Opening a PDF is blank in Illustrator

[troyo28592990]

I can open the PDF in Acrobat. I get a preview in my explorer window.

But when I try to open in Illustrator, the Open PDF dialog shows blank thumbnails and the file is blank.

Using Windows 10 and Illustrator 2017

[John Mensinger]

If it didn't originate in Illustrator, there is no guarantee Illustrator can or will interpret its contents. Illustrator is not a PDF editor.

[troyo28592990]

Can Acrobat export something that Illustrator can open? I've never had a PDF open in Acrobat that couldn't be opened in Illustrator.

[troyo28592990]

It was exported from Word

[Monika Gause]

You could create a new Illustrator file and then File > Place the PDF. Don't embed. Instead Object > Flatten transparency.

[troyo28592990 · Accepted solution]

I think I've figured it out. The PDFs actually originated from Bluebeam Revu. I guess the annotations caused problems for Illustrator's interpreter.

Thanks all. Mystery solved

[Mark5C3B]

How did you figure it out? I have the same problem

[Mark5C3B]

Ignore me, figured it out with some trial and error - all the text and graphics were generated from comments somehow, so I exported as an EPS and made sure 'Include comments' was enabled and it worked.

[Monika Gause]

WHich application created the PDF and what's in it?

[geoffm53985640]

So did you find a way to get these vectors/graphics to show up in illustrator? I'm having the same issue with .PDF's coming out of bluebeam - I ultimately need to get them into a CAD program but have been trying to use Adobe as a go between. Did anything work for these files for you? Thanks

[pdschell0369]

i had the same problem and i figured it out. in bluebeam, go to Document > Flatten and save it. In illustrator create a new document, then select File > Place. select your pdf, and uncheck "link" (do not embed) and place it. everything showed up for me and works fine.

Hope this helps

Bluebeam Revu: version 21.3

Adobe Illustrator: 29.3.1

windows 11 x64