Controlling flattening using transparency flattener presets


    In most cases, Illustrator's flattening process produces excellent results. However, if your artwork contains complex overlapping areas and you require high-resolution output, you can control the degree to which artwork is rasterized.

    If you regularly print or export documents that contain transparency, you can automate the flattening process by saving flattening settings in a transparency flattener preset. You can then apply these settings for print output as well as for saving and exporting files to Adobe Illustrator, PDF 1.3, and EPS formats, and copying to the Clipboard. These settings also control how flattening occurs when exporting to formats that don't support transparency.

    You can also export transparency flattener presets, making it easy to back them up or to make them available to your service providers, your clients, or others in your workgroup.

    For your convenience, Illustrator includes three predefined transparency flattener presets. The settings of each are designed to match the quality and speed of the flattening with an appropriate resolution for rasterized transparent areas, depending on the document's intended use:

    • High Resolution is for final press output, and for high-quality proofs such as separations-based color proofs.
    • Medium Resolution is for desktop proofs and print-on-demand documents that will be printed on PostScript color printers.
    • Low Resolution is for quick proofs that will be printed on black-and-white desktop printers.

    Note: If the artwork does not contain transparency, the document will not be flattened and the flattening settings are not relevant. Use the Flattener Preview palette to determine whether the artwork contains transparency. (See Using the Flattener Preview palette.)

    For information on applying and saving transparency flattening presets during exporting and copying, see Saving artwork in Illustrator format, Saving artwork in Adobe PDF, Saving artwork in EPS format, and Using the Clipboard to copy artwork.

To choose a transparency flattening preset in the Print dialog box:

  1. Choose File > Print, and choose Advanced from the list on the left.
  2. Choose a transparency flattener preset from the Preset menu. You can choose from the current transparency flattener preset, the default presets, or a custom preset.

To specify transparency flattening settings with the Print dialog box:

  1. Choose File > Print, and choose Advanced from the list on the left.
  2. Choose a transparency flattener preset from the Preset menu. You can choose from the current transparency flattener preset, the default presets, or a custom preset.
  3. Click Custom to create a new preset based on the existing one.
  4. Specify flattening options as described in Transparency flattener options and click OK.
  5. Important: These settings are used for the current operation only. You need to create and export settings using the Transparency Flattener Presets command to name and save settings.

To create flattening settings with the Edit menu:

  1. Choose Edit > Transparency Flattener Presets
  2. Choose a transparency flattener preset from the Preset menu or no preset at all. You can choose from the current transparency flattener preset, the default presets, or a custom preset.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Click New to create a new preset based on the selected preset.
    • Click Edit to edit the selected preset.

    Note: You can't edit the default transparency flattener presets.

  4. Specify flattening options as described in Transparency flattener options.
  5. Click OK to return to the Transparency Flattener Presets dialog box, and click OK again.
  6. The resulting presets are contained in the Adobe Illustrator CS Settings folder on your system.

To export a custom transparency flattener preset:

  1. Choose Edit > Transparency Flattener Presets.
  2. Select one or more presets in the list and click Export. Shift-click to select adjacent presets. Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) to select nonadjacent presets.
  3. Specify a name and location, and then click Save.
  4. Tip icon Consider saving the preset outside of the Illustrator preferences folder. That way, it won't be lost if you delete your preferences.

To import a transparency flattener preset:

  1. Choose Edit > Transparency Flattener Presets.
  2. Click Import.
  3. Locate and select the file containing the preset you want to load, and then click Open.

To rename or delete a custom transparency flattener preset:

  1. Choose Edit > Transparency Flattener Presets.
  2. Do one of the following and click OK:
    • To rename an existing preset, select it in the list, click Edit, type a new name, and then click OK.
    • To delete presets, select one or more in the list and click Delete. Shift-click to select adjacent presets. Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) to select nonadjacent presets.

    Note: You cannot delete the default presets.

To create flattening settings from the Flattener Preview palette:

  1. Choose Window > Flattener Preview. Then choose Show Options from the palette menu.
  2. Choose a transparency flattener preset from the Preset menu. You can choose from the current transparency flattener preset, the default presets, or a custom preset.
  3. Specify flattening options as described in Transparency flattener options. The name of the preset changes to "Custom" in the Preset pop-up menu.
  4. Preview the results in the palette. (See Using the Flattener Preview palette.)
  5. Choose one of the following from the palette menu:
    • Save Transparency Flattener Preset. Then type a name in the Preset Name text box and click OK.
    • Redefine Preset [name] to apply the changed settings to that preset.

To create flattening settings for an individual object:

  1. Select the object.
  2. Choose Object > Flatten Transparency.
  3. Choose a transparency flattener preset from the Preset menu. You can choose from the current transparency flattener preset, the default presets, or a custom preset.
  4. Specify flattening options as described in Transparency flattener options.
  5. Select Preview to preview the results of the settings in the document.
  6. Do one of the following:
    • To use the settings for that object, click OK.
    • To save the settings for use with other objects and documents in the current session, click Save Preset. Then type a name in the Preset Name text box, click OK to return to the Flatten Transparency dialog box, and click OK again.

    Important: These settings are used for the current session only. You need to create and export settings using the Transparency Flattener Presets command to name and save settings.