hidden layers in Illustrator?

[wonderings]

I have a PDF from a client. Everything looks fine till it is printed out on our Indigo. There is artwork that shows up. I tried ripping apart the PDF in illustrator with no luck. On a whim I thought I would try opening it with Affinity Designer and see what I can see. In Affinity it shows a hidden layer which I can unhide and see. The PDF was made in Illustrator. Anyone know how to show hidden layers?


Thanks!

 

[abc]

What happens if you open it in Acrobat, do you see the layers there (hidden or otherwise)?

 

[Dov Isaacs]

Endorsing @abc response. If there is a “layer” in the PDF file, Acrobat Pro will let you see it and if you desire, disable it for printing.

@wonderings, note that Adobe Illustrator is absolutely not a PDF file editor, unless the original PDF file was saved from Illustrator with the option for editability specified (typically that is not the case). If the PDF file had a layer that you describe, it would not appear if you open the general PDF file in Illustrator.

- Dov

 

[wonderings]

Endorsing @abc response. If there is a “layer” in the PDF file, Acrobat Pro will let you see it and if you desire, disable it for printing.

@wonderings, note that Adobe Illustrator is absolutely not a PDF file editor, unless the original PDF file was saved from Illustrator with the option for editability specified (typically that is not the case). If the PDF file had a layer that you describe, it would not appear if you open the general PDF file in Illustrator.

- Dov

We ended up printing it on our Konica press using Command Workstation which worked fine. The HP Indigo was picking up the hidden layer which is why we were looking for a way to remove it. I saw it in Acrobat but I could not delete it from there, even with it unchecked. It says the PDF was made in Illustrator.

I do know that Illustrator is not technically a PDF editor and it can be dangerous, but at the same time it can be used if you know the risks and what to look for.

if we absolutely had to print it on our Indigo I woudl have switched to Affinity as I could simply remove the layer and resave as a print ready PDF. This is what I was finding confusing was the fact that Affinity made this effortless and Illustrator could not even show the hidden layer that is there.

 

[abc]

'but at the same time it can be used if you know the risks and what to look for.'
Until that fateful day when...

 

[wonderings]

'but at the same time it can be used if you know the risks and what to look for.'
Until that fateful day when...

yes it can be a risk, but sometimes you gotta figure things out and make them work.

 

[wonderings]

What happens if you open it in Acrobat, do you see the layers there (hidden or otherwise)?

sorry missed your earlier message, yes the layer shows in Acrobat. I tried deleting in Acrobat but it does not let me remove layers.

 

[abc]

sorry missed your earlier message, yes the layer shows in Acrobat. I tried deleting in Acrobat but it does not let me remove layers.

But if the (not needed) layer is not on in Acrobat, and you don't need any other layers that maybe present, you can flatten the layers and that should give you the correct visual result?
Acrobat will let you do that

 

[TJPrinter]

sorry missed your earlier message, yes the layer shows in Acrobat. I tried deleting in Acrobat but it does not let me remove layers.

While in Acrobat you should be able to turn off printing under the layer properties. You don't need to delete them or at lease you shouldn't have to if you can turn off printing and visibility.

 

[loica]

Is it possible to have a look at that file @wonderings?

 

[wonderings]

But if the (not needed) layer is not on in Acrobat, and you don't need any other layers that maybe present, you can flatten the layers and that should give you the correct visual result?
Acrobat will let you do that

I did not try flattening, not sure if that would actually help though if the Indigo is picking up the hidden layer and printing it even when it is turned off, I am going to test it out though and see if that does work.

While in Acrobat you should be able to turn off printing under the layer properties. You don't need to delete them or at lease you shouldn't have to if you can turn off printing and visibility.

The layer is turned off in Acrobat and is set not to print. I would believe this is actually an Indigo issue as it prints fine when in command workstation in another press.

Is it possible to have a look at that file @wonderings?

Unfortunatly I can't distribute the file in question

 

[abc]

I always thought that the 'not printing' option in Acrobat was related to printing direct from Acrobat, not related to the layer behavior when ripped.
Maybe Dov can confirm/deny?

 

[abc]

Flattening should work, as there won't be any layers afterwards.

 

[wonderings]

I always thought that the 'not printing' option in Acrobat was related to printing direct from Acrobat, not related to the layer behavior when ripped.
Maybe Dov can confirm/deny?

No clue on that, we don't print from Adobe or any other software we use, everything is saved as PDF and dropped into Apogee or the appropriate hot folder to get to where it is needing to get to.

 

[TJPrinter]

No clue on that, we don't print from Adobe or any other software we use, everything is saved as PDF and dropped into Apogee or the appropriate hot folder to get to where it is needing to get to.

That would be why turning print off for the layer is not working. It will not work if you drop the file into your rip. It will only work if you print from Acrobat to your rip. Perhaps the customer can delete the layer prior to saving as pdf.

 

[wonderings]

That would be why turning print off for the layer is not working. It will not work if you drop the file into your rip. It will only work if you print from Acrobat to your rip. Perhaps the customer can delete the layer prior to saving as pdf.

I could have done that, but generally that just makes things worse, or makes it more difficult trying to explain something to them as they probably got it from some other source internally or whoever does their graphical work. I am still amazed that I cannot fix or even see this hidden layer in Illustrator.

 

[TJPrinter]

I could have done that, but generally that just makes things worse, or makes it more difficult trying to explain something to them as they probably got it from some other source internally or whoever does their graphical work. I am still amazed that I cannot fix or even see this hidden layer in Illustrator.

I get that for sure.

 

[PeteKincaid]

Get an actual PDF editor. As our industry moves to PDFs, it is becoming increasingly important. I know they are expensive but they are also very efficient in allowing you to work in PDF as if you have the native files.

 

[abc]

I could have done that, but generally that just makes things worse, or makes it more difficult trying to explain something to them as they probably got it from some other source internally or whoever does their graphical work. I am still amazed that I cannot fix or even see this hidden layer in Illustrator.

Layers in Illustrator and Layers (Optional Content Groups) in PDF are not the same thing, you need to use the right tool for the job.
As stated many times before, Illustrator is not a PDF Editor.

 

[wonderings]

Layers in Illustrator and Layers (Optional Content Groups) in PDF are not the same thing, you need to use the right tool for the job.
As stated many times before, Illustrator is not a PDF Editor.

So how would you edit and remove this layer if Acrobat does not allow you to do it? What would you buy for the random problem that pops up less then once in a blue moon? I used other software but that is akin to using Illustrator. I used Affinity Designer. 1 click the layer was deleted.