Clipping mask

[Giacomo24762862lep9]

Hello everyone, 

I'm dealing with a bit of an issue and not sure if I can fix this. I have a file with a clipping mask that I exported to another file and created a further clipping mask. I lost the first file where I created the first clipping mask and now I cannot release it and I'm left with this mask I cannot undo. Is there any other way to delete the previous file's clipping mask? 

[Monika Gause]

Not quite sure what you did.

You placed one file into another one?

What kinds of files did you save?

Just in case you can open it in Acrobat, what you can do is, create a new Illustrator file and place this file into it.

Then you can at least access all the content, but you won't have a lot of fun editing it

[Doug A Roberts · Accepted solution]

Are you talking about AI files? Do I have the following correct?

1. You created an AI file that included a clipping mask.

2. You placed or embedded that AI file in a new AI file.

3. The first AI file no longer exists.

If the file is embedded, there should be nothing preventing you from releaseing clipping masks. If the file is linked, then it will appear in the links panel as a missing link. If the latter is true, try the following:

1. Save the file as a PDF with Illustrator Editing Capabilities unchecked. Give it a different name to avoid overwriting the existing file.

2. Close the file and open your newly created PDF. Check the object(s) in question in the Layers panel.

[Giacomo24762862lep9]

This is correct. Will try what u suggested, thank you!

[Giacomo24762862lep9]

It worked! Thanks again!!!! Appreciate it🙏🙏