When you want to save and create a file of a specific type (such as .pdf, .jpg, .eps, .ai, and more), you will use the Export function, located at File > Export.
Once you've selected Export, you will be able to select where to save it.
File Name: The name of the file. Try to avoid special characters.
Save as type: This allows you to choose the file type to save it as.
Selection Only: This will only export the objects you have selected on the Artboard
Suppress Options: This will use default settings for the save. If you uncheck it, this will give you additional options after you click Save. The file won't be saved until you finish with those options and click OK. These options will depend completely on the file type you have selected in the Save as type dropdown.
These are the options for the Save as type field, meaning these are the file types you can export as:
.AI: Adobe Illustrator files. These files are complex and maintain vector artwork, paths, text, fonts, layers, bitmap, and color mode options. This includes layer names, attributes, and colors.
.PDF: Adobe PDF files. One of the most widely used formats for documents. Maintains vectors, paths, text, fonts, some layers, bitmaps, and color modes.
.SCV: CASmate file. A very old file type only used by the legacy software CASMate.
.DXF: A file type that only maintains paths. Does not save colors or bitmaps. Used by many machine routing and toolpathing programs.
.EPS: An older vector format that is still used by many programs today. Maintains vectors, bitmaps, paths, text, and fonts. Some design programs are no longer supporting .eps.
FlexiSIGN 5.x - 10.x: For exporting to older versions of Flexi for compatibility as a .fs file type. This is a flexi proprietary file type and isn't used in any other programs and systems, but it saves everything.
.GAD: Gerber Artwork Definition file that saves paths. For use with Gerber vinyl cutting machines. Only used in other software, but is otherwise not used in Flexi.
HPGL and HPGL2: A language used by many, many cutters today. Only maintains paths. If you have Production Manager as part of your Flexi software suite, you won't ever need to use these unless you need them for some other software.
.JPG: A universal bitmap file that can be compressed to reduce file size without losing quality, though quality can be lost if it is compressed too much. Since this is a bitmap file, all objects and features on the artboard will be converted into one single bitmap image. You will lose text, vectors, paths, fonts, layers, and more, but many systems require .jpg files.
.PNG: Another universal bitmap image format. This file type, however, does not compress into a smaller file. The result is that it maintains a high quality image, can have transparent backgrounds, and has 24-bit color. Like .jpg, however, it is a bitmap and any file converted to it will lose vector, path, text, and other artwork data.
.TGA: Targa file. A dated bitmap format used only by a few programs. The file does not compress and is best for small files. Not suitable for photographs.
.TIF or .TIFF: A compressible bitmap format that maintains high quality. Can sometimes maintain Vector data and layers.
.BMP: A bitmap originally created for bitmaps in Windows, but it has seen widespread use beyond Windows. Can compress to reduce the file size without losing quality.