Exit
  • Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
  • 한국 커뮤니티
0

illustrator flattens existing layers when opened (pdf)

New Here ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

Illustrator version: 28.7.1

 

but it happened also in previous versions

TOPICS
Bug
1.0K
Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Adobe
Community Expert ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

When editing an Illustrator file, always save as .ai

A pdf is not intended for editing.

If you want to save as PDF and also need to edit the Illustrator file, save a copy or make sure that the "Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities" option is checked.

Just saving as PDF without that option will remove layers and other Illustrator options.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

We also need pdf with layers for client.

The problem does not affect all PDF files. So far I have only had 3 cases. I have been using illustrator for many years and this has never happened to me. Im always using default settings for saving as PDF

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

I guess you mean layers in the PDF file.

These are only top layers that are converted to what is called PDF layers, but what are actually ways of grouping content: OCG, Optional Content Groups. 

These will not be there when a PDF without Illustrator Editing Capabilities is opened.

It could be that your file has become corrupted and only the PDF part is opened.

Where do you save your files?

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

I save all files on my company's network drives.

This is definitely some bug or some problem with random pdfs

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

Illustrator does not always work well with network drives.

Try if saving local and copying the saved file to the network drive helps.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

According to this help file "Adobe Technical Support only supports using Illustrator on a local hard disk. It's difficult to re-create or accurately identify network- and peripheral-configuration problems."

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/illustrator-support-networks-removable-media.html

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

I copied the problematic files to the local drive. Unfortunately it didn't help. If we open the same PDF with Adobe Acrobat Pro, all layers are visible. Illustrator only shows one layer

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

Illustrator only reads it's own layers from the Illustrator part of the file.

Acrobat layers are not really layers, but groups of elements (a single object could be part of many Acrobat "Layers").

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

I'm not sure you understood me correctly.
The pdf file that I opened with Acrobat pro was exported from Illustrator. Later, when I opened the same file with Illustrator, all the layers were merged.
I didn't do any editing with Acrobat Pro. Some printing houses only use PDF files with layers and color profiles.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

Please look at this screenshot. This is the same file (created in Illustrator and exported to PDF) opened in Acrobat and Illustrator.
Acrobat shows all the layers I have created. Illustrator shows only 1 merged layer

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

@Arkadiusz Jas32409061u0tg  schrieb:


Acrobat shows all the layers I have created. Illustrator shows only 1 merged layer


 

Acrobat layers are not the same as Illustrator layers. Illutrator cannot read PDF layers. It can only read its own layers. If you do not save your PDF "Illutrator editable" OR if saving goes wrong and the file goes corrupt, then your layers are gone.

 

Please watch this about Illustrator files: https://youtu.be/IpDh8Y7q8yE 

Illustrator has a special way of saving native files. You should know this in order to be able to set the correct options and to recover some of your artwork when things go wrong. More info about saving files in Illustrator Saving safely: http://vektorgarten.de/illustrator-saving-safely.html ...
Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

Now you are teaching me how to save pdf files....

I'm doing this for 10 years working as graphic designer, Everyhting works fine until last month.

I just trying to tell you that Illustrator corrupts files that it had previously exported

 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

That is because something went wrong when saving the file.

The Illustrator layers were converted to Acrobat "Layers", Optional Content Groups.

But when the file was reopened in Illustrator, the PDF part was opened. Either because the file was saved without Illustrator Editing Capabilities or because the file became corrupted when saved over a network.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

Let me put it to you in a different way.
The PDF I was opening is from 2022 (created by Illustrator 2022). When I opened it a year ago with the Illustrator 2023 version, everything was fine.
This pdf has not been modified.
It's not a matter of wrong file saving.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024

If Illustrator doesn't find an AI file inside the PDF, it will open the PDF. And Illustrator cannot use PDF layers. Illustrator can only use its own layers.

 

What happened to your disk all these years? Wouldn't be the first file I've seen to get corrupted. Yes, this includes my own files. Copying them from one drive to another can corrupt them as can a recovery operation. And a lot of other things.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Sep 06, 2024 Sep 06, 2024
LATEST

Monika described exactly what could have happened. Anyway, you are openin somehow the pdf part and not the .ai part.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines