Corel Draw?

[cassandrafischer]

I'm an entry level freelancer and am currently working on packaging design with a client. All the files they send me are 'cdr' files, apparently for a program called Corel Draw. I'm currently having to use the free trial of this program but have no idea what I am doing...has anyone else used this program? I had never even heard of it up until now!

[prestonhunter]

There's an easy answer for this, Cassandra.

Send this message to your client:

"Frank, thank you for giving me this opportunity to work on your project. I really want to help you with this, so I'll come straight to the point and try to save you a lot of time and frustration. The files you are working with are Corel Draw files. There are literally a few thousand contractors on Upwork who own a fully functional version of this application and have extensive experience using it. I have never used it and it would be inadvisable on your part to ask me to work with these files on your behalf. If you would like me to help you write up a job description that you can post in order to hire somebody appropriate for this job, then I'll be happy to do so, billing at my regular rate for doing so."

[9004a862]

Also you can convert that file into other through Google..

[tgstudio]

Corel Draw has been around for years. Why accept a job that you have no knowledge of the software? Does it have to be created in Corel Draw? You can export it as an eps which should allow you to open the file in Illustrator.

[cassandrafischer]

The client and myself have been working together for a bit of time on a few different projects, Corel Draw was not mentioned when I accepted the job.

[lysis10]

Just tell him that you don't have Corel Draw and tell him to send a different format.

[cldg]

Much better and straight to the point.

[tgstudio]

If that is the case I would see if the client is willing for you to submit it in another format that you are comfortable with. Corel Draw is not something easily picked up and you do not want to submit something back to the client that is full of technical errors. 

And a FYI: as a designer I always ask the client if it is okay if I create a design in a particular format. This saves a lot of headaches in the long run.

[9004a862]

Yes" Great answer!!

[stencil_media]

It's a pretty popular and we'll known software package. Probably the most well known after Photoshop and Illustrator. Not that I've ever used it though. Like others have said, you should be able to export any files you have into something that works with whatever software you are comfortable. 

[mariawicz5]

Corel Draw is a very opular program, although I tend to see it more frequently in illustration than graphic design. If you're using the trial version of Corel, I'm pretty sure you can convert the file into another format to use with Adobe products,

[cassandrafischer]

Yes, I was able to recieve an ai file instead. As a graphic design student, Corel Draw has yet to come up in my studies. I'm glad to have been exposed to it though. Thanks for all the help.

[dh_laraz]

I had never even heard of it up until now!

I have been playing with it since I was a kid, 1990.

I prefer to do all of my design with CD than export it to any other format as client requierement.

So, you should do it vice versa. Ask the client to send PDF or AI which you would be able to edit it easily.

[ryosuwito]

You can use Inkscape for free. It cost $0 to use Inkscape. You can use Inkscape to open any .CDR files up to CDR X15 and export the files into another format that suit Illustrator like EPS or SVG.