PDF layer structure in Illustrator

I have saved a mapinfo drawing with geographic info to a pdf. The layer structure in the PDF is what I expected and reflects the layer structure in mapinfo. When I open the pdf file in Illustrator howver I only get one layer.
Is there any way of keeping the pdf layer structure in illustrator?

No.
When opening a PDF in Illustrator everything will be contained in (objct-based) clipping masks, which are kind of groups. You can't have layers inside groups.

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Symbols being able to maintain a layer structure

I really think that symbols need to be able to maintain a layer structure so that when they are placed or imported into a document the various objects making up that symbol could be automatically assigned to their respective layer. My company has found working with Illustrator layers virtually impossible due to the complex and extensive nature of our symbol libraries. Pasted below is an overview of my company's situation in order to give this request some context.
I'll elaborate on our current system a bit more.
1. Instances do not reside in the same place on all the renderings. We have roughly 120 illustrator templates set up, most of which are similar but all vary per rendering as each represents a different product.
2. There are not always the same number of instances on a given layer.
3. The position of the instances changes on virtually every rendering.
4. The number of symbols that would be associated with a particular layer varies depending on how much of that particular product line a client is interested in. Anywhere from 1 on the low end to possibly 50 or so on the high end.
5. I am aware of the paste remembers layers function. Due to the complexity of our expansive component based system, I'd guess we currently have atleast 500+ symbols set up over a couple dozen palettes (set up as symbol libraries). Additionally each component has its identifying part# displayed next to it so that our clients/production team can identify them by looking at the rendering. Not only that, but some of these components are very small. Having all these symbols already on the page, or even on several pages just isnt realistic due to the scale and volume.
6. Replace symbols isnt really an option as we are constantly bringing in/adding symbols based on our expansive component-based system.
7. I haven't delved very deep into variables and datasets in Illustrator, so I'll try to take some time and explore them to see if there are any viable options there.

Bump?

How to use sdk to get the image in the pdf file created by illustrator?

I have some pdf files create by illustrator and saved as pdf documents,
now I want to use the sdk to get the image in pdf files.
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Thank you first!
Yes,you are right,since I am new to illustrator,and I want to try to write a plugin,
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Hyperlinks in pdf document prepared in Illustrator

Hello !
Since this is my first post here I would like to greet everybody on this forum!
I have a question as in the subject, is it possible to create interactive pdf document only in Illustrator? (I actually just wont to add few links to www addreses in my layout made in Illustrator).
How can I do it?
any feedback greatly aprecieted
regards
Daniel

Thank You Monika.
But some kindes of links are possible to create in Illustrator, do You know in what format those are active? swf? html?

How do I convert a pdf to vector in illustrator?

how do I convert a pdf to vector in illustrator?

The artwork in the PDF might already be a vector graphic.
If not you need to trace it either automatically or manually

PDF displays differently from Illustrator CS4 to Acrobat 9.1.x - no idea why

My name is Chris Plessinger. I'm the local IT support for a company that produces promotional products.
Recently, the Art Department came to me with a problem.
They had a graphic that was sent to them by the customer in a PDF file.
The PDF, when opened in Acrobat 9.1, shows an image with another image imposed on the lower left hand corner.
When the PDF is opened in Illustrator CS4, the image is there, but the smaller image that was imposed on the lower left corner isn't there.
In Illustrator, when you press CTRL-Y, you can see the outline of where it would be, but it's clearly not there.
I'm don't know enough about the software to determine why it is showing up in one Adobe product and not displaying in another.
I am uploading the file in question to this post.
I would be very, very appreciative of any feedback on I can get on this issue. I'm not a graphic artist and can't answer the question being posed to me.
Regards,
Christopher

Sweet.
But I have a new question now: how (exactly) did you accomplish this? How did you flatten it?
Thanks for the quick response. I appreciate your taking the time to help.
Thanks,
Chris

Need to edit text in pdf file created in Illustrator CS6

I need for someone else to be able to edit text in a pdf I created from Illustrator. They have full acrobat and should be able to edit it. I have tried it myself to test before sending it but it's not working. The original file was created in Illustrator CS6 and saved as a pdf (text has not been created outlines). I opened the file in acrobat and saved it out as an extended file to be able to edit the text but no luck. Need to be able to highlight existing text and change it. I have tried edit text tool but instead of a selection box around each line of text, it puts a selection box around all of the text. I can highlight the text and delete it but am unable to change it. Each individual text line needs to be editable. Is there something I need to do differently in Illustrator to get it to work correctly in Acrobat?
If it helps- the file is a calendar and they need to be able to change the dates and events that are already there.

This really isn't a suitable use of Acrobat. You should all be using the same editing tool (i.e. Illustrator).
Extending files reduces the amount of editing Acrobat can do, it does not increase it.
The tool to edit text from Illustrator would be Edit Document Text. There is no guarantee it will break up nicely into lines, it's trying to help by making paragraph text.
Conceivably you could use a form for this (fill in the blank for dates) but really, you should be using the same tool. Not necessarily Illustrator, more Excel or specialist Calendar software.

Open multi page pdf specific page in Illustrator CS4 with apple script

I need to open multi page pdf specific page in Illustrator CS4 with apple script. Is it something like this:
activate (open file theTargetFolder as PDF with options …).
Thank you.

Carlos,
Muchas Gracias por tu colaboración y excelente script, el que se abra el ESTK no tiene mayor importancia.
El caso es que Adobe recomienda encarecidamente NO utilizar Illustrator para editar PDFs, por diversas razones, aunque cuando no hay otro remedio o herramienta disponible, o conocida ...
Para llegar aquí, aparte de San Google, hay que ir a Adobe.es (en mi caso), pestaña de Ayuda, ..... (hasta aqui bien),
luego hay que bajar hasta el final y ver Comunidad y Foros...... (esto puede ser)
al pulsar aparacen un montón de foros se supone de programas pero en inglés,
y la última línea es de International Forums, ya casi hemos llegado)
pulsamos entonces, y por fin se abren cuatro palabras con idiomas, en una dice: español (casi no me lo puede creer)
pincho y llego por fin aquí.
Muy poca gente sabe de la existencia de este pequeño refugio, si a esta dificultad añadimos la peculiar forma de ser de la gente, ....

Font conversion_PC-PDF opened in Mac Illustrator

Working on a project that I've done before created on a PC based Pull-down menu driven system and saved in a PDF format. I download those PDFs for editing in Illustrator. This time the programmer used PC Adobe Folio 11 fonts and now when I open the PDF in Illustrator, though the names match exactly, the type is one big garbled mess on my screen?? Any help, whether in Acrobat or Illustrator??
Edit here: After reading some forums I had better qualify this and say the main face is AGaramond Pro.

Another suggestion would be to reload the font in your font folder on your computer drive.
My computer>C drive>windows>font
Copy the whole font with its italiacs, bold, etc. Copy it to your desktop, delete all the associated font files and drop them back in the font folder. I would third the clearing your font cache too. It may be that your Illustrator has a corrupt font file.
When you open the pdf does it report missing fonts? I attached a screenshot of what it would look like but I don't think this in the case for you.

PDF export of adobe illustrator files loses layers

When we export an iBooks Author file as a PDF (best quality), Adobe Illustrator files that have transparent layers lose their transparency.
The .ai files look fine iBooks Author (where is gives the file name of the image as a .pdf because that is how iBooks author imports .ai files), and when you Preview the file in iBooks on the iPad, and the transparent layers are there.
It is only when exporting to PDF that the image breaks.

The problem was in "printing" the PDF.
The issue was completely resolved by printing the iBA file to a Post Script file, and then indepently using Adobe Distiller to produce the final PDF.
It makes no sense to me why using Print to Adobe PDF from the iBA print menu works any differently than using Distiller on a .ps file. But whatever, it works, and it is beautiful.

How do I make a clipping mask whilst preserving sub layer structure?

Hi guys,
I am editing a map and need my map split into multiple rectangular segments. My map is made up of many layers and sub layers which I need to preserve. When I clipping mask the map with a rectangle all of the map's subs layers merge into one layer. How do I make a clipping mask whilst preserving sub layer structure? It seems like a 'layer mask' is the correct tool but doesn't seem like CS6 has it?
Cheers
Mat

I avoid sublayers, because they really were never thoroughly developed, and when you open files, you get all your layers flipped open.
So for me paste in front works great for pasting a mask directly above the element you want to mask. Unfortunatley paste in front does not work well with sublayers so you will need to drag the mask down into the the sublayer. But atleast if you have a complex document with many sublayers, the paste in fornt gets you close.
eg; Mask is in clipboard, I select sublayer Illinois
After doing a paste in front, the mask (star shape) is not in the sublayer, but above
Drag the star shape down one in to the sublayer Illinois, select entire sublayer(use radio button right of the layer name)
and make clip mask

How can I make an image appear partially in front and partially behind another layer in Adobe Illustrator?

How can I make an image appear partially in front and partially behind another layer in Adobe Illustrator?

Put the image behind the layer (at the back of it or on a layer below). With it still selected, Copy.
Now Paste in Front (Ctrl+F). Depending on your Paste Remembers Layers setting, you may have to bring the newly pasted copy to the front, or to the upper layer.
Draw a shape over the image to define the portion of it you want to appear "in front."
With the shape and the image selected, clip the image using the shape. (Object > Clipping Mask > Make)

Converting PDF to SVG using Illustrator CS2

Hi
I'm trying to convert a PDF to a SVG file using illustrator. The PDF has a number of http links created using the smart link tool in acrobat professional. When I create the svg, I expected the links to be maintained. Unfortunately they were not in the svg. Is there some option I've missed or is this a problem with illustrator?
Thanks
Colin

Colin,
In order to more accurately answer your question, I believe we would need more information such as what application was originally used to create the pdf, etc.
One basic answer to this question is that I don't believe Illustrator will maintain hyperlinks created in Adobe Acrobat as Illustrator is a vector design application. I wonder if you placed the pdf in InDesign, if it would maintain the links. It may or may not. However, it is not necessarily a problem with Illustrator as much as outside the scope of what its intended use is.
Illustrator is able to edit many pdfs. However, a pdf is not an Illustrator file and vice versa.

Opening documents with custom layer structure, especially default layer unlocked...

Hi, is it possible to open documents such as jpg screenshots which are apparently a locked layer by default, as instead an unlocked layer?
Would it even be possible/easy to have a method of opening such documents with the following layers:
1 original image (unlocked)
2 blank transparent layer
3 white locked background
4 group folder called 'archive' with a copy of the original image, with the group set to invisible
Could a droplet be made to open documents with such a "precreated" layer set-up?
For example, I would like to take a screenshot or scan, drag it onto a droplet, and have it open with the layer structure outlined above.
Thank you thank you thank you...

"The image is NOT locked."
Shesh whatever you call it the image the background the initial layer "the so called layer" I would just like to change its default opening to UNLOCKED so at minimum, as I have said four times now, it can be placed in a folder called "Archive" without having to f'ing unlock it...scripting additional opening actions in addition to that at this point must be beyond your imagination
"Have you tried working on the so called locked layer?"
HAVE YOU READ THE ORIGINAL QUESTION????
Working on the background layer is not my primary concern, organizing layers automatically at the start of a workflow is...but nevertheless...erasing part of the background in order to reveal imported images or drawings created beneath it on new layers requires the background be unlocked (so erased sections are transparent rather than black), changing layer order requires unlocking, moving the background on a resized canvas requires unlocking....and of course placing it within a folder requires unlocking -- what the hell is the advantage of it being default locked?? why isn't this optional?
I can't imagine people working on complex images with multiple folders and forty plus layers in various folders and such -- nevertheless consistently want to leave the background layer just sitting there hanging out in its default locked state. I'm ALWAYS unlocking the damn layer...if only, for the FIFTH TIME, for organizational purposes (to change its layer order and place it within a folder).
SHESH!
"Methinks..." Oh please...next time read the question.

When a pdf is taken from illustrator, white lines appears on images. How can be avoided it?

When a pdf is taken from illustrator, white lines appears on images. How can be avoided it?
I use illustrator cs5. It occures mostly on the cover pages of brochures which contains images, texts and some effects such as drop shadow etc.

Thanks for your reply.
When smooth line art is turned off in Acrobat preferences,the lines disappears but the text becomes raserized and goes its smoothness. Not only that, we are not sure that everyone who is viewing the pdf has the same settings in their laptop or desktop.
Is there any other solution to remove these lines? I have added the screenshot of a part of the pdf.
Thanks once again for your support.

PDF layer structure in Illustrator

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