: Saving Illustrator as PDF without the hidden layers We have roughly 55 cards that all have the exact same text. The titles and backgrounds differ among the cards. So I've made just one AI
We have roughly 55 cards that all have the exact same text. The titles and backgrounds differ among the cards. So I've made just one AI with the different backgrounds and all the text as one copy in a layer on top.
Now I can just hide each background layer and save as PDF. But even unchecking preserve editing capabilities, the file sizes let me know that it is still including the images and backgrounds for all the hidden layers. Doing a quick test and deleting all the hidden layers brings the file sizes done considerably.
I was under the impression that saving as a PDF without editing capabilities only saved what was needed for that particular PDF. It seems I was wrong. Do I just have to keep deleting the hidden layers for each copy?
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If you have Acrobat Pro, there is an option under tools > protection called 'remove hidden information' - further information here:
helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/removing-sensitive-content-pdfs.html
I can confirm that hidden layers saved in Illustrator are removed by this feature, which cleans up up PDF preview (on a Mac at least) and reduces the file size. Your PDF can then be resaved from Acrobat.
None of these suggestions work or worked for me - I need something simple and bulletproof, and the final suggestion ("Checking this option: "Create Acrobat Layers from Top-Level Layers" worked for me. I also chose the Acrobat version 8") DIDN'T work, and still exported all the layers for me.
I found the solution in that dialog box setting the eps file save options though - choose "Save a copy" and file type "pdf" then choose the top option Adobe PDF Preset: High Quality Print, and for good measure, turn off "Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities".
Hidden layers are gone, finally.
Checking this option: "Create Acrobat Layers from Top-Level Layers" worked for me. I also chose the Acrobat version 8.
The trick is to temporarily convert the layers you don't want to appear to Template layers, rather than hide them.
From the Layers palette, select the appropriate layers, and from the flyout menu select "Template". Unless it has changed since CS2...
Template layers will not be included in PDFs, neither will they print.
It's an annoyance. Illustrator has a very nasty habbit of including all hidden objects in many formats upon save/export. PDF and EPS can be the most troublesome.
The best I found I can do is to delete the hidden objects, then save. Basically it's a 5 step processes...
Unhide all
Delete
Save As/Export
Undo
Hide
The Retain Illustrator Editing Capabilities will have no effect on this problem, as you've discovered.
A few boxes down from "Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities" is an option to "Create Acrobat Layers from Top-Level Layers". Make sure that is unchecked. See if that solves your problem! Source citation
As an aside, if you ever have this problem in InDesign, there's a choice front and center on the export dialog to export visible and printable layers only.
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