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doss79 Calculating status...

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arcGIS to Illustrator issue? weird bars

Sep 20, 2012 6:50 AM

I'm getting a mysterious problem when trying to work with Illustrator files that, I think, were exported from arcGIS. The problem is that when I open the exported file in Illustrator, I get "horizontal transparent bars" that don't let me edit the layers. Perhaps the file is being exported from arcGIS as RGB?

Any clue? Thanks!

416 Views 4 Replies Latest reply: MapgirlAJ, Jan 2, 2013 10:20 AM

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1. Mylenium,

Sep 20, 2012 6:55 AM in reply to doss79

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Provide screenshots including the layer palette or a sample file. It's unlikely that this has anything to do with color modes at all 'cos CAD and GIS programs usualyl don't care for that sort of thing and will export RGB coded colors in most cases. Therefore blaming them for something that they do anyway seem a bit far flung...

Mylenium

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2. doss79,

Sep 20, 2012 7:06 AM in reply to Mylenium

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I can't provide screenshots of the actual project due to the sensitive nature. However, I have found exactly what I am having issues with:

http://www.cartotalk.com/index.php?showtopic=1186

If anyone has any advice or comments on this, please share it. I'm a new employee at this place and having to learn everything on my own and could use some help!

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3. Larry G. Schneider,

Sep 20, 2012 7:39 AM in reply to doss79

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It is the use of transparency which causes all the layers below the on that is transparent to be rendered as an image. You will have to have the files re-exported from ARC with all transparency turned off.

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4. MapgirlAJ,

Jan 2, 2013 10:20 AM in reply to Larry G. Schneider

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I also use ArcMap to export layers out to Illustrator. The big problem I am finding is with fills in general. Some fills work, and some just confuse ArcMap into thinking it is an image (hence the bars of images, rather than vector lines)
If it is possible, have the person export the layers as "simple" objects (not cartographic, just lines with no fills) and that works like a charm for me. I do all of the styling in Illustrator anyway, so it doesn't matter what it looks like coming out of Arc. Good luck!

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