flattening questions

[Eddie]

howdy

pretty confused here.

Illustrator 9 files. If I "Flatten all layers" is the file truly
flattened? Or does some sort of additional flattening occur when i
save as EPS? I have the default flattening setting in Document Set Up.

I never seem to have any warnings about flattening until I use
Illustrator's Dropshadow commands. Does it matter if I choose Effect
or Filter? If I use Dropshadow, should I choose a different
"Flattening" setting in Document Set up?

thanks

[Paul Asente]

In article <kpevf0d3m157kkp8m...@4ax.com>,
Eddie <Edwardappl...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Illustrator 9 files. If I "Flatten all layers" is the file truly
> flattened? Or does some sort of additional flattening occur when i
> save as EPS? I have the default flattening setting in Document Set Up.

Flattening layers takes all visible objects and moves them into a single
layer. This has nothing to do with the flattening that occurs when you
save as EPS, which takes transparent artwork and splits it up into
nontransparent pieces. If you want to do that manually, you can do it
with the Flatten command in the Object menu, but there's no real reason
to do it.

> I never seem to have any warnings about flattening until I use
> Illustrator's Dropshadow commands. Does it matter if I choose Effect
> or Filter? If I use Dropshadow, should I choose a different
> "Flattening" setting in Document Set up?

Using drop shadow introduces transparency into your file, so it needs to
be flattened when you save to EPS, which doesn't support transparency.
It doesn't matter whether you use the filter or the effect, if your drop
shadow isn't fully opaque, using normal blending mode, and unblurred,
your file will need to be flattened.

-- paul asente
To reply, make the host be the same as my last name

[Eddie]

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 10:57:57 -0700, Paul Asente
<use...@not-asente.com> wrote:

>In article <kpevf0d3m157kkp8m...@4ax.com>,
> Eddie <Edwardappl...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Illustrator 9 files. If I "Flatten all layers" is the file truly
>> flattened? Or does some sort of additional flattening occur when i
>> save as EPS? I have the default flattening setting in Document Set Up.
>
>Flattening layers takes all visible objects and moves them into a single
>layer. This has nothing to do with the flattening that occurs when you
>save as EPS, which takes transparent artwork and splits it up into
>nontransparent pieces. If you want to do that manually, you can do it
>with the Flatten command in the Object menu, but there's no real reason
>to do it.

Woah! thats it! you just answered my other question. I never noticed
that before on the Object menu.

I've got white text with a black dropshadow on it. As soon as i select
that text and hit flatten object, blammo, i get a horrible ugly white
box behind the type and the shadow.

Same thing i get if i "save as pdf" from Illustrator 9, but, doesnt
show up if i print to .ps and let Distiller rip the .ps file.

any ideas? I've tried various settings within the flatten object file

thanks anyway, that was a small piece of this puzzle

Is this some Illustrator 9 bug?

>
>> I never seem to have any warnings about flattening until I use
>> Illustrator's Dropshadow commands. Does it matter if I choose Effect
>> or Filter? If I use Dropshadow, should I choose a different
>> "Flattening" setting in Document Set up?
>
>Using drop shadow introduces transparency into your file, so it needs to
>be flattened when you save to EPS, which doesn't support transparency.

then how come if i flatten all layers, save as EPS, even tho a little
warning at the bottom says, this artwork requires flattening, save it
anyway, place in Quark, it prints fine to a postscript printer?