Dimensional Limit on Adobe Illustrator

This week I learned that yes, there is a limit to the dimensional size of a file created in Adobe Illustrator. 227.54 inches to be exact. No idea why as with vector artwork the file MB size wouldn’t have been especially large.

PROBLEM: I needed to provide a design that was 606 inches long to the printer full size at 150 dpi. What I was designing was banners to go along the front of court side scorers tables for the Southern Conference basketball championships. Since the design included a gradated background the printer wanted the file as one continuous piece, rather then breaking it into smaller banners.

SOLUTION: The printer’s second choice was a file at 1/2 scale at 300 dpi, but unfortunately that was still larger then the Illustrator limit. So I gave them 1/4 scale at 600 dpi. First time I have not been able to give a printer their preferred file size/format.