How to set up multiple pages in illustrator file by switching several layers on and off.

[KamilaB]

Hi there,

Can anyone help me to set up an illustrator file, please?

I have one Illustrator file with multiple layers in it. I need to create several pages out of this file with different layers on and off. Some layers will be repeating itself on different pages. I want to use one Illustrator file. Can i use art boards for it? If so what is the most efficient way of doing it.

Thanks a lot

Kamila

[Monika Gause]

Without knowing much more details, this is impossible to answer.

Maybe placing the file into InDesign and handling layers over there.

Maybe duplicating the artboards and handling it inside the AI file

Maybe working with visibility variables.

[KamilaB]

Monika,

Still haven't worked out how to handle it

Thanks for the reply

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Can you give more details about the material and the intended output?

[KamilaB]

Hi there,

This is a drawing of a map (this is layer 1), next several layers contains overlay information of different content. So on a map layer i have for example Layer - 2 of Houses, Layer - 3 of landscape, Layer 4 of roads and so on ... I guess i want to have a similar control over the layers as I can have in auro cad. One main drawings with all layers switched on and several pages with chosen layers on it. This way i can amend main drawing and all changes would appear automatically on separate pages which selected layers on.

Dont know if i explain it well. Dont know even if that is achievable in illustrator at all.

Thank you

[Monika Gause]

And how will this be output?

In case English is not your first language, try your mother tongue.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

This way i can amend main drawing and all changes would appear automatically on separate pages which selected layers on.

Using Symbols you could update instances of an object on multiple pages in one go.

[Luke Jennings · Accepted solution]

If you are comfortable using InDesign, you can create a file at the desired size and place the layered Illustrator file into it. With the object selected, go to Object> Object layer options and turn on and off the layers as desired. Add additional InDesign pages and copy/paste the map onto the new pages, adjust the object layer options. Export to a PDF. If you make edits to the Illustrator file, the InDesign pages will ask to be updated when opened.

It's a bit off-topic, but you can also create an interactive PDF with buttons that can turn layers on and off in any combination, when viewed with Acrobat or Reader.

[KamilaB]

Hi Luke,

Thank you for the advise.

Yes i am comfortable with InDesign and i think i have done a similar thing with a Photoshop file at some point. In fact I am working on Ai and PSD files which will be a part of presentation boards and submission document created as a book in InDesign so it seems like it is a right way forward.

Thank you

[Monika Gause]

KamilaB  schrieb

which will be a part of presentation boards and submission document created as a book in InDesign

Actually this was the description I have been waiting for for the last two days after suggesting you do this in InDesign.

[KamilaB]

Well i thought it might be a different way of achieving it rather than using InDesign but thats fine.

Thank you .