Graphics from a Mac user

[figment88]

I have a customer that keeps sending me jpegs from their mac computer that I am having problems seeing on my pc.

First they emailed them as attachments, and I could not open them at all.

Next, I had them copy them to a flash memory key. Even though the flash key was formatted as pc file system, I still got the forked mac type files. For example, there is a file called focus.jpg and one called ._focus.jpg.

I can open the focus.jpg but it is really small. Is there a pc program I can use to see the full size photo and convert it to a single file?

I get photos from mac users all the time and don't have problems, I don't know what this one customer is doing different.

[figment88]

any thoughts?

[DrDoc]

Depends on what you need to be able to do with them. What is your image editing software? What's the Mac user using?

[henry0]

There are a bunch of "un-official" incompatibilities
My graphic designer partner is often sending me pics from its MAC
And yes sometimes I can’t get them opening
He uses Photoshop and files are saved as .psd
Worst is the transparency, never work!

<edit>
I too would like to know of a good system!
</edit>

[Jon_King]

Saving as a PSD should allow for complete compatability. I would have the client give that a go... and send you a PSD.

[choster]

We had a problem where the graphics team's Microsoft Exchange was configured to MacBin-encapsulate automatically any mail attachment sent from a Mac. We figured it out after a while and used Stuffit Expander to strip the MacBin on the Windows side until the network admins could tweak Exchange.

[limbo]

had the same problem as choster. Quark (Mac) files from a printer were being swatted by our virus checker as macs don't always place a file extension so it assumed they were nasties.

figment88 - ._focus.jpg is a file macs create on some windows drives for compatibility - you can ignore it.

There shopuld be no reason why a mac made .jpg will not work on a PC. The file format is universal - as with .gif .png etc.

Sounds to me like there is an issue with your provider or the thumbstick - if the jpg is small he/she may be doing something wrong with the file extension - so pic.jpg is actually pic.jpg.psd (true extension hidden on windows)

[travelin cat]

have your Mac guy use "Save for Web" not "Save As" we have seen this many times and this is the best solution.

[DrDoc]

For PSD to work as painlessly as possible it needs to be saved in compatibility mode.

[henry0]

DrDoc thanks,
That soundslike the answer I was looking for.

[vincevincevince]

I've found that a postscript file is the best way to transfer them (or its compressed cousin the PDF).

[travelin cat]

DrDoc... what do you mean by compatability mode?

[DrDoc]

In Photoshop CS (and later), when you save the file as a PSD it asks you if you want to "Maximize compatibility". So far, I have not had any problems receiving PSDs created on a Mac.

[limbo]

Second that Dr.Doc. I think this was introduced on the later version of PS (CS 1 & 2) for backward compatibility with 'legacy' versions. Also seems to sort out the cross platform issues too.