Duplicated artboards seem inextricably linked?

[karenf1]

I'm trying to create 19 artboards for a children's book. when I duplicated the first art board, which had guides on the pages for margins and gutters - i was surprised to see they were all linked. So, when i changed the background color rectangle for one - all 19 artboards changed color. Argh! How can I unlink them? Many thanks in advance! BTW - I'm in cs6.

[Ton Frederiks]

They are not linked, but they share layers.

Check the Layers panel to see what happens.

You may want to create separate layers for your background.

[karenf1]

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SPEEDY REPLY! I see that the layers are all the same -- but I can't change one without changeing (moving - changing color) without all of them changing as if they wre linked.

[Ton Frederiks]

Can you make a screendump of the  artboards and the expanded layers panel with the background object selected?

[karenf1]

I think you meant a screenshot? Here's what's happening: I set up the first artboard with 3 layers. The green background, The Guides Layer & a Top Blank Layer for art to go on. Then I duplicated the layer 19 times. I had intended to change the background color of each layer. But as I change number one - all 20 change tot he same color. In shot below - I tried to move only one by dragging the BG layer tight - but they all move together.

Update - I duplicated the file - and deleted all artboards but page 1 - and yet the stuff ON the artboards was left behind and is still "linked."

[Kurt Gold]

Can you share this .ai file and post a download link?

[karenf1]

Not sure how to do that but here's a Google Drive link. Is that a good way to do it? Here you go & thanks!

https://drive.google.com/a/karenfredericks.com/file/d/0B_qBM_Dv7OC8YlVBNG8xa2p0S0U/view?usp=sharing

[Kurt Gold]

You can use Google Drive, but you will have to share a public download link.

You just posted a private link. That won't work.

[karenf1]

I think this link should work (just BTW - I recently loaded the entire AstuteGraphics Plugin Suite - and then had so much trouble with it that I uninstalled it last week - I don't know if this would have any bearing on what's going on):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_qBM_Dv7OC8YlVBNG8xa2p0S0U/view?usp=sharing

[Kurt Gold]

You duplicated the green rectangles with the Transform Effect. Select the initial rectangle and go to the Appearance palette to check that.

If you want to "unlink" the duplicates, go to Object > Expand Appearance. Then ungroup if you want.

[karenf1]

Kurt - I see from what you say that the Transform > Move > (copy) makes things linked. Boo! Was there another way to do it and yet have exact control over how far I moved each dupe?

[Kurt Gold]

Yes, you may just use Object > Transform > Move (copy). Then hit Cmd + D (default shortcut for Transform again) as many times as required.

[karenf1]

So - just to clarify - if I use commD, objects aren't linked - but if I use Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform Effect (so I can just type in/make the 19m copies happen thru this dialog box - THEY will be linked? Is that correct? Ha! Who ones!?!?

[Kurt Gold]

Yes, in general you can state it this way.

[karenf1]

Kurt thank you so much! Wierd - but - there you go. Important to know. BTW - this forum has such a crazy spell check & change - I wrote: Who knew - and it was changed to: Ha! Who ones!?!?

Thanks so much for your help!

[Ton Frederiks]

You only have only one artboard and the green shapes is a single rectangle multiplied by a Transform effect in the Appearance panel

[karenf1]

Can you clarify: "you only have one artboard?" I thought I had 20.

I've gotten so confused over this one that IF there is only one that may be because in trying to solve this -- imay have deleted the other 19?

[Ton Frederiks]

Look in the Artboards panel, there is only one artboard.

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

But it’s easy to solve.

Select all.

Choose: Object > Expand Appearance

Choose Object > Ungroup as many times as possible (probably 2).

Deselect All

Layers panel: Click at the right side of Layer 3 to select all on that layer.

Copy

Object > Artboards > Convert to Artboards.

Edit > Paste in Front

[karenf1]

Thanks so much Ton! This is helpful for my next project - and for my knowledge of AI in general!

[Ton Frederiks]

Good to hear you've got a better understanding of what happened, Karen.

[Ton Frederiks]

Well, if you can share that file it's easier to see what's going on.

You are not selecting the layer content in the Layers panel? That would explain the behaviour.