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nathans14137222
Inspiring
April 28, 2021
Question

Setting layer of Illustrator-editable pdf to not print but to be viewable in Acrobat

  • April 28, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 2838 views

I have not been able to find a way to do this, but it would save me a lot of trouble if I could.

 

When I uncheck the "print" checkbox in the layer options, the layer is no longer visible when the pdf is opened in Acrobat.

 

For internal review at my company I post pdfs to OneDrive where various departments will approve or make comments to revise. As it stands I have to make 2 different files, a "preview" file that they can see the die lines, dimensions, notes, a cover layer to hide the bleeds, and other layers that should not be printed. I then make another file with those layers set not to print which I send to the printer. Too often I've had printers return proofs with die lines printed, also with callout layers stating "die line does not print" printed. Setting a layer not to print is the best way to ensure and to communicate that a layer should not print.

 

Once I've made the "Print" file for the printer with unprinted layers set not to print, I then have to maintain folders for both sets of files, make any revisions that happen after I've sent to the printer (this happens far too often) to both sets of files. It becomes a liability that the 2 versions might not match if some revision is overlooked on one or the other. The file that is being approved not being the file that is sent to the printer makes me liable for any discrepency.

 

If there is any way to accomplish this, so that I can use 1 file for the printer and for approvals in Acrobat — without having to load and change options seperately for each file in Acrobat — to be able to set this up in Illustrator, it would be extremely useful.

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2 replies

Anna Lander
Anna Lander
Inspiring
July 8, 2021

If you export the file with the "Create Acrobat layers from Top Layers" option turned On, it creates all the layers and hides the non-print ones. In Acrobat you have a Layers panel where you can make layers visible or invisible as you wish.
Mark the layer as non-print.

Turn On the "Create layers" option.

In Acrobat, open the Layers panel, the non-print layers are hidden.

Click on the eye to show the layer.

Make sure to hide the non-printing layers at the final step.

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Mike_Gondek10189183Community Expert
    Community Expert
    July 8, 2021

    The secret is you can do using File >> Print >.>Print Layer to Visible layers.

     

    When you save a PDF file for your printer your die lien layers will be gone if they were set to invisible. Change that to all layers when you want all layers in the PDF.

     

    Consider "Print Layers' to also more precisley mean "Print & Saves as PDF Layers"

    D
    d0nut247
    Inspiring
    July 8, 2021

    i'd still keep exporting 2 pdf's one for PRINT and one for REF ONLY,  always work from just the one illustrator docuement, then its easier to keep it up to date, but export a separate file with notes etc for client to approve. Id usually intentionally use a crappy setting a) to keep the file small but also b) RGB files will view better on iphone and ipads etc and there is less chance of the reference file getting printed somewhere as it will be obvious it's not print ready / quality.  but if its just for die lines you can set them all as overprint, and to a spot colour so they export as a separate 'plate' for the printers. they can then just choose not to output / print that extra spot colour channel. check your work with the overprint preview in illsutrator to make sure everything looks o.k. with no white lines left behind where a die line isn't set to overprint.

     

     

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