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Paul Cartwright Branding
Paul Cartwright Branding
Known Participant
June 12, 2023
Answered

Exporting PDF with Library linked elements with Preserved Illustrator Editing switched on

  • June 12, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 706 views

Hello. Recently started using Illustrator Library.
If I save a piece of artwork which contains Library linked elements as a PDF with Illustrator editing facility switched on, are the Library linked elements somehow embedded so that they display correctly? Presumably the link to my Library is removed?
Or do I have to embed them?

Thanks.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Ton Frederiks

    A pdf saved from Illustrator will always have the links embedded. 

    If opened from Illustrator (and it was saved with Illustrator editing capabilities) it will use the link instead of the embedded file in the PDF part. That means that those who open the PDF file in Illustrator will need to have access to the linked file, but those who open the PDF in Acrobat don't.

    2 replies

    Brad @ Roaring Mouse
    Community Expert
    Brad @ Roaring MouseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 13, 2023

    Are you talking about for your own purposes? or for sending to someone else?

    If the former, the .AI side will still link up properly assuming the Library is available, so no worries there. It does not auto-embed. If the latter, either you would need to embed them, or leave them as links and collect them (Package) much like you would in InDesign.

    Embedding can make a combined AI/PDF quite large if your assets are huge, so I question why you want to do this.

    Personally I keep my files separate, i.e. my .AI file and "no AI editing" .PDFs.

    Paul Cartwright Branding
    Paul Cartwright BrandingAuthor
    Known Participant
    June 13, 2023

    Hello Brad. Thanks for your reply.
    I've been using Illustrator since 1989 so familiar with links/embedding. My question was really in reference to the new Library feature, but now that I understand that they are just the same as any externally 'placed' link my question is answered.

    (My reasoning behind saving such an odd hybrid of editable PDF is that a lot of my packaging work goes to China. I'm given no guide as to how they prefer their files and a belt and braces mixture of a fully layered AI file with everything editable except placed images allows them to switch off cutter guide/measurements in Acrobat, but if there's some kind of structural problem cutter guide-wise they can adjust and place elements of the PDF within it. I appreciate this is possibly cannabalistic(!) but it's never failed! It also means that the client and printer have the same file rather than a 'visual' one and a packaged collection.)
    🙂

    Thank you again for your reply.

    Paul Cartwright Branding
    Paul Cartwright BrandingAuthor
    Known Participant
    June 13, 2023

    p.s. I know how to package and prepare PDFs correctly 🙂

    Ton Frederiks
    Community Expert
    Ton FrederiksCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    June 12, 2023

    A pdf saved from Illustrator will always have the links embedded. 

    If opened from Illustrator (and it was saved with Illustrator editing capabilities) it will use the link instead of the embedded file in the PDF part. That means that those who open the PDF file in Illustrator will need to have access to the linked file, but those who open the PDF in Acrobat don't.

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