Designer export PDF with layers

[jimpap]

Designer 2.3
I'm trying to export my artwork to a PDF file including layers. Even if I check this option in to the export tab, the created PDF doesn't include layers viewed by any PDF reader. They only appear in Designer. Is there a way to export layers even for PDF viewers?

Regards

Edited January 7, 2024 by jimpap

[GarryP]

Welcome to the forums @jimpap

Some versions of the PDF format don’t allow for exporting with layers intact.

Also, if you have used Effects and/or some other functionalities then the export may not, in some situations, contain any layers because of rasterisation.

There may also be various other issues.

If you can share the AFDESIGN document then we can have a look at it and try to see what the problem is.
Otherwise we are just guessing at what the problem could be because of the many possibilities.

Also, can you give us screenshots of your export options so we can check them against what you are trying to do?

Note: Some PDF viewers may not handle layers so if you can tell us which PDF viewer(s) you are using we can check them (in a basic way) for ‘compliance’ with the exported PDF.

Note: Starting to export to a PDF version which allows for layers, turning ON Include Layers, then switching to a PDF version which doesn’t allow for layers will automatically turn Include Layers OFF, and it will not be automatically turned back ON when switching back to a PDF version that does allow for layers. (This is something that the developers might need to fix.)

[Hangman]

Hi @jimpap and another warm welcome to the forum,

2 hours ago, jimpap said:

I'm trying to export my artwork to a PDF file including layers. Even if I check this option in to the export tab, the created PDF doesn't include layers viewed by any PDF reader. They only appear in Designer. Is there a way to export layers even for PDF viewers?

You need to use Layers with a Capital 'L' in Affinity Designer created by either clicking the 'Add Layer' icon at the bottom of the Layers panel or via the Layer Menu using 'Layer > New Layer'.

Then when exporting to PDF ensure you have 'Include layers' enabled and you will then be able to view the Layers in any PDF reader that supports Layers, e.g., Acrobat Reader, Foxit PDF Reader, Evince etc.,

Note: If you're on Mac, Apple Preview doesn't support viewing Layers...

Note: Layers are only supported in PDF 1.5 and above...

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[jimpap]

Issue solved, thank you all for the super fast and deep analysis!!! 

2 hours ago, GarryP said:

export options

my export options were the default digital-small size with no altered options

2 hours ago, GarryP said:

which PDF viewer(s) you are using

was tested in PDF Xchange Viewer, WPS, and Acrobat Reader

2 hours ago, GarryP said:

share the AFDESIGN document

did so for future reference, I upload the original my first "erroneous" attempt, and a second version with PDFs including layers

@Hangman before posting this topic I read your answer to another, similar topic. Now, + @lacerto it is much more clear to me how "Layers" work. ("3rd degree" test?! - respect!)

Thank you ALL!

jp1.afdesign jp1.pdf jp2.afdesign jp2.pdf

Edited January 7, 2024 by jimpap

[Callum]

On 1/7/2024 at 10:13 AM, lacerto said:

I now made a "3rd degree" test and it seems Affinity apps have an error reading in back what they write:

 

When reading the PDF back in:

 

That it is a reading error, can be proven if the same PDF is opened in Inkscape:

 

 

Hi Lacerto,

Would you be able to provide the .afpublisher file used in this demonstration so I can log this issue with our developers?

Thanks
C

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Jeff Dehut]

This thread is super helpful for me, thank you!

Exporting layers to be read in Illustrator by others is a very important need for me and my clients. I am nearly ready to make the switch to Affinity apps exclusively, but this ability is holding me back. I've tried various things without success. Is there anything I may be missing?

[MikeW]

49 minutes ago, Jeff Dehut said:

This thread is super helpful for me, thank you!

Exporting layers to be read in Illustrator by others is a very important need for me and my clients. I am nearly ready to make the switch to Affinity apps exclusively, but this ability is holding me back. I've tried various things without success. Is there anything I may be missing?

Adobe Illustrator doesn't support  Optional Content Groups, commonly called Layers, when opening a pdf that contains Layers. 

[Jeff Dehut]

I may have found a workaround! I hope this can be helpful to others.

If you create your file in Designer without an Artboard, use the Layers to organize your content, export as SVG, then Adobe Illustrator will read the layers nested within one additional top-level layer. I've attached my test files below.

Designer2-LayersToAI.afdesign Designer2-LayersToAI.svg

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Jeff Dehut]

Hm. You're right, that's not going to work for me. This is that one thing that holds me back from ditching Adobe altogether because I have one client who needs layers in pdfs for printing purposes. I assume Illustrator has some proprietary way os saving layer information in pdfs then?

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Thomas-L]

Wish I had read earlier about the PDF layer issues. 

What a massive letdown. I was ready to send my design to the printer and had to realize now that PDF layers to not get correctly exported. Some layers are missing, others do not contain all their elements and some shapes are entirely on their own even though they are part of a layer group. 

Hopefully, I can find a workaround through the SVG export or other workarounds, but it's unfortunately not the tool that I can use in a professional environment. 

Just bought the whole suite during Black Friday. 

[Loopkin]

7 hours ago, Thomas-L said:

What a massive letdown. ... Just bought the whole suite during Black Friday. 

Same for me 😞

On 6/20/2024 at 9:53 PM, Jeff Dehut said:

I have one client who needs layers in pdfs for printing purposes

Same for me 😔

Acrobat sees my pdf layers (from Designer) but Illustrator doesn't...

If you want to generate a pdf with layers visible by Illustrator, you have to, with Illustrator, to save as pdf with "Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities" enabled...

Illustrator sees my svg layers (from Designer) but we lose the Color Mode, Colour Profile, and Artboard...

Does anyone know a software capable of saving pdf with "Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities" enabled ?