viewing layers in Acrobat

Started by pspdfppdfxhd, November 17, 2017, 10:44:38 AM

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pspdfppdfxhd

never really thought about this before...but,

Is there any way to view layers in Acrobat? We got a file today for a product label, from a big agency who have particuar ways of doing things. They put a "transparent" varnish layer in the file from Illustrator in there which wacked out the color.

I was asked to make a color printout so had to bring the file into indd, go into object layer options, turn off the varnish layer and export.

?


pspdfppdfxhd

Maybe I am missing something but you'd think there would be a way to delete unwanted layers in Acrobat.


pspdfppdfxhd

Aside from the dreaded opening in Illustrator I mean... :facepalm:

pspdfppdfxhd

Actually, I did just that, there are no layers in Illustrator but you CAN click them on and off In indd.

Odd.


Just_A_Mac_Guy

Assuming you have a "layered PDF", open in Acrobat and click on the grey space on the left side of the window. you will see a column of icons. Click the one that looks like a stack of papers {layers}. That should give you the ability to turn layers on and off.

pspdfppdfxhd

boy do I feel stupid!

Always wondered what that was for. Goes to show you, you really CAN learn something new every day!

So if you turn it off and print it, it won't show on the print?

David

set the layer properties to not print (right click )
Prepress guy - Retired - Working from home
Livin' la Vida Loca

Joe

Just had a layered PDF this week with version changes on layers. Too bad we don't have the $20,000 license from Kodak for layered PDF's. Could have been a simple job. The way it was though turned out to be a :strangle: moment!!!!!!!!!!11 (Their layers didn't fit the base colors! Dumbasses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11)
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

pspdfppdfxhd


swampymarsh

#9
 :deadhorse:
Quote from: pspdfppdfxhd on November 17, 2017, 11:00:55 AMActually, I did just that, there are no layers in Illustrator but you CAN click them on and off In indd.

Odd.

Not odd when you understand the process.

Acrobat "layers" are really called "Optional Content Groups" or OCG. Adobe use the term "layers" as that is more familiar to those with experience in other programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign etc.

When you create a "layered PDF" in these other programs, the resulting PDF has a "layer" as most users would expect, it has the objects stacked/layered over the top of other objects. The PDF "layer" behaves as expected from the source application that created the layers.

However, take into account a PDF that does not contain layers...

You can use a preflight fixup or PitStop Pro to create layers based on the source type (lineart, image, gradient, text).

The result will be a layered PDF with content split according to it's source type – however these "layers" are really OCG! They do not have a layer or stacking order, their position/order does not affect object order (forwards/backwards). Think of them as "content filters".

So the "layers" are not really layers in the traditional sense, which is why other programs such as Illustrator do not see the layers when you open the PDF into Illustrator. This is also why InDesign does recognise the layers, as it has been designed to do so.