# How to preview .eps files as thumbnails?



## rjf_techgirl

We have a user who receives many .eps files. She would like to view them as thumbnails in Windows Explorer. Currently, she does not see a thumbnail picture, but rather the .eps icon.

Suggestions? Tweaks?


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## 8210GUY

Try right clicking in an open space and expand the "View" option, if it shows thumbnails in there click on it and you will hopefully achieve the result you want.


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## rjf_techgirl

8210GUY said:


> Try right clicking in an open space and expand the "View" option, if it shows thumbnails in there click on it and you will hopefully achieve the result you want.


We know how to view thumbnails on the PC. The user is in thumbnail view for her photographs/images. The problem is that whereas .jpegs, .gifs, and .bmps show up as tiny little thumbnail pictures (ie, previews of the actual pictures), .eps files only show up as an .eps icon.

(A sample of how the icons appear in thumbnail view is attached.)


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## carsey

A quick search on google revealed that its possible with Acrobat Reader or this program:

http://www.bravaviewer.com/view-eps-file.htm

Hope it helps.


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## rjf_techgirl

Unfortunately, there would be hoops to jump through in order to install third party software such as the viewer you pointed me to.

However, I'd love to know what search terms you put into google? I didn't get anything about setting Acrobat Reader to view thumbnails? Could you tell me what exact search terms and placement you used? 

Thanks!


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## carsey

here is the search terms:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=viewing+.eps+files&btnG=Search&meta=

Have a look through. Have you tried saving it as a different format??


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## rjf_techgirl

carsey said:


> here is the search terms:
> 
> 
> Have a look through. Have you tried saving it as a different format??



The user receives so many of them that this would be very time consuming to open them all and save them all as a different format. 

I forgot to mention that opening the files isn't a problem. The user has Adobe Photoshop CS installed, it's just she'd like a quick preview of the images as thumbnails when she receives them on disk or as a .zip file.


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## 8210GUY

Would I be correct in assuming they use a different bit of software to view these files (not adobe) ?
I'm just wondering if right clicking on one of these icons and selecting properties, then click on Change near the top where it says open with, then selecting the program thy use to view it normally from that list and apply\OK it, I just wonder if re-associating it with the file they use as opposed to adobe would create the result your trying to achieve, just a thought.


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## rjf_techgirl

8210GUY said:


> Would I be correct in assuming they use a different bit of software to view these files (not adobe) ?
> I'm just wondering if right clicking on one of these icons and selecting properties, then click on Change near the top where it says open with, then selecting the program thy use to view it normally from that list and apply\OK it, I just wonder if re-associating it with the file they use as opposed to adobe would create the result your trying to achieve, just a thought.


No, she views the file in Adobe (Photoshop or Illustrator, I can't recall at this moment).


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## 8210GUY

Well I've been searching for quite a while now, and have seen many comments to do with problems from people who have moved files from mac's, not sure if this has any bearing on this case though, apart from that the closest thing that I've found is the following, just hope it helps or at least inspires a solution.


> Getting .ps files for EPS files
> Problem: When you download an Ecapsulated Postcript (EPS) file in Internet Explorer and save the file to your hard disk, the file may be saved with a .ps extension instead of an .eps extension
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Solution: To resolve this issue follow these steps:
> 
> Double click My Computer
> On the view menu, click Options or Folder Options.
> Click the File Types tab, and then click New Type.
> In the Description of Type box, type "Postscript" (without the quotation marks).
> In the Associated Extension box, type "ps, .eps" (without the quotation marks).
> NOTE: If you do not type a space between "ps," and ".eps," when you download files with the .eps extension or the .ps extension, the files are saved with a ".ps,.eps" extension.
> 
> In the Content Type (MIME) box, type "application/postscript" (without the quotation marks).
> In the Default Extension For Content Type box, click ".ps, .eps," click OK, and then click OK again.
> Empty your Temporary Internet Files folder. To do so, follow these steps:
> 
> Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.5:
> 
> In Internet Explorer, click Internet Options on the Tools menu.
> Under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Files.
> Click OK, and then click OK again.
> 
> Internet Explorer 4.0 and 4.01:
> 
> In Internet Explorer, click Internet Options on the View menu.
> Under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Files.
> Click OK, and then click OK again.


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## rjf_techgirl

Thanks, I'll give that a try.


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## rjf_techgirl

*Solution/Work Around Found*

For anyone who may encounter this problem in the future, technically, according to Adobe, there is no solution: In previous versions of Adobe Photoshop, a .dll called psicon.dll was installed to allow Adobe files to have functionality with browsing in Windows. With Adobe CS, this was discontinued. If a person upgraded to CS from an older version of Adobe, they will be able to browse as normal; a fresh install will not.

However, there is a work-around, but there is the risk of losing files in doing so, so it should only be attempted at your own risk.

Attached to this posting in a .zip file of the .dll that needs to be registered in the C:/Program Files/Adobe/Shell directory. 

I did not try to apply this fix because my user could not afford to lose files, so I do not know how well it works


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## 8210GUY

OK just found something due to a similar topic and I had the same problem so I started playing with things and found a possible solution, with this topic I was fixed on the file extension which totally threw me, but the other topic involved just ordinary pictures, so I'm hoping it helps you as well.

Open the folder the pictures are in, I don't think it matters if there are several folders as I think this will apply to ALL picture formats, anyway, with the folder open click on View on the menu bar then to-wards the bottom of the list click on "Customise this folder" and you will get a properties box appear, at the top click on the "Customise" tab and at the top you will see a drop down box, within that select the picture option that suits your needs, I set mine to "Pictures (best for many pictures), click on apply and you should see pictures in place of icons now, does that help ?


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## rjf_techgirl

8210GUY said:


> OK just found something due to a similar topic and I had the same problem so I started playing with things and found a possible solution, with this topic I was fixed on the file extension which totally threw me, but the other topic involved just ordinary pictures, so I'm hoping it helps you as well.
> 
> Open the folder the pictures are in, I don't think it matters if there are several folders as I think this will apply to ALL picture formats, anyway, with the folder open click on View on the menu bar then to-wards the bottom of the list click on "Customise this folder" and you will get a properties box appear, at the top click on the "Customise" tab and at the top you will see a drop down box, within that select the picture option that suits your needs, I set mine to "Pictures (best for many pictures), click on apply and you should see pictures in place of icons now, does that help ?


No. The best fix is the one above, if anyone wants to go that route. Without the .dll installed, .eps files will only appear as little photoshop icons, not as previews of the pictures themselves. It's a Photoshop CS/Adobe support issue, not a Windows issues.


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## TonyHawk

I struggled a little but thought about Irfan View (Iview)
It requested I install the latest plugins
After downloading the 7.2meg file...
... corrected the extension to .exe
Then installed the file to Irfan View directory

I showed an error at first
but then it started showing me the images of eps files
It's not standard thumbnails... but you can page thru it with ease

Hope this helps anyone still having this problem. :wave:


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## AHABll

I have had the same problem. I figured out a work around that works well for me. You may view the instructions here:

http://datascoop.net/graphics/how-to-view-eps-and-ai-thumbnails-when-browsing-for-clip-art/


Hope this helps.


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## AmandaGreenslad

Hi all, none of these replies have been useful to me as they've led to pages with broken links or with software which doesn't actually seem to do what is required. We simply want to be able to view EPS thumbnails in Windows, a feature that is not built in to Windows like it is for JPG, TIFF etc. I already have a program installed that enables previewing of PSD (Photoshop) files in Windows, but unfortunately haven't found one for EPS. There is a slight solution, though, which may work for the original poster here. Adobe Bridge (comes with Creative Suite), which is an image browser, works similarly to browsing through folders in Windows and it will display thumbnails of EPS, PSD, AI etc.

I hope someone finds this useful, but if there is an EPS viewer that turns up somewhere, I'd love to know about it.


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## cyril59

you can also try thumbsplus from cerious software, it may help you


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## vesnicak

I have installed EPS Viewer and it works perfect. EPS Viewer surprise me with its good interface and smart resizing images.


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## howiegoo

I use Paint Shop Pro 8's "File/Browse" feature to view thumbnails of .eps files. I litterally have thousands of them and wouldn't be able to function without thumbnails. I think Corel bought out Jasc Software and now they have a new version of it here. 

http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1184951547051#tabview=tab0

There's a trial of it and if the browse feature still works as it did in version 8 it's well worth the money to buy just for that feature alone IMO. I use it every day and couldn't work without it.


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## Taoli

rjf_techgirl said:


> We have a user who receives many .eps files. She would like to view them as thumbnails in Windows Explorer. Currently, she does not see a thumbnail picture, but rather the .eps icon.
> 
> Suggestions? Tweaks?


Adobe Bridge.


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## echeban

vesnicak said:


> I have installed EPS Viewer and it works perfect. EPS Viewer surprise me with its good interface and smart resizing images.


EPSviewer does not show thumbnails in WIN Explorer, it just shows the icon of EPSviewer, a black thing. May be my eps files are missing a preview picture inside of them--I have heard that some eps files have such picture. 

Anyway, I am still looking for a solution to this problem.


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