How can I recover line weights and object fill in illustrator CS6?

[Fankdog]

I've been working on a map with multiple layers and inadvertently did something that lost view of all assigned weights/fill to paths on most but not all layers.

The paths appear to be still there when I select a layer, unlock and select all, but there is no visible appearance in preview mode—I've tried selecting view/outline (control Y) but to no effect.

This is on a saved file so cannot undo.

Can anyone offer a simple solution to recovering line weights and fill or do I have to reassign weights and fills to all paths (at least I haven't lost them)?

[Doug A Roberts]

you can set outline mode selectively on separate layers. do any layers have a 'hollow' (no pupil) eye symbol next to them?

[Fankdog]

Thanks for your reply—sorry for my delay in response. No hollow eyes and all layers in preview mode. I tried changing view on a single layer, but all I get is an outline view with loads of micro circles with crosses inside them (like mini registration marks). These may be satellite-based data points from the bottom layers, which I do not work with.

This was a bought in file which I was in process of adapting on upper layers; I was not sure on which layer some objects were located and would find them by unlocking all and so on. Whatever I did happened on many but not quite all layers with vectors (as opposed to images) on them.

[Kurt Gold]

Can you share the .ai file?

If you cannot share it, can you post some screenshots that show the issue?

[Fankdog]

Here is a screenshot showing a selected path from one of two layers representing the railway network. Other paths representing railways within the area of this screenshot do not appear (not selected). Inland hydro and all road data has similarly disappeared but not the coastline or provincial boundaries.

[Kurt Gold]

Thanks for the screenshot, but I'm afraid it won't help to unravel the mystery.

Can you share the .ai file ( or a part of it)?

[Fankdog]

I'll will decide whether to share part of the tomorrow since I'd have to strip out a huge amount of the data and in so doing might strip out the clue as to what happened.

It may make more sense for me to just go back to my last saved as position (regrettably about 12 hours previously—oh why didn't I bother to reinstall time machine!) and restart from there as I suspect the file has become corrupted.

It is 02:28hrs where I am so it will have to be tomorrow if I decide to share—I will advise. Many thanks for your help so far. G'night.

[Kurt Gold]

If you don't want to share the map in public, you can share it in private as an exception.

Strictly confidential, of course.

[Fankdog · Accepted solution]

Thanks again—I figured out what I did. I edited what I thought was an ordinary path but was in fact a clipping mask (it was the end of the day). If I can't fix it the original creator has offered to help, so no need to share. Cheers!

[Fankdog]

And I forgot to say many thanks for your offer to help—the problem has been solved. Guess I should have waited till morning instead of panicking late at the end of the day and starting this discussion, My apologies!