Illustrator EPS files incorrectly reported to contain ClippingPathName = 'Path'

[FredrikEngquist]

I have come across some EPS illustrations where ExifTool reports a clipping path which really isn't there.
It seems to affect EPS files from Adobe Illustrator CS6+ when Adobe started using the PDF engine to generate EPS files.

There is some kind of object named 'Path' in the 8BIM profile, but it does not seem to be a clipping path.
ExifTool reports ClippingPathName = 'Path' for all the images I have found.

I'm attaching 2 versions of the same Illustrator EPS, one very old (CS5, 'reelcraft_logo_CS5.eps') and one new (2020, 'reelcraft_logo_2020.eps').
ExifTool reports a clipping path for the new file but not for the old.

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Fredrik,

I'll take a look at this when I get a chance, but ExifTool is only reporting the metadata that it finds in the file.

- Phil

[FredrikEngquist]

Hi Phil,

I understand.
We haven't had to bother you with clipping paths for over 10 years now.
I was hoping you could find a property associated with 'Path' in the file that would set it apart from a 'normal' clipping path.
Fingers crossed.

--Fredrik

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Fredrik,

Sorry to be so long getting around to this.  Clipping path data certainly exists in the Photoshop section of the 2020 file you attached.  There is a ClippingPath tag with name "Path", plus a ClippingPathName tag with value "Path".  I can't answer for why the path is in one file but not the other.  Here is an excerpt from the -v3 output for the 2020 file:

Code Select Expand

  | 12) PhotoshopSettings (SubDirectory) -->
  |     - Tag 0x8649 (3492 bytes, int8u[3492] read as undef[3492]):
  |        cead0: 38 42 49 4d 07 d0 04 50 61 74 68 00 00 00 0d 82 [8BIM...Path.....]
  |        ceae0: 00 06 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 [................]
  |        ceaf0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 04 00 00 [................]
  |        ceb00: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 [................]
  |        ceb10: 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 [................]
  |         [snip 3412 bytes]
  | + [Photoshop directory, 3492 bytes]
  | | Photoshop_0x07d0 = .......q...8...UU..UU...UU.UU.8....q..*...a.*...a.1...a..8...a[snip]
  | | - Tag 0x07d0, Name="Path" (3458 bytes):
  | |    ceae0: 00 06 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 [................]
  | |    ceaf0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 04 00 00 [................]
  | |    ceb00: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 [................]
  | |    ceb10: 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 [................]
  | |    ceb20: 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 07 1c 71 01 00 00 00 00 02 [.........q......]
  | |     [snip 3378 bytes]
  | | ClippingPathName = .Path
  | | - Tag 0x0bb7 (6 bytes):
  | |    cf86e: 04 50 61 74 68 00                               [.Path.]

Here are the path coordinates, in case this is useful:

Code Select Expand

> exiftool -config config_files/photoshop_paths.config -allpathpix ~/Desktop/Illustrator_EPS_files/*.eps
======== /Users/phil/Desktop/Illustrator_EPS_files/reelcraft_logo_2020.eps
Path Pix 7d0                    : Path - (63,0) (63,1) (0,1) (0,0) - (6,2) (6,3) (2,3) (2,2) - (14,2) (14,3) (7,3) (7,2) - (29,2) (29,3) (15,3) (15,2) - (37,2) (37,3) (33,3) (33,2) - (43,2) (43,3) (38,3) (38,2) - (49,2) (53,8) (42,8) (46,2) - (63,2) (63,4) (51,4) (51,2) - (29,3) (29,4) (0,4) (0,3) - (44,3) (44,7) (35,7) (37,6) (36.5,5) (32,3) - (11,4) (11,5) (0,5) (0,4) - (17,4) (17,5) (12,5) (12,4) - (23,4) (23,5) (20,5) (20,4) - (29,4) (29,5) (26,5) (26,4) - (34,4) (34,7) (31,7) (31,4) - (53,4) (56,7) (51,7) (51,4) - (60,4) (60,9) (58,9) (58,4) - (63,4) (63,10) (61,10) (61,4) - (29,5) (29,7) (0,7) (0,5) - (1,7) (1,10) (0,10) (0,7) - (11,7) (11,9) (2,9) (2,7) - (41,7) (37,9) (12,9) (12,7) - (41,8) (41,9) (38,9) (38,8) - (47,8) (47,9) (42,9) (42,8) - (53,8) (53,9) (48,9) (48,8) - (63,10) (63,12) (0,12) (0,10)
======== /Users/phil/Desktop/Illustrator_EPS_files/reelcraft_logo_CS5.eps
    2 image files read

- Phil