Artwork turned to an image

[Rob328]

I am relatively new to illustrator but have caught onto it pretty quick. The issue that I am having is that I created a logo using shapes, colors, gradients, effects, etc. exported it to a .PNG file. Closed the file and let it sit for a week or so. Opened the .PNG file and it had a white background that was not there before, weird right? So I opened the project file and all my artwork is now a single image layer. I did not change it to this and need to edit the shapes and linework, but I am unable to. Does anyone know why this would have done this and how to get my layers and artwork back without having to recreate it from scratch?

Thanks

-Rob

[Monika Gause]

The PNG file is a raster file and it's expected that you cannot edit it.

As for your project file - it would be necessary to know what exactly you have been doing and how exactly you have saved and then opened and then saved this.

If you go into Outline view, are there paths?

[Rob328]

I know that I cannot edit the PNG file. I was just pointing out that it has changed to a white background even after I have used it with a transparent background.

So for the project file, I took a sketch from a client, traced it with paths, colored, added gradients, added effects, and added text.

Then I exported it out as a PNG with a transparent background.

All was good at that point but the client wanted a change. So I opened the file up (clicked on file to open), went to my layers and all the layers that I created containing my paths, colors, etc. seem to have merged into a single layer and it now just contains an image.

To save the file I usually just hit the X and when it asks if I want to save the file I hit OK.

Outline view shows no paths.

Thanks

-Rob

[Monika Gause]

Which effects did you use?

Did you apply the effects to the artwork as a group? Or to single objects?

Did you expand the effects before saving?

Did you save a Cloud file? or local?

Please learn about file formats and saving options and then save files via "Save as".

https://helpx.adobe.com/in/illustrator/using/saving-artwork.html

And always, ALWAYS save as an AI file in the highest available version.

Additionally you can save everything else you want.

[Rob328]

I used a bunch of effects and applied them to single objects and expanded them.

My issue is weird because I have opened the file many times to work on it and everything was ok. I did not work on it for about a week and when I opened it none of my objects were there. The layers that I created everything on: Object layer, color layer, effects layer, etc.. were all merged into a single image layer without me doing anything specific with them.

I saved the file local and yes, I did save the file as a .AI file. 

I said I was new(er) to Illustrator but not new to graphic design so I know about file formats and such. 

It sounds like I am going to have to recreate my objects 😞 which sucks because I had a lot of time into this.

Thanks for your help and if you have any other suggestions, please let me know.

Thanks

-Rob 

[Ton Frederiks]

It does not help you right now, but you have a CC account, so you can save your files locally in your CC files folder.

They automatically get synced and versioned (you can go back to previous file versions for at least 10 days ago).

I would still make traditonal backups as well...

Sync:

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/sync-files.html

Versioning:

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/versioning-faq.html

[Rob328]

I saved local as the client wanted. They did not want the file exposed to the cloud or web until they have it trademarked. Guess you live and learn and they will just have to pay me again to create it.

[Kurt Gold]

Well, obviously you are just not dealing with an Illustrator file (.ai) anymore.

Instead it sounds as if you have just the exported .png file, expecting that it may serve as a fully editable file in Illustrator (including layers, objects etc.).

If so, that just won't work. You would have to keep an Illustrator file if you are going to edit it with layers, objects, type objects etc. intact. Then you can export it to any raster format.

[Rob328]

Yes, the file is still 100% an .AI file. Just does not have any of the objects or layers that I created. They all somehow merged into one image layer. It is like I started a new artboard and placed an image but this was not the case.

[Met1]

Before you exported to png, you saved the file as vector art - .ai (cool), .pdf (keep it editable), .svg (ick, you shouldn't) or .eps (ick, don't) - yes? no?

If no, start again, you actually haven't caught on as quickly as you had hoped. Illustrator is a vector art program.

If yes, open that file, edit, save, export.

[Rob328]

Yes, saved as a .AI. As I explained above, it is uneditable. 

[Kurt Gold]

Can you share this Illustrator file for inspection?