how to unlock a file!

[LMSigns24]

I just placed a file into illustrator and everything is grouped together and will not unlock. I have, unlocked, ungrouped, flattened and i cant grab any of the artwork. i do not understand! The artwork is good quality, but i need to grab each piece of art, and can't. help! Thanks!

 

[The Vector Doctor]

maybe it is not vector? What kind of file was placed?

 

[Sign_Boy]

How did you try to unlock it?
Ctrl + Alt + 2 or just in the layers palette?

 

[Bobby H]

Have you tried the Flatten Transparency dialog box? I often use that to get artwork from PDFs when I don't have the fonts embedded in the document. It converts everything to outlines and then you can grab it.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Have you tried the Flatten Transparency dialog box? I often use that to get artwork from PDFs when I don't have the fonts embedded in the document. It converts everything to outlines and then you can grab it.

Do this, or try to release a clipping mask. ctrl-alt-7 releases them. Usually when a file is placed into Illustrator it comes in clipped, sometimes clipped a couple times. So you might have to hit ctrl-alt-7 a few times until it releases everything.

 

[LMSigns24]

She sent me the art in an EPS. I can only select 1 piece of art and that is a big black circle in the background. All the other pieces seem to be locked to the artboard or something.

 

[LMSigns24]

Ok, now i feel dumb lol. I opened the layers palette and unlocked from there. Thank you!

 

[Sign_Boy]

Ok, now i feel dumb lol. I opened the layers palette and unlocked from there. Thank you!

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Ok, now i feel dumb lol. I opened the layers palette and unlocked from there. Thank you!

Aww man the old lock the layers trick! Designers love to pull that crap, I've spent seemingly hours of my life trying to figure out what in the world is wrong with Illustrator files only to have ignored this most basic of things...

 

[Sign_Boy]

Aww man the old lock the layers trick! Designers love to pull that crap, I've spent seemingly hours of my life trying to figure out what in the world is wrong with Illustrator files only to have ignored this most basic of things...

:ROFLMAO: That's the first thing I check when an illy file is supplied.

Heck I've been given files that had text or objects with no fill or stroke randomly placed in different layers both locked and unlocked.
Can't see them until everything is selected.
What a PITA that can be to find and remove them all, but it is kind of funny if you think about it

 

[Rick]

I know illustrator real well, but I have gotten tripped up on designer files with layer locking more time than I care to admit...

 

[Bobby H]

When sending certain Illustrator files to other companies for outsourced work, such as grand format printed billboard faces, I'll often have some items locked and made invisible on other layers, like the visible opening border. I make sure to clearly label every layer and let them know about the layering order.

I usually have my layers palette open, so it's rare for me to ever get tripped up by a locked or invisible layer.

 

[boxerbay]

my favorite is when they put some random object at the 220 inch mark where you cant see it on the 24x36 artboard until right before your ready to print and the preview in the rip comes up as a 220 x 36 file. or they send you a three color file for cut vinyl but still have all the unnecessary cut paths underneath or one of them is a gradient blend with 200 steps.

 

[phototec]

When sending certain Illustrator files to other companies for outsourced work, such as grand format printed billboard faces, I'll often have some items locked and made invisible on other layers, like the visible opening border. I make sure to clearly label every layer and let them know about the layering order.

I usually have my layers palette open, so it's rare for me to ever get tripped up by a locked or invisible layer.

Always us a different LAYERS for each component of a design!

Always LABEL each LAYER!

Always have LAYERS PALETTE OPEN!