by the artist. I can't remember either if keywords and the like have to be added manually, which is a pain in the neck.

Thinking of it, I find uploading an eps and jpeg thumb containing the keyword stuff just a easy, there is no messing about with cutting and pasting stuff.

The extra steps for creating a ZIP file, a specific thumb size and manual keyword entry are the things to avoid.

Sorry if this reads a bit all over the place, I rushing to get to the chip shop.

I like Featurpics process. You can ftp upload an eps and a jpg with the same name. The image info is read off the jpg and both files are made available as sales options. To me zipping files, especially the jpg and eps together, is one of the biggest pains in vector uploading. Zipping a hundred vector sets before you can upload them is time consuming and frustrating.

so what are the best ways i can avoid that.  i want to make it as easy a process as possible and not have to require the zip.  i will take a look at FP and BS. but would love any more help. thanks

so what are the best ways i can avoid that.  i want to make it as easy a process as possible and not have to require the zip.  i will take a look at FP and BS. but would love any more help. thanks

I believe it's to make your system generate JPG thumbnails either directly from SVG (ideal) or EPS (the next best thing). If your system would do it automatically, there would be no need to make any zips.

Don't know if my opinion counts, since I am an istock exclusive, but there are good reasons to have an *optional* zip file. The primary reason is so that you can include additional information for the customer. Converting the final EPS to a v.8 compatible file involves, at the very least, flattening transparencies. This makes it very difficult for the end user. It's an added value to be able to include the AI native file with the transparencies intact, so that the customer can more easily edit it as needed.

You also need to consider how source/reference materials will be uploaded, in addition to any model releases. This has always been a point of confusion for new folks at istock.

Quote from: adroach on May 20, 2009, 14:30

Currently, because I use a Mac, I have to use a separate program (YemuZip) to zip my files. This extra step is a bit tedious.

You don't need a separate program to zip your files on a Mac. In the finder window, control-click on your folder and select "Create archive of..." from the dialog box. That's it.

Yeah, but I found with Cutcaster this wouldn't work. I had to use YemuZip to make a PC compatible file. That's what makes it an extra bit of trouble.

Oh okay, that's really interesting. My clients are all on PC and I have never had problems with my zip files being "PC compatible", nor heard of others who did. I mistakenly thought Winzip was a standard part of Windows that just automatically handles zip files, and I thought the very nature of zip compression was cross-platform.

Actually zip is cross-platform. I kept out of this discussion because I don't do illustrations, but it's very easy on a PC to zip within the Windows Explorer by selecting the files, then right-click and click zip. You just have to install the free Winzip from here (use evaluation).

I shouldn't have said "PC compatible", what i actually meant was Cutcaster compatible. I've never had problems using the Mac zip function to share files with anyone on any platform, until I tried uploading to Cutcaster. I was getting errors on all my files until I used YemuZip to create the archive. Sorry, didn't mean to create all that fuss....

I'd be interested to hear how anyone else using a Mac submits to CC. Is this zip issue just me?