PDF exports as an image (even after rasterized) and wont export as vector based pdf

[austriker27]

I'm trying to export my design as vector based file - PDF but it keeps just creating an image.

So I export as an PDF and have rasterized the artboard - I even tried exporting as an SVG.

Ive tried various presets like flatten. And I made sure to rasterize elements in the design like text.

Apologize if I missed something - I dont often use Affinity designer (once every few years).

 

Screenshot showing layers and export settings.

[Hangman]

Hi @austriker27 and welcome to the forums…

By rasterising everything you are converting the elements of your design into raster based artwork which is why, when exporting to pdf, you end up with an image based file…

To keep everything that starts out as vector based as a vector in your exported pdf you need to avoid rasterising everything…

If all your source artwork is vector based then export it as is and don’t rasterise anything and then your pdf will also be vector based though any naturally raster based elements, e.g a photo will still appear as an image within your exported file…

[austriker27]

36 minutes ago, Hangman said:

Hi @austriker27 and welcome to the forums…

By rasterising everything you are converting the elements of your design into raster based artwork which is why, when exporting to pdf, you end up with an image based file…

To keep everything that starts out as vector based as a vector in your exported pdf you need to avoid rasterising everything…

If all your source artwork is vector based then export it as is and don’t rasterise anything and then your pdf will also be vector based though any naturally raster based elements, e.g a photo will still appear as an image within your exported file…

Thanks!

 

Oooo shoot - I was thinking rasterize was the same thing as flatten into curves. Thanks for clarifying!

 

Guess I need to just undo a million times to get to a state where I dont have things rasterized? Is there a "undo rasterize" button by chance? 😀

Edited March 21, 2023 by austriker27

[Hangman]

Sadly there’s no undo rasterise button but if you still have the file open, i.e., you haven’t closed it since you rasterised everything then you could use the history panel to go back to the point before you started to rasterise or, assuming you saved the file in its vector state before you started rasterising and haven’t overwritten it with your rasterised changes, you could just close the file without saving those changes and open it back up again so it’s back in its vector format…

If you happen to have ‘Save history with file’ ticked in the File menu (which is off by default) then you would be able to open your file even if you’ had overwritten it with the rasterised changes and still have access to the full history of those changes allowing you to revert back to a pre rasterised state using the history panel slider…

[austriker27]

26 minutes ago, Hangman said:

Sadly there’s no undo rasterise button but if you still have the file open, i.e., you haven’t closed it since you rasterised everything then you could use the history panel to go back to the point before you started to rasterise or, assuming you saved the file in its vector state before you started rasterising and haven’t overwritten it with your rasterised changes, you could just close the file without saving those changes and open it back up again so it’s back in its vector format…

If you happen to have ‘Save history with file’ ticked in the File menu (which is off by default) then you would be able to open your file even if you’ had overwritten it with the rasterised changes and still have access to the full history of those changes allowing you to revert back to a pre rasterised state using the history panel slider…

Sweet, thank you! I just turned that feature on because I didnt know about it.

[Hangman]

Just so you’re aware, with that feature turned on it will generate larger file sizes but unless your document is hugely complex it won’t have any adverse effect and has the advantage of being a potential being a life saver if needed… 🙃