How do you use a machintosh Clarisworks DAT file in a windows version of illustrator?

December 20, 2005 3:06 PM

How do you use a Macintosh Clarisworks DAT file in a windows version of illustrator?

We didn't add PCs to our office until a couple of years ago, and the logo that was made for us was made 25 years ago. Our first vector version of our logo was a DAT file, for the mac downstairs. The printshop that made it has since gone out of business, and out of contact.

I've tried looking for a translator with no avail. It works downstairs importing into a clarisworks document, but when it's sent up here, I get a dat file that illustrator would have nothing to do with. Any ideas?

posted by Sallysings to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

I assume your ClarisWorks machine is running OS 9. There are a variety of ways to create a PDF file from your ClarisWorks document (most prominently the desktop printer that comes with the full version of Acrobat). Illustrator should be able to open the PDF.

If you have an OS X machine handy, you might try opening the ClarisWorks doc in a recent copy of AppleWorks (same app renamed). Then you can save to PDF directly from the OS X pint dialog.
posted by jjg at 3:35 PM on December 20, 2005

Response by poster: OS9, with an abscure word like claris works interface. I don't think it has anything related to acrobat JUST the reader to it. Any other way to do the translation?
posted by Sallysings at 4:40 PM on December 20, 2005

Response by poster: And sadly, the one next door is running...OS5.

:(
posted by Sallysings at 4:51 PM on December 20, 2005

ConversionPlus? Dataviz also made MacLinkPlus, which was considered the standard on the Mac for a long time.
posted by Remy at 5:06 PM on December 20, 2005

Print it out, then scan it back in?
posted by FredsinPa at 5:38 PM on December 20, 2005

You can try this bit of shareware to output a PDF.
posted by jjg at 5:39 PM on December 20, 2005

You can use the laserwriter driver to give the Mac the ability to "print" to a Postscript file. Instructions are here. Illustrator should be able to read the .ps file directly.
posted by O9scar at 6:14 PM on December 20, 2005