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Pedro_Gonzalez
Pedro_Gonzalez
Inspiring
November 29, 2018
Answered

Illustrator opens old earlier version of file, Acrobat Reader shows correct file.

  • November 29, 2018
  • 6 replies
  • 7838 views

Made a file in Adobe Illustrator CC2018 and saved it as an uncompressed PDF file with all possible options selected for it to remain an Illustrator file. Made some changes and saved. Now one day later I opened the file and to my surprise it opens into an older, earlier saved version. The preview (spacebar-click in the finder) shows the correct data, opening the file in Acrobat Reader or rendering it in Photoshop shows the correct data, even placing the file inside a new Illustrator file shows the correct data (this doesn't help as the file loses its text boxes and masking effects). But opening in Illustrator opens an earlier saved file. Beyond comprehension.

Anybody had this happen and found a solution? The changes I made between the initial file and the editing took me 2+ hours, don't want to do them again.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Monika Gause

    Pedro_Gonzalez  schrieb

    OBut this thing is weird, needs to have a solution.

    There won't be a solution, because you got it all wrong from the beginning.

    When you open a PDF with an embedded AI file in a different application than Illustrator, the app cannot access the AI data at all. There's one app that can actually somewhat open some AI files: CorelDraw. Other applications can and will only edit the PDF part of the file. They might not even see the private data part (that's why it's called private data after all).

    If you want to get the PDF part of the file into Illustrator, you will have to place it (as you already have discovered on your own). But don't embed it. Link it and then Object > Flatten transparency. If you want to keep editable text, try not to outline text. But then text might get lost again.

    PDF is not a native file format of Illustrator, many applications write PDFs and they write stuff into it that Illustrator might have no coversion utility for.

    6 replies

    T
    Thai37697710irba
    Participant
    June 24, 2024

    I got exactly the same what issues you got. I still no any answer for this, but i can solve this problem by open new file from illustrator and ctr+shift+p and will show exactly pdf show. Hope it save your time.

    Pedro_Gonzalez
    Pedro_GonzalezAuthor
    Inspiring
    February 4, 2019

    This thread was always about editing in Illustrator. I never edited it outside Illustrator 

    N
    NicoleOBrien
    Participant
    October 8, 2019
    I just encountered the same exact issue. I create Adobe PDF files in illustrator everyday and never had this issue before. Wondering if either of you ever figured out a solution?? thansk!
    alexb78685814
    alexb78685814
    Participant
    February 4, 2019

    I'm having this exact same issue as described by Pedro Gonzalez, with a file that was saved as editable pdf from illustrator, not edited by any other programs, but now has the new contents in adobe acrobat and mac preview but the old content when opened in illustrator.

    Monika Gause​ 's answer is wrong, and unhelpful in its rude assumptions.

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 4, 2019

    alexb78685814  schrieb

    I'm having this exact same issue as described by Pedro Gonzalez, with a file that was saved as editable pdf from illustrator, not edited by any other programs, but now has the new contents in adobe acrobat and mac preview but the old content when opened in illustrator.

    https://forums.adobe.com/people/Monika+Gause  's answer is wrong, and unhelpful in its rude assumptions.

    In the case of this thread, the file in question has been edited in a different application. In your case it has not been edited in a different application. So yours is a different case. Please create a new thread. Whatever has been said in this thread cannot be applied to your case.

    Pedro_Gonzalez
    Pedro_GonzalezAuthor
    Inspiring
    November 30, 2018

    Here's the doomed file... Prepare for a mind blowing experience.

    https://www.fieldsmedia.com/files/menu.zip

    Pedro_Gonzalez
    Pedro_GonzalezAuthor
    Inspiring
    November 30, 2018

    One more thing I tried... Opened the file in Acrobat DC and deleted one page. Then saved/exported it as a PDF. If I open the file in Illustrator, the same old version of the file shows up, both pages! And in Acrobat Reader, Preview and Photoshop it shows a single page with the correct data. I am fiddling in a text editor now, see if I can delete some resources... If I made the file from scratch again it would have cost me less time. But this thing is weird, needs to have a solution.

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    November 30, 2018

    Pedro_Gonzalez  schrieb

    OBut this thing is weird, needs to have a solution.

    There won't be a solution, because you got it all wrong from the beginning.

    When you open a PDF with an embedded AI file in a different application than Illustrator, the app cannot access the AI data at all. There's one app that can actually somewhat open some AI files: CorelDraw. Other applications can and will only edit the PDF part of the file. They might not even see the private data part (that's why it's called private data after all).

    If you want to get the PDF part of the file into Illustrator, you will have to place it (as you already have discovered on your own). But don't embed it. Link it and then Object > Flatten transparency. If you want to keep editable text, try not to outline text. But then text might get lost again.

    PDF is not a native file format of Illustrator, many applications write PDFs and they write stuff into it that Illustrator might have no coversion utility for.

    T
    Test Screen Name
    Legend
    November 30, 2018

    Not a design feature? Well, you know best.

    Pedro_Gonzalez
    Pedro_GonzalezAuthor
    Inspiring
    November 30, 2018

    This bug that is, not the embedded ai file structure. Just saying that my files has 2 different versions, which to me is a flaw. Cannot be correct that opening the same in different applications gives different data.

    jane-e
    Community Expert
    jane-eCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 30, 2018

    Just to confirm, when you open the file in each program, hold down Command and click the title bar to display the path, then click the folder where the file is to make sure you are opening the exact same file.

    I do not use your workflow, because I have been listening to the sage advice  of Dov Isaacs for decades.

    T
    Test Screen Name
    Legend
    November 30, 2018

    Yes, this is by design. Illustrator embeds the AI file in the PDF (invlsible to all other software) and opens that. On no account try to roundtrip PDF editing from Illustrator via ANYTHING else.

    Pedro_Gonzalez
    Pedro_GonzalezAuthor
    Inspiring
    November 30, 2018

    I have been editing files for years like this and never had issues. This is clearly a flaw and not a design feature. AI files are pdf files anyway, you can change the extension of an AI file to PDF and vice versa and it will open flawless. Would be great if I can edit the original file internally for Illustrator to pick the correct version.

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