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Known Participant
December 4, 2024
Question

Flatten Transparency is Ruining my Lines! Please Help!

  • December 4, 2024
  • 6 replies
  • 2301 views

Hello,

 

I need to import PDFs into Illustrator and then edit them within the program. Is there a way to edit and shift around parts of the PDF without flattening transparency?

 

The problem is that when I choose the setting to "convert all text to outlines", the final version of the PDF has thinner weights on the part of the PDF to which I applied this effect. If I don't convert the text to outlines, the PDF looks fine, however, Illustrator then has a problem interpreting some of the fonts that are in the originally imported PDF. 

 

Are there ways around this? Can I get Illustrator to recognize those fonts so that I don't have to convert text to outlines? Or is there some other solution?

 

Many thanks!

This topic has been closed for replies.

6 replies

Known Participant
December 10, 2024

Can anyone recommend an app that will allow me to add a few things (text, and perhaps also import PDF images) onto a PDF without having to flatten the transparency? 

Known Participant
December 4, 2024

It appears mostly to concern the music fonts used in Finale. They are installed in the font book, however, they are not accessible from the font menu in Illustrator. Does this suggest a solution? Thanks.

Monika Gause
Community Expert
December 4, 2024

Are they PostScript T1 fonts? Then there's no way to use them in current Illustrator versions.

 

I'm curious - what do you need to edit in the musical score in Illustrator? Does it work when you just place/link the PDF and then design whatever needs to be around it and leave the notes alone?

Known Participant
December 4, 2024

How can I determine whether they are PostScript T1 fonts? 

 

Once the PDF is placed into Illustrator, it has the blue box around it with the X running through it when I put the cursor over it. This seems to prohibit me from then editing the PDF in any way. Is there a way to shift a few things around in the PDF without first having to flatten transparency? How else can I bypass this blue box?

 

Monika Gause
Community Expert
December 4, 2024

Fonts that are only in the PDF and not installed in your system cannot be used. That was one of the conditions of the font industry to allow the embedding of fonts in PDFs at all. 

Known Participant
December 4, 2024

How can I get Adobe to recognize them, then? The original PDFs were made in other programs on my computer (Word and Finale), therefore they are installed on my system.

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
December 4, 2024

It may be that Word (don't know about Finale) has the fonts installed for MS Office apps and other apps cannot see them.

Known Participant
December 4, 2024

Thank you both for your answers. Yes, I normally preserve editing capabilities. I've just tried doing it without and the same effect takes place.

Community Manager
December 4, 2024

Hello @Thomas22842972ml5u,

Would you mind confirming if this PDF was saved with Editing Capabilities preserved while saving, or if you have the original AI file available? Also, please share some screenshots of your workflow and the problem, so I can better assist you.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Anubhav

creative explorer
Community Expert
December 4, 2024

@Thomas22842972ml5u did you select 'Preserve Editing Capabilities' for Illustrator?

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