What applications can be used to edit the eps files? I tried Inkscape but couldn't figure out how to open/import the eps files. I don't want to have to purchase Adobe Illustrator (+$1000) just to create something with Ponoko.
hi inkscape does work with ponoko it's all in how you export the file about 3 of the designers in the early beta made things using inkscape, so it is possible
Unfortunately i don't know how becuase i used illustrator
Thanks Sue. Yes, I've discovered that Inkscape can save as .eps but I can't open the Ponoko templates with Inkscape. The FAQs seem to indicate that the templates must be used, but perhaps I can just create my own template in Inkscape and use that.
oo here is an awesome post by stephen on the ponoko blog http://blog.ponoko.com/2007/08/28/quick-review-of-vector-art-software/
the comments are great and lead you to the work alan has done using inkscape and ponoko http://halfpie.net/article/725/inkscaping-to-ponoko
on the template side i can't help, i know using the templates is important simply becuase it ensures you are designing with the right size, and edge margins, and line colours etc etc
Thanks for the link Sue. I've created my first design using Inkscape and based on the specs in the starter guide. Don't seem to be able to log in to the site now though... Oh well...
i think techcrunch and the following things like boing boing posts made everything too popular for their servers to allow for the making side of thing to launch.
but yay for their being enough up now so you can at least get started and hang here with lovely people
On the use of Inkscape... following some comments on my blog posting (Sue linked to it above) I've tried installing pstoedit and importing the EPS files to use in Inkscape.
It's quite strange - some work, some don't. Dan's winerack can be converted to SVG and viewed in Inkscape, but the EPS guide files cannot - all output an SVG file of zero size.
Perhaps we need to "official" Ponoko SVG guide files. Or I could make some myself and upload them...
Aha! And so the reason why some files work and some don't, according to the Ponoko blog, is that the ones that don't work have been output in a newer version of Illustrator!
Would it be possible for Ponoko to redo the EPS templates in Illustrator 8? I'll see if I can convert them on the commandline with pstoedit, and then import them into Inkscape. If this works, I'll upload the resulting SVG here.
Here are the version 2 templates in SVG format, as loaded and exported by Illustrator 9. Obviously there is no assurance by me that this will work, but I hope it can help some people. They seem to load into Inkscape fine and look the same as they do in Illustrator, including maintaining the proper dimensions.
This service seems like it will be great. Long live Industrial Revolution 2.0!