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Layered PDF into Layered PSD

New Here ,
Dec 21, 2017 Dec 21, 2017

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Hello everyone,

This is probably expert question.

What is the best way how to achieve this result. I am researching this for a quite a while now.

Now I do it manually

Is there any preflight option I am missing or something else ?

kind regards,

TP

what-i-need.jpg

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Explorer ,
Dec 21, 2017 Dec 21, 2017

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Hi theodorp87077972

I think the question is not clear enough?

I couldn't find any difference between these two files or previews.

The existed file is already has the transparency because there is any fill layer for the background, but the Adobe Acrobat view the transparency as "White background" while the Photoshop is viewing the transparent layer.

please, correct me if you have different point.

Thanks,

wael

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New Here ,
Dec 21, 2017 Dec 21, 2017

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Yes you are right I wasn't clear enough.

The picture represents what i want to achieve but cannot.

Here is my layered pdf from autocad.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jyz9dpw8mze4vo8/file.pdf?dl=0

And I want to be able to open layered pdf from autocad as a layered psd in Photoshop.

regards,

TP

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LEGEND ,
Dec 21, 2017 Dec 21, 2017

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You may consider asking either in the Acrobat forum (this one is for the free Reader) or the Photoshop forum. You'll get more people with experience in this.

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New Here ,
Dec 21, 2017 Dec 21, 2017

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I am sorry about posting in the wrong forum can somebody move it there ?

Or should I start it there again ?

T.

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LEGEND ,
Feb 07, 2018 Feb 07, 2018

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It looks like it's already been moved to the Photoshop forum which is probably the best place for it.

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New Here ,
Feb 07, 2018 Feb 07, 2018

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Thank you anyone who moved it.

I am not sure where is the answer to my problem. I hope it lies somewhere between Acrobat, Photoshop and Illustrator.

T.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 07, 2018 Feb 07, 2018

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I'm not sure I completely understand your workflow, but here's what I think you are trying to do.

1. create a layered illustration with auto cad

2. save the auto cad as a layered PDF

3. Open the PDF in Photoshop and retain the layers?

The only way that I know to open a layered PDF as layers in Photoshop is when the file was created in Photoshop to start with, and saved as a PDF with layers. I am pretty certain you can't do this with your current workflow.

Have you tried copy and paste from auto cad to Photoshop? You could copy and paste each layer separately.

Or have you tried opening the PDF in Illustrator?

Why do you want to open the PDF in Photoshop anyway? Auto cad creates vector art. Photoshop is primarily a bitmap editor. Illustrator seems like a better match.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 07, 2018 Feb 07, 2018

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I agree with Teresa. You want Illustrator not Photoshop. It is considered "incorrect" to edit a PDF in Illustrator, but when you do, the Layers are all there and everything is still vector.

Save a copy first, as you don't want to destroy the original. And some things may not work, but most will.

If you still have the AutoCad file, you might be able to Export or Save it directly to Illustrator with layers.

Let us know if you want this thread moved to the Illustrator forum.

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New Here ,
Feb 08, 2018 Feb 08, 2018

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Thank you Therese for your Response.

Yes, You are right. In large picture of my workflow. I am trying to get my layered architectural drawing from Autocad into the photoshop with same layers. Thank you, for clearing that up.

Have you tried copy and paste from auto cad to Photoshop?

Nice out of the box thinking. Upon your suggestion i have tried and found out that there is some very old command for postscript export sadly I wasn't able to make it work the way I desire.

what-i-need-2.jpg

Or have you tried opening the PDF in Illustrator?

I had It opens in one layer and the geometry is all messed up.

Why do you want to open the PDF in Photoshop anyway? Auto cad creates vector art. Photoshop is primarily a bitmap editor. Illustrator seems like a better match.

So It makes this workflow twice as fast at minimum.

Architecture plan render by photoshop - YouTube

58952030.jpg

Thank you all for your answers so far.

You can also use pdf I have provided, for your tests.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jyz9dpw8mze4vo8/file.pdf?dl=0

kind regards,

Theodor

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Community Expert ,
Feb 08, 2018 Feb 08, 2018

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How many layers are in an average CAD file?

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New Here ,
Feb 08, 2018 Feb 08, 2018

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How many layers are in an average CAD file?

It varies a lot. Urban and landscape plans can have up to 150 layers. I would usually use for photoshoping around 12.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 08, 2018 Feb 08, 2018

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Adobe says it has to be saved in AutoCAD 7 to import directly to Illustrator:

How to import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files to Illustrator

This site says you can go from AutoCAD 10 to Illustrator:

AutoCAD to Adobe Illustrator Workflow - Dylan Brown Designs

And the AutoCAD forum discusses the best way to make a PDF from AutoCAD so it can be opened in Illustrator.

Export pdf for illustrator - Autodesk Community

How are you making your PDF? Maybe that's the issue?

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New Here ,
Feb 12, 2018 Feb 12, 2018

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LATEST

Thanks Jane for your answer.

I am familiar with presented solutions, they are all successful in exporting drawings into pdf or eps files. The problem is that they don't keep the layer information.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 08, 2018 Feb 08, 2018

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You can duplicate the PDF as many times as required, then turn off visibility of all layers except one, then flatten… then repeat for the other layers. Then you can rasterize each PDF into Photoshop, save and then use a script to merge all files into a single layered file.

merge.png

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Community Expert ,
Feb 08, 2018 Feb 08, 2018

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@Stephen_A_Marsh,

Will that method keep his AutoCAD drawing looking like it is, or will all the layers be centered on top of each other?

How would a script handle it differently than "Load Files into Photoshop Layers..." from Bridge?

~Jane

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Community Expert ,
Feb 08, 2018 Feb 08, 2018

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Hi jane-e,

In my quick test, as long as each separate “single isolated layer” PDF is rasterized using the same bounding box data (such as media box), the content should line up correctly. One could of course combine the separate PDF files into a single multi page PDF using Acrobat Pro, which would mean that the rasterization could be done in a single step. Or one could rasterize directly out of Acrobat Pro, however I prefer Photoshop as for many years Acrobat Pro rasterization did not produce anti-aliased art.

The command you mention is a script and would be suitable. They key being that one would have to first save the files, as when initially rasterized into Photoshop, they are unsaved docs.

What would take more work is to retain the original PDF layer name in the Photoshop file.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 08, 2018 Feb 08, 2018

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Thanks, Stephen!

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New Here ,
Feb 12, 2018 Feb 12, 2018

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Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

I would like to clarify, that I am able to do desired result. In my current workflow I Export EPS files of each layer from Acrobat than combine them in Photoshop. I am just trying to find better way of doing it.

Because as I specified some drawings can get up to twelve layers that is twelve manual exports from acrobat and than combining them in Photoshop via script. But this workflow gets very tedious very fast. In recent project I have been making ten drawings this way an that is 10*12=120 manual exports.

Somebody suggested opening dwg in illustrator.

New information to me is that illustrator is better at opening older dwg.

Problem is that illustrator opens the whole drawing. It opens all the plans and all the geometry in the file even the one not used in the current drawing.

regards,

T.

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