CorelDRAW Zip Packaging Options for Archiving

Archiving projects in CorelDRAW ensures all design assets, fonts, linked graphics, and color profiles are preserved together for long-term storage or handoff to print service providers. CorelDRAW provides dedicated packaging features—primarily through the "Prepare for Output" wizard—that bundle files into a single compressed ZIP archive. This article outlines the specific ZIP packaging options available in CorelDRAW, what assets can be bundled, and how the software handles project compression.

The "Prepare for Output" Packaging Wizard

The primary method for creating a ZIP package in CorelDRAW is the Prepare for Output (formerly known as Collect for Output) tool, found under File > Prepare for Output. This wizard guides you through compiling your project assets into an automated ZIP container.

When selecting the option to archive to a ZIP file, CorelDRAW offers several specific packaging settings:

1. Document File and Version Options

  • Include Document: Copies the active .CDR file into the root of the ZIP archive.
  • Version Backward-Compatibility: Allows you to save the CDR file to an earlier CorelDRAW version (e.g., version 2020 down to version 11), ensuring recipients with older software can still open the package.

2. Font Inclusion and Font Packaging

  • Copy Fonts: Gathers TrueType (.ttf) and OpenType (.otf) fonts used directly within the document and places them in a subfolder inside the ZIP.
  • Font Formats: Depending on copyright restrictions embedded in the font metadata, CorelDRAW will package available system fonts to prevent missing-font substitutions on another machine.

3. Linked Graphics and External Media

  • Collect Linked Bitmaps: While CorelDRAW typically embeds raster images directly into the canvas, any externally linked high-resolution images or externally referenced graphics can be copied directly into the ZIP archive.
  • Path Preservation: The utility ensures file references are maintained so the document opens without broken link errors.

4. Color Management and ICC Profiles

  • Embed Color Profiles: Packages the active document's specific ICC profiles for RGB, CMYK, and Grayscale.
  • Color Accuracy: Including these profiles inside the ZIP ensures the print vendor or collaborator renders colors identical to the original designer's workspace calibration.

5. Automated PDF Generation

  • Include PDF Profile: Generates a companion PDF file inside the ZIP archive alongside the source CDR file.
  • Preset Profiles: You can choose export presets such as PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, or Prepress Quality, providing a flattened, universally readable proof for verification without opening CorelDRAW.

6. Job Summary and Preflight Report

  • Text Report Generation: CorelDRAW generates a text file (typically named Job_Summary.txt or similar) inside the ZIP archive.
  • Report Details: This document logs document dimensions, page counts, all used fonts, external file links, ink layers, spot colors, and print properties, offering a quick-reference index without unzipping large design assets.

Native CDR Format Compression

Beyond the "Prepare for Output" wizard, modern CorelDRAW .CDR files are themselves structured as proprietary ZIP containers.

  • Internal ZIP Architecture: Starting from CorelDRAW X4, renaming a standard .cdr file extension to .zip allows any archive utility (such as 7-Zip or WinRAR) to view and extract embedded XML data, thumbnails, and raster assets directly.
  • Save-Time Compression: Under Tools > Options > Save, CorelDRAW allows you to toggle internal compression on or off when saving .CDR files natively. Enabling compression reduces storage requirements before the file is even manually zipped.