HOW TO OPEN .zip ARCHIVES AND EXTRACT THE ART FILES:

If you're using Windows XP or Vista, or Mac OS X, you already have the ability to compress and extract files into and out of .zip archives - that functionality is built in to the operating system, though it may need a "nudge" from you. If you're using an older version of Windows, you may need to install a free .zip extractor (see tip below).

Open a .zip under Mac OS X: Drag the .zip archive from your mail or mail downloads folder to your desktop, or some other folder on your computer where you can get at it easily. If it doesn't automatically expand to a regular folder when you download it, just double-click it to expand. The resulting folder will contain your artwork file(s), ready to use.

Open a .zip under Windows XP or Vista: Download the archive to your desktop, or some other folder on your computer where you can get at it easily. Right-click the .zip archive and select "Extract" or "Extract all...". The resulting folder will contain your artwork file(s), ready to use.

If you don't see the "Extract..." option when right-clicking, double-click the .zip archive. If it doesn't expand automatically by double-clicking, select the option in the dialog box that pops up to choose a program to open it. Hit the "Browse" button in that dialog box to see all programs and select anything that has "ZIP" in the name - that should be the built-in .zip utility, or a 3rd party extractor you might have installed.

To open a .zip archive under older versions of Windows (or under Windows XP with the "native" .zip utility disabled or not installed):

You'll need to install a special application to open Zip files. Many free and effective .zip utilities are only a short Google search away, but we highly recommend StuffIt FREE EXPANDER for Windows, a free extractor of .zip and many other archive types.


WHY WE SEND ART IN .zip ARCHIVES:

Artwork files compressed in .zip archives upload to websites and transfer via email faster and more reliably than uncompressed files.

Unfortunately, .eps (Encapsulated PostScript, the standard format for vector art) and .ai (the Adobe Illustrator "native" format, similar to .pdf) file types are especially vulnerable to file corruption in transit over the internet. There are a number of reasons for this, but the main issue is that .eps and .ai files are relatively uncommon and frequently are mis-handled by many ISP's (internet service providers) mail servers, and some individuals' email, anti-virus and SPAM filtering software, rendering them unusable. To avoid these all-too-common issues, ArtboyGrafix by default sends all files compressed in .zip archives, even if there is only one small file to send. The .zip archive format is very common and has been in widespread use for almost 20 years.

NOTE: The art files inside .zip archives cannot be opened in artwork programs until they are extracted from the .zip archive. All vendors will be able to handle .zip archives, so it's okay to send the .zip archive directly on to the vendor without extracting the contents first, but we want you to be able to open them, too. If you have problems extracting files from our .zip archives, please contact us for assistance.