Releasing All Clipping Masks?

Hi Everyone....Please Help Me!
I am regularly required to work with old pdf files for my company, which I have to open in Illustrator to amend and update (we don't have access to the original .ai files).
Whenever I start to work on these files I have to spend ages just unconnecting the elements of the artwork, usually by right clicking and choosing "release clipping mask"
Is there a way to just disconnect everything when you open up an old pdf document in Illustrator?
Tá mo chroi bhríste
(it has my heart broken - in Irish!)
Kind Regards to all
Bryan

First, set your fill and stroke both to none. Make sure all of the layers, and the art is unlocked. Then go to Select>Same>Fill & Stroke. Clipping masks usually don't have a fill and stroke, so this should select all of them. Then you can just hit the delete key to remove and release everything.

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ArcGIS 10.0 to Illustrator (CS5).... Edit, Save, Reopen, Clipping masks are all gone....

I am working from ArcGIS 10.0 to Illustrator CS5.
I make my map in ArcGIS. The layers are in four groups (VECTORS: top, middle, bottom + RASTER). I export the map from layout view to an .ai file. I open the .ai file in illustrator. Edit a couple things. Save the document. Seems simple enough... when I open it it should look just like it did when I just saved it two seconds ago, right?
Nope.
After saving, closing, and reopening all my clipping masks are gone. They have disappeared/ automatically released. I have tried this same process on my personal computer (this issue is happening on a work computer) and I am not having an issue (GIS layers are in groups, I export, open, edit, save, close, reopen... still all clipped and the way I want it). I'm not sure if it is the settings on the work computer that are causing the clipping masks to automatically release on their own or what. When I look through the layers in my .ai file (post save, reopened file) the former clipping masks are now just 'paths.' but if I reclip them they mess up my layers and it seems like a tedious and unnecessary process (especially if the whole thing is working out correctly on my personal computer).
Does anyone have any idea why illustrator is automatically releasing my clipping masks upon saving?
Is it a GIS issue? Or an Illustrator issue? Are my settings wrong? Help!

The first thing you must do when opening an Arc AI file is to do a Save As and overwrite the original file with a new copy of the file in whatever the version of AI you have. If you just do a Save of the Arc file, it will revert to an AI3 file. Everything will be placed on a single layer.

Shape Builder tool not working on shapes in a clipping mask

Hello again,
Why is the Shape Builder Tool don't work on shapes inside a Clipping Mask? The Pathfinder does work but for the Shape Builder Tool: NADA!
Thank's for answering,
Lindberg

Hi,
Thank you for answering. No it will work correctly. The Pathfinder work inside a clipping path and in any situation but not the Shape Builder Tool. Unless this is normal, I think that the specialist at Adobe should have a look at this annoying behavior and try to release an upgrade with this behavior corrected in a near futur.
Thank’s again for answering,
Robert Marchand
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Le 8 avr. 2015 à 10:41AM, Larry G. Schneider <[email protected]> a écrit :
Shape Builder tool not working on shapes in a clipping mask
created by Larry G. Schneider <https://forums.adobe.com/people/LarryG.Schneider> in Illustrator - View the full discussion <https://forums.adobe.com/message/7418340#7418340>
If you release the Clipping Mask and try the Shape Builder tool then, does it still balk at making the shape?
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Illustrator Clipping Masks Release Every time I open a file

This is a bug that's been in Illustrator since CS3. Fix it already. I duplicate a bunch of shapes with clipping masks in them, save the file, close it, reopen it, and all the masks have released. It's annoying and adding hours of frustration on to my projects. This has been an issue since CS3, and you've done little to fix it, apparently.

Nope, because a.) I work for a company that has an NDA, and b.) every time I do (when I am able), Adobe product support just blames everything except their software. Last time, it was my "computer can't tell the difference between 1's and 0's." Complete bullcrap.
This is not a new bug, and it's ridiculous that I have to post anything on here about it.

Working with old PDF files - Release Clipping Masks

Hi Everyone....Please Help Me!
I am regularly required to work with old pdf files for my company, which I have to open in Illustrator to amend and update (we don't have access to the original .ai files).
Whenever I start to work on these files I have to spend ages just unconnecting the elements of the artwork, usually by right clicking and choosing "release clipping mask"
Is there a way to just disconnect everything when you open up an old pdf document in Illustrator?
Tá mo chroi bhríste
(it has my heart broken - in Irish!)

Always keeping a careful eye on the effects of released clipping masks, the process can be accelerated using the keyboard shortcuts rather than hunt-and-click.
Open the PDF.
Ctrl/Cmd+A (Select All)
Ctrl/Cmd+Alt/Opt+7 (Object > Clipping Mask > Release) Hold down Ctrl/Cmd+Alt/Opt and tap the 7 key repeatedly to initially release all top-level masks, then continue through the levels of nesting that may be present. With Show Bounding Box and Show Edges active it's easy to see when the releasing has stopped...usually only a few levels.
Deselect, then find one of the orphaned mask objects, which will have a fill and stroke of None. Select it, then choose Object > Select > Same > Fill & Stroke to select all the orphaned mask objects.
Delete.

I have a line (stroke, no fill) and an eps graphic. I'm trying to make a clipping mask of the single line art but all it does is cut the eps graphic instead of making a mask?

I have an eps graphic and a single line drawing 2 pt wt. I'm trying to make a clipping mask of the line drawing. When I tried it all that happened was the eps graphic was cut in half. I did the exact steps from AdobeTV except the line drawing [pink camera.ai*@1200% (CMYK/Outline)] is an ai pen line drawing instead of a vector graphic and the other is [vector flower lillies.eps @ 100% (RGB/Preview)]. If you need more info on the graphics please tell me where to find it and I will send it.
This is all because the eps graphic has a white background. I have tried everything I know including opening it in Photoshop and deleting the background and it always pastes with a white background. My thought was if I can't change the background then maybe I can make a clipping mask of the pink camera and just paste it in front.
Please help this has been a thorn in my side for too long...

please post a screen shot of the graphic(s) as it's hard to understand exactly what you are asking
IF these are 'vector' graphics there should be no need for a clipping mask--also--if the .eps files are small (MB or KB) try posting one of those

Why are all paths in Clipping Masks and Compound Paths?

When I open up previous versions of Illustrator files (i.e. CS5), why are all of my paths messed up. Every object is embedded in a Clipping Mask, paths are compounded and in most cases type on a path is expanded into multiple non-editable objects. This causes complete redesign. This is terrible.

Because Illustrator accessed the PDF part of the file.
---> this points to corrupt files.
How were those files transferred to your computer? Are they on a server?
How old are they?
Which versions were they created in?
Did you already try to restart (the computer)?
Any plugins installed?

Calling all compound path and clipping mask experts...

I am attempting to get all the white areas in the attached "globe" artwork to knockout to the background color. I have tried making the entire thing a compound path, tried clipping mask and different combinations in pathfinder with no success. The image on the right is what happens when I make it a compound path. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

The simplest way, I think, would be to set the white line work as an opacity mask on top of the tan circle. That is not a clipping mask, but does the same thing and it's much easier.
Otherwise, outline white strokes and "Unite" using pathfinder tool, then delete outside path (the circle), from the compound shape. That will leave the appropriate compound object to make the clipping mask:

Clipping masks from AI jumping all over the place in AE

I have a project I've been working on for a while, and have encountered an extremely annoying bug that only seems to have appeared since the latest update...
Basically, I have a bunch of layers from Illustrator which have clipping masks within them. When I bring these into After Effects and add any kind of movement (camera, masks etc), the images inside the clipping masks jump around all over the place. Not the masks themselves, or the layers - just the images inside them.
This has only started happening since the latest update to CC 2014 - it's something I've done a million times before and it's always been fine.
Really hoping someone can shed some light on this, as I don't have much hair left to pull out...
Thanks

one update - we had a look back at some of the previous projects we've produced using this technique, and it's still apparent there (so in CC & CC2014 projects) - it just seems to be much worse in this particular project.

How to make a clipping mask in this particular case?

Okay, Just to begin I know how to make a clipping mask, but for the case that I'm going to present right now I just can't figure out what mistake I am doing (if any). However I am a beginner.
http://vector.tutsplus.com/tutorials/illustration/how-to-create-a-medieval-paper-scroll/
In the link to above tutorial on how to make a medieval scrol I'm stuck at step 25 and would be glad to anyone who helped.
As said in step 25 that expand the appearance of the scroll and select the two then clip the mask. In th above picture I have just selected the scroll to show how it looks.
Now as you can see in the image below I have expanded the appearance of the paper scroll. Then I selected the paper scrol and the yellowish green grunge background placed below it. And the moment I hit Ctrl+7 (in windows) or Command+7 (in Mac) to make a clipping mask the error that showed up has been highlighted.
One more thing, I have clipped masks before too in the same tutorial given above but I don't know what has gone wrong for me in this step.
Please help.
Signed,
Awais Rauf

Why would you want a clipping mask? I don’t see a reason for it.
However, for what you want I would use the Pathfinder panel to combine all the paths into one shape. First use the ungroup and release compound commands a few times each, to make sure you have nothing grouped. Then press the top left button in the Pathfinder p[panel. This should produce one closed path that just surrounds the scroll.

Does a Clipping Mask effect just one layer?

Hello everyone ... Level: Newbie OS: Win7 64bit Ia: Cs6
Once I use a Clipping Mask on a layer is the entire document covered in a mask?
And/or is all the artwork from then on inside the mask?
I've read about how to add and how to remove art from a mask. I've read about how to make and release and lots of other things.
So, then I went and found a lesson that contained the use of a Clipping Mask.
But I'm stuck... again.
I am suppose to Select the main shape and "just" copy it and move it down (doesn't say rather to Paste in front or back but I assumed in back ~ not that it has mattered thus far)
However, while making the main shape I used Gradient Mesh and used an Offset to create a "replica" and so when I go to Select the main shape the mesh is selected and so when I Paste (in back ~ seems most logical) and then move it down the details such as the colors of the Gradient and other such things are visible in front ~ ??
So, I have been trying to abate my problem in lots of different ways.
I have tried using the Pen tool to draw behind the main shape, I've tried making a New Layer and placing it above and below and inbetween the main shape layer, I've tried adding the artwork to the Mask ... I've tried everything I can think of and I've been through many an article in the manual and FAQ's to no avail.
I suppose, what I think I need to know ... is, how ... how on earth do I draw behind this main shape? Am I not able to do it becuase I am not getting behind the Mask?
(Let me apologise to those that HATE it when Newbies follow lessons/tuts and who HATE it when we come here to ask for help. I'm doing my best to learn and to find answers on my own before heading here for help)
Please lmk if you would be better able to help me with pictures of my layers and the art. Thanx so much for your time!!

Thanks as well for your patience with me! It can be difficult to communicate this way, but all we can do is try our best.
As for the issue regarding the author's "main shape"...
Here I have an object with a gradient mesh:
If you follow the directions in step 3 of the tutorial, the author creates a duplicate by going to Object > Path > Offset Path.
And then inputs "0" for the offset value.
I shifted my original gradient-meshed object down a little bit, and there you can see is the simple shape that you were seeing in the author's image. Then they just filled it with that gold gradient and scaled it down.
And as for clipping masks...
As I mentioned before, a clipping mask will only affect the objects and groups you had selected when you created it. For exhaustive information about clipping masks, see this link: http://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/clipping-masks.html
I hope this was helpful! Good luck!

Trouble with Clipping Masks

Hello!
I created a pattern in illustrator, and then I created an object, and I wanted to fill half of the object with the pattern, so I used a clipping mask to do this.. however, now when i try to group everything together, the clipping mask in released and the pattern spills all over the artbaord... when i try to copy and paste into a new document, everything is pasted as white instead. When i try to merge the layers, the clipping mask is released...
I'm not sure how to fix this and have been searching for a solution for it. I hope you can help me figure out how to keep the clipping mask from releasing..
Also, I tried rasterizing but that doesnt work either and it makes my shapes all rough and choppy!
Thank you

Thanks for replying but unfortunately that did not help!
I always select with the solid selection tool ^^ infact when i want to select everything i just use command+a.
Anyway, I'm still unable to group or copy the entire picture without the clipping mask releasing..

Illustrator - Pattern Swatch / Clipping mask issue

I'm currently working in Illustrator CS6. I'm creating pattern swatches and have successfully created 20 - but 4 are giving me the following issue.
When I drag the perfect swatch tile into swatches it appears as so instead of the perfect tile:
"New pattern swatch 3" has a white space on the right. Which sometimes when I create the swatch takes up half of the 'swatch.'
When I go to create a shape and apply the pattern, I am left with an empty box.
When I double click to adjust the pattern I get this dialog box:
When I go to adjust the bounding box, to see where my pattern is - this crazy mess happens:
Further investigation and deleting items to see whats happening:
Bits of my pattern appear, but not sure why the other bars are there.
I'm having this issue with four very different patterns. But I have also succesfully created more complicated ones. Not sure why this is happening.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

Hey everyone,
I am in the same version, same file. I have also tried starting from scratch in another file just to make sure. Same issue.
I have templates of what i want my patterns to be, so I have tried to make the patterns both ways. Starting from my original art - expanding all shapes and making them so they will tile perfectly.
1. with clipping mask. 2. released mask, and expanded shape. 3. perfect tile.
from scratch, made to tile perfectly.
Same issue for both:
To make sure it wasn't only this one I tried a different pattern that was giving me the same error before hand.
I tried with original art which didn't work, so I quickly recreated with squares. Same tile, one time it was empty producing same issue as above. And second time it did this:
1. What tile is supposed to look like 2. Tile applied to shape - but the pattern swatch icon is empty?
Maybe this is a program bug?

[CS4] Clipping Mask issue (bug?) - Beachball when I try to select masked group

I have a somewhat complex compound path (1400 points) that I've duplicated several times and clipped. I want to make a second copy of this clipped set of objects. When I try to select the group that contains the clipping mask (with the selection tool or in the layers palette) illustrator chugs for over a minute. Once it's done chugging and I have my group selected I hit copy and paste. It chugs for another minute and then does nothing but deselect my group.
I saved the file down into CS3 format and opened it in CS3. I have no trouble with copy, paste, select, scale, or anything when I'm in CS3 - no slowdown at all. I saved the file in CS3 and opened the CS3 format file in CS4 and I still have the beachball/chug problem.
I'd like to note that the trouble begins only when I apply the clipping mask. I can select all those objects and copy/paste/rotate/scale/whatever until I apply a mask and then I can't do anything to them. The clipping mask itself is rather simple - only 26 points.
I'm on a G5 with 8gigs of RAM and over 30gigs of available space in my scratch disc. Any advice or any other users who've had this problem?

No that is not true and you know CS 3 does not come close to CS4 in performance and if I were you I would download the trial, although I have feeling you do not have the resources to to actually run the program and that has you quite miffed,
Perhaps the next release will finally release you, so long!
Tracy I found that there s a setting that is on by default in CS 4 that would make things go a bit slow and always has if selected by the user.
Clearly a mistake I would think but for some reason the default settings for the raster effects is 300 ppi as opposed to 72 ppi which really many times will eat up the memory no matter how much you have, and Illustrator can only use a limited amount of RAM something like 2GB, so that the amount of RAM is not the issue and the scratch could be as wide open as possible but it still will choke.
It may not have the resource to as in your case make a review. So I would try setting the document raster image effects setting to 72 ppi and then when outputting it change it to 300ppi or tell the printer to do so.
Hans I am sure you will now be relieved to find out that CS4 is behaving as it should with the right setting.
Enjoy the trial it is free. You are going to love CS 4.
I am mistaken Tracy and Hans CS 3 also has the default setting at 300 ppi I should have checked first.
Yes Hans this might be an issue that is a strike against CS4 on large complex projects
I am certain it was good idea to change the clipping path behavior. The question is how big or complex does the file have to be before this happens.
Hans you should still try the trial and see for yourself. Of course if you don't have the resources it might be difficult to load the trial.
I would still try changing the setting to 722 ppi and changing it for output after the work has been completed.
Yes I think you found and important bug.

Having a Problem with Clipping Masks

Everytime I add an adjustment layer to CS5 layers palette, the adjustment layer comes in as a clipping mask and is clipped to the layer below. I must have accidently invoked something that is causing this. It is very frustrating and time consuming have to change each layer in my stack. WHAT DID I DO WRONG... and HOW DO I FIX IT.

Noel as I have noted in the past it is easy to code around the bug by recording all add adjustment layers clipped to previous layer then un-clip the ones you want to be applied to all, The problem is this will not fix all the good action that been recorded in the past and download by members in a large community of Photoshop user. I don't have a clue to how many have download actions I made available. I stopped using Adobe exchange while the exchange recorded the number of downloads exchange makes it almost impossible to make updates for they need to approved them first and they never seem to. I know thousands have downloaded my actions but don't know if any use them or who use them. The only contact I have is if someone reports a bug. Yes some get by me to. Most of the downloaders of these actions don't know that Adobe has introduce a bug that may effect actions they downloaded and have been using for many releases of Photoshop without problems. The nasty part is action will work correctly sometime and not other time and when some of the failure happen there is no error message an adjustment layer of the right type is added and may effect most of the document correctly so the error my go un-notice at the time it happens and then may notice at some later date. The bug need to be fixed. Then actions with the work around and those without the work around will work correctly.

Releasing All Clipping Masks?

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