Layers doc. has flattened itself

[wade_ma...@adobeforums.com]

HI

I have been working on a document with many layers. I recently exported to PDF's for proofing purposes and saved. (still with layers intact). I then moved on to other work, now when i opened the "layers" file, it has flattened into one layer. I did not flatten it myself.

Is there a way of recovering the file with all layers?

Much needed assistance to avoid losing a month of work.

Thanks in advance
wade

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

Nope, you're going to have to go back to your backup copy.

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

Next time, don't forget to check "Preserve Photoshop Editing Capabilities" when saving your PDF.

Did you overwrite your file during saving? How did you manage that without deleting the .pdf extension?

[Buko]

first off files just don't flatten themselves.

second you don't export PDFs from Photoshop you save as.

the only way I can think that this happened is:

You were using PDF as the main file format when you saved you unchecked preserve Photoshop editing capabilities and saved over your work file.

PDF is not the best format to use as a work file.

[J_Ma...@adobeforums.com]

Converting to CMYK flattens the file, regardless of "PS compatibilities". I just did this myself and was quite pissed at how easy it was to do. The joboption shouldn't have been converting to CMYK and I still haven't sussed out what exactly happened.

PDF is not the best format to use as a work file.

I agree :) , and think this disclaimer should accompany PDF's glowing reviews as a file format. You know, to protect us idiots...

[Ann_She...@adobeforums.com]

When you Convert to CMYK, look out for the little Check Box (which is ticked by Default) that asks if you want to flatten the file.

I prefer to make a duplicate flattened file before converting to CMYK so that my Layered Master RGB file remains intact.

[J_Ma...@adobeforums.com]

Converting to CMYK by saving a PDF with "convert to profile (SWOP)" in the PDF joboptions. No custom preset on my machine has this option turned on, but I managed to do it using one of my supposed presets. Don't know if it was just a bug on my machine. But I vote no on PDFs as working files....

[Ann_She...@adobeforums.com]

I think that Converting to a different Color Space may always flatten by default unless you use the Edit menu/Convert … method and turn off the Check Box.

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

…Converting to a different Color Space may always flatten by default unless

you use the Edit menu/Convert … method and turn off the Check Box

Yup.

[Mike_O...@adobeforums.com]

Converting to a different Color Space may always flatten by default unless you use the Edit menu/Convert … method and turn off the Check Box

It should read, converting to a different color MODE may flatten your file if the layer contents are not transferable between spaces.

[Ann_She...@adobeforums.com]

Correct!

An incorrect use of "Color Space" instead of Mode by me!

I always use the Edit/Convert Profile when changing Color Mode (because of the greater choices that it offers) and it is well worth it to attach a keyboard shortcut to that menu item.

[Mike_O...@adobeforums.com]

color = colour.

same shit.

[Ann_She...@adobeforums.com]

But the latter is based on the French.

[Mark_R...@adobeforums.com]

…who invented it. Its a pity your founding fathers couldn't spell.

[wade_ma...@adobeforums.com]

ok - thanks all. looks like i have to start over if there are client changes.
Gonna have to be more careful i guess in future.

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

Color is Latin, and it predates French by quite a margin.

No need to go through intermediaries. ;)