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Robert at ID-Tasker
Robert at ID-Tasker
Legend
August 31, 2023
Answered

Structure of the Layers in the Linked PDF...

  • August 31, 2023
  • 3 replies
  • 606 views

Has it been changed recently??? In the last few months...

 

Before - I was able to use:

myLObj.GraphicLayerOptions.GraphicLayers.Count

to iterate through layers in the linked PDF - myLObj - which meant that GraphicLayers were DIRECTLY childrens of the GraphicLayerOption...

 

Now, it needs to be:

myLObj.GraphicLayerOptions.GraphicLayers.Item(1).GraphicLayers.Count

Which means that there is an extra Layer - name of the file - in the Layers structure??

 

At least in VB...

 

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Laubender

    So are you saying that this behavior / structure is ONLY for PDFs? 

     

    It's possible that in the past I have been testing only PSD files... 

     

    @Laubender wrote:

    Hi @Robert at ID-Tasker ,

    Other PDFs would not that structure. Depending how the layers came into place, e.g. were directly added in Acrobat or other apps.

     

    I think something is missing in the first sentence - "would not have"? 

     

    And the 2nd sentence - so this sub nesting is ONLY when PDF has been exported from InDesign? 

     


    Ah yes. "have" was missing. Corrected that.

    And also yes, this specific structure with the name of the InDesiogn document is from InDesign exported PDFs.

    It could be totally different with other PDFs that e.g. were edited with Acrobat Pro. It could be also different if someone edited a PDF exported from InDesign. E.g. by moving it through an automatic PDF workflow service for preparing PDFs for print…

     

    Regards,
    Uwe Laubender
    ( Adobe Community Expert )

    3 replies

    P
    Community Expert
    Peter KahrelCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 1, 2023

    > but all layers are then nested as sub layers - not at the "top".

     

    Not sure I understand this.

    I have an indd with several layers and an image placed. Then when I export that indd and place the PDF in a new indd, the script line returns 1.

    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Robert at ID-TaskerAuthor
    Legend
    September 1, 2023

    Layer structure of the placed PDF:

     

    and PSD:

     

    L
    Community Expert
    LaubenderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 1, 2023

    Hi @Robert at ID-Tasker ,

    as you can see from both apps there could be differences in the structure of the layers.

    A PDF exported from InDesign is showing all layers as sub-layers of the main layer that holds the name of the InDesign document where the PDF was exported from. Nothing new with that. Other PDFs would not have that structure. Depending how the layers came into place, e.g. were directly added in Acrobat or other apps.

     

    Regards,
    Uwe Laubender
    ( Adobe Community Expert )

    P
    Community Expert
    Peter KahrelCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 1, 2023

    In JavaScript this still (ID2023) works fine:

    app.selection[0].graphics[0].graphicLayerOptions.graphicLayers.length

     

    P.

    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Robert at ID-TaskerAuthor
    Legend
    September 1, 2023

    But what number do you get - when your original INDD file had few layers before exporting to PDF?

     

    I'm not talking it won't work - but it WILL return "1" for the 1st level layer with the "name" of the PDF file - but all layers are then nested as sub layers - not at the "top".

     

     

    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Robert at ID-TaskerAuthor
    Legend
    August 31, 2023

    Is it some kind of preparation / unification for the situation when Layers in PSD can be grouped into (sub)folders?

     

    InDesign doesn't support Layer Groups ... for now? Is it a planned feature?

     

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