Artwork Requires Flattening?

jtholley03

unread,

Oct 21, 2002, 4:35:30 PM10/21/02

to

Have 2 spot color files that when doing save as have warning at the bottom "The document has layers that require flattening"?
File is only one layer. If I flatten it and reopen I get the same crap. They will not print.
Anyone have any ideas?

Scott Weichert •

unread,

Oct 21, 2002, 5:45:43 PM10/21/02

to

Flattening in this case refers to transparency.

Robert J M

unread,

Oct 23, 2002, 9:28:08 AM10/23/02

to

I am having a similar problem. It appears to be a simple document, with two placed pictures and a bunch of text. When I try to save it as an EPS, I get the error about requires flattening.

How do you correct this?

Gary Newman

unread,

Oct 23, 2002, 12:25:50 PM10/23/02

to

You will get this notice if your document contains any transparency effects. This includes anything from the Effects menu (dropshadow, feather, etc.) blending modes, and many Styles.

Joseph Briggs

unread,

Oct 25, 2002, 1:20:55 PM10/25/02

to

You will also find that when using transparency effects with spot color elements that finding a workaround to flattening is next to, if not, impossible. Of course, you can't flatten without AI converting it to your Working Color space so it won't separate correctly.

Best policy is to eliminate the transparency when it involves spot color elements. You can find them in the Layers palette, its circle on the right should be greyscaled instead of plain white. It might be hidden in a group though, so check everything with a disclosure arrow.

It should be in the Select menu, under the Object submenu, Objects with Transparency, but they haven't gotten to that feature yet.

© Scott Weichert 1969

unread,

Oct 25, 2002, 4:03:37 PM10/25/02

to

Actually, it's installed when you install 9 and 10.

It's just not installed in the right place for it to function by default.

Look on your hard drive Joseph, in the Illustrator folder > Utilities > Flattening preview.
Just drag the plug in to the plug ins folder and relaunch Illustrator.

Joseph Briggs

unread,

Oct 25, 2002, 3:47:49 PM10/25/02

to

That's good to know, thanks.

But where is it? I've looked on AI 9 & 10 upgrade disks, the AI 10 install disk, can't find it anywhere.

I'd want it for AI 9 since that's where most of the works done (10 is only used to convert 10 docs to 9, so sad).

Jeff Ruminski

unread,

Oct 25, 2002, 3:00:42 PM10/25/02

to

there is a a preview flattening plugin on the cd that will save you a lot of time looking for the trouble makers.

-Jeff

Jeff Ruminski

unread,

Oct 25, 2002, 4:09:31 PM10/25/02

to

thanks scott,

I couldn't remember where i got that from and was still looking for it, I just knew i had to install it manually.

-Jeff

Joseph Briggs

unread,

Oct 25, 2002, 4:31:10 PM10/25/02

to

Yes, thanks both. I found it for 10 but not 9. Did a search of the hard drive and could only find "Flatten Suite" in 9's plugins. It doesn't seem like that would be it though since AI 10 also has one.