Uploading Adobe Illustrator (.ai) files and troubleshooting missing previews

You can upload Adobe Illustrator .ai files to the Licensing Suite. In most cases, the file uploads successfully and can be used normally. However, the preview or thumbnail may not always appear immediately, especially for large files or files that are not saved in a preview-friendly format.

This article explains what happens when you upload an .ai file, how to make the preview more reliable, and what to do when uploading multiple large files.

What happens when I upload an .ai file?

When you upload an .ai file, Licensing Suite stores the file and attempts to generate a preview or thumbnail.

After upload, you may see one of the following:

• The file name appears in your uploaded files list.
• A preview or thumbnail appears for the artwork.
• The file name appears, but the preview or thumbnail does not appear.

If the file name appears in your uploaded files list and no upload error was shown, the file was usually uploaded successfully. In this case, the issue is most likely with the preview only, not with the uploaded file itself.

Did my file upload fail if the preview is missing?

Usually, no.

Your file has probably uploaded successfully if:

• The upload completed without an error message.
• The file name appears in your list of uploaded files.
• Only the preview or thumbnail is missing.

A missing preview does not always mean the file is broken or that the upload failed. It usually means Licensing Suite could not generate the on-screen preview.

Example:

Why is the .ai preview not showing?

Preview behavior for .ai files can vary. A preview may not appear because of:

• The way the .ai file was saved.
• The file size.
• The time needed to process the file.
• The file storage service connected to your Licensing Suite environment.

Large files may take longer to process. In some cases, a preview may not be generated at all, even though the file itself was uploaded and stored successfully. It also depends which file storage you are using in Licensing Suite.

How can I make sure the .ai preview or thumbnail is visible?

For the most dependable previews, use one of the following formats:

• PDF
• PDF-compatible .ai

When saving your file in Adobe Illustrator, enable:

Create PDF Compatible File

This option helps Licensing Suite generate a preview or thumbnail more reliably.

Recommended steps:

1. Open the artwork in Adobe Illustrator.
2. Save the file again.
3. Make sure Create PDF Compatible File is enabled.
4. Upload the file again to Licensing Suite.
5. Wait a few minutes and refresh the page.
6. Check whether the preview or thumbnail is now visible.

This recommendation only affects the on-screen preview. It does not mean your original file is broken.

What should I do if the preview is missing?

Follow these steps:

1. Confirm that the file name appears in your uploaded files list.
2. Check whether you saw any error message during upload.
3. Wait a few minutes, especially if the file is large.
4. Refresh the page.
5. If the preview is still missing, re-save the file in Adobe Illustrator with Create PDF Compatible File enabled.
6. Upload the file again.
7. Check whether the preview or thumbnail appears.

If the file name appears and there was no upload error, your file may still be stored successfully even if the preview is not visible.

How should I upload multiple large .ai files?

When uploading multiple large .ai files, upload them one at a time instead of starting all uploads together.

Recommended approach:

1. Upload the first file only.
2. Confirm that the file name appears in your uploaded files list.
3. Wait a few minutes for processing.
4. Refresh the page and check whether the preview is visible.
5. If the preview is missing, re-save the file with Create PDF Compatible File enabled and upload it again.
6. Once the first file is uploaded and checked, continue with the next file.
7. Repeat the same process for each file.

Uploading files one at a time makes it easier to confirm which file uploaded successfully and which file may need to be re-saved for preview generation.

Best practice for reliable previews

To avoid missing previews:

• Use PDF or PDF-compatible .ai files whenever possible.
• Enable Create PDF Compatible File when saving from Adobe Illustrator.
• Upload large files one at a time.
• Wait a few minutes before refreshing the page.
• Confirm the file name appears in the uploaded files list.

When should I contact support?

Contact your licensing partner if:

• The file name does not appear in your uploaded files list.
• You saw an error message during upload.
• The preview is still missing after uploading a PDF-compatible .ai file.
• You need confirmation that your submission or uploaded file was received.

When contacting your licensing partner please include the following: 

• The file name.
• The file size.
• The file format.
• Any error message you saw, copied exactly.
• What you were doing when the issue happened.
• The browser you were using.
• Whether the file was saved with Create PDF Compatible File enabled.