Manually Convert EPS to SVG

Update: Several readers have suggested easier and more effective methods. Check the comments section!

EPS is the vector graphic file format Adobe Illustrator saves in. Supposedly you can import these files directly to Inkscape if you have skencil and pstoedit installed, but I couldn’t make it work. So I converted it manually using the GIMP and Inkscape. Here’s how I did it.

First, open the file with the GIMP. When you do, the import dialog box will appear. The important setting here is the resolution. The higher the resolution, the more accurate the image will appear. I used 600, but you could go higher for more detail. GIMP 2.4 automatically adjusts the width and height, but if your version does not, make sure you multiply the width and height by the same factor as the resolution. Also, select “Strong” under both the antialiasing headings.

Once you’ve got it open in the GIMP, you’re going to save as a PNG file. Here are the settings I use:

Now you can close the GIMP if you want to free up some RAM, and open the new PNG file in Inkscape. In Inkscape, click Path > Trace to bitmap.

Inkscape will trace the bitmap and paste the new vector directly on top of the bitmap, so you may not notice any difference. Simply click the image and drag it to the side, and you’ll see there are two copies. The one with a transparent background is the vector. You should delete the bitmap by selecting it and pressing [Del].

Finally, you’ll want to center your new vector back on the page. Making sure it’s selected, click the Align and Distribute button. Change the “Relative to” drop down box to “Page”. Now, click the center vertically and center horizontally buttons once each.

Finally, save the file in SVG format, and you’re done.