Clipping mask help!

[saded3415543]

I've just started using illustrator to help me with my uni work, I study architecture and I am using it to help me create a drawing I made on a different program. I have 3 layers, one of the layers I used the clipping mask tool, I tried to do the same on the third layer but it won't let me can anyone tell me why this is?

Edit: Maybe I was not as clear before, but I want to use the 'release' option of the clipping mask tool

[Monika Gause]

Without seeing even a screenshot of the file it will be difficult to help. Also: Did you apply the clipping mask to the objects or the layer?

[saded3415543]

I attached the screenshots to the original post, I want to apply the clipping mask to the object and I'm not sure how to check if I applied it to the layer or not

[Myra Ferguson]

I agree with Monika--a screenshot would help. I would like to know what you mean by "clipping mask tool." A shape is used to mask another object, so I'm wondering if you used a tool like the Shape Builder Tool (as opposed to applying a clipping mask by going to Object > Clipping Mask > Make). If you did use the Shape Builder Tool, you might have actually removed a portion of the drawing as opposed to masking it. Just a guess, though.

[saded3415543]

Let me clarify, the image I want to apply the clipping mask tool to is a pdf and I want to use clipping mask to turn the pdf into individual lines I can edit. Usually when I select it and go to clipping mask I can use the 'release' option to do this but in this case it won't let me and I'm not sure why

[Monika Gause]

You have placed the PDF, but you still need a path that can serve as the mask.

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/clipping-masks.html

[saded3415543]

I'm confused because the document itself is already a vector object and I did not have to create a path before

[Monika Gause]

Please read the documentation.

[Myra Ferguson]

Okay, so I understand that your goal is to get to the paths from the documents that were made in another program and have been placed on separate layers. You can twirl down the layer to get more information about its contents. It might be grouped. Maybe it's locked. Depending on what you see, you can go to the Object menu and try Ungroup, Unlock, and/or Expand.