Illustrator 2021 - Opened Files Saved From Illustrator 2018 Has Layers Locked and Hidden

[WIldWest07]

Recently we had a file that was a saved in Illustrator 2018 by someone in another department.

In our department we have Illustrator 2021 and it is updated as soon as the updates appear.

Opening one of the 2018 files, we did not notice that one of the layers was locked and hidden, so something almost went to print with an incorrect file.

In another file, we noticed right away that some content was missing, and saw the locked and hidden layer.

Going back to the 2018 machine, we opened the files from there and those layers were both visible and unlocked.

We were able to confirm that opening the exact same files again with Illustrator 2021 opened them with the specific layers locked and hidden.

What could be causing something like that? Never seen anything like this one.

[Monika Gause]

Where do you save your files? How do you exchange them?

Did you open those same files on the other computer? Or did you open a local copy of the file?

What kind of file is it? An AI file? A PDF?

[WIldWest07]

These are all EPS files, and they are saved to a Synology DiskStation NAS, and we open them from there.

Each of us opens the exact same file, it is not copied locally.

[Monika Gause]

Can you try and first download the file from the NAS and then open it?

[WIldWest07]

Good idea. I just copied the files over to my desktop and gave it a whirl, but I still got the same result.

In one file, a Layer named 'FIRSTNAMES' (in the middle of a stack of 13 layers) is locked and hidden in 2021, but unlocked and visible in 2018.

A different file has a Layer named 'Background' (at the bottom of a stack of 6) which is locked and hidden in 2021, but unlocked and visible in 2018.

But your suggestion gives me an idea. Maybe the Synology is doing some sort of versioning? I will have to investigate further...