Why does export to AI rasterize all my vector layers?

Question

I have no raster layers in my map document and no transparencies. Yet the map is rasterized when exported to AI. (Map frame and coordinate grid are vector graphics but everything in the map itself is a single raster image)

I've exported maps to AI before and I did not have this problem. This time the map is quite large (ANSI E @ 34"x44") Perhaps that is the problem?

I know that all layers below a raster layer get rasterized in the output, any transparent layers and layers below a transparent layers. What are the other factors that will cause the AI exported to rasterize all the layers?

Answer 1

Jakup: Here's a link to an ESRI page that has links to both the 9x sample and the 10x code: http://support.esri.com/en/knowledgebase/techarticles/detail/29935

9x had a Detect Complex Output sample that could alert one to the presence of a symbol, setting, etc. that was causing rasterization. I can't find a similar sample made for 10x and haven't tried installing it anyway to see if it would work. ESRI offers an arcpy script to do the same supposedly. The script looks odd here so here's the link: http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//00sm00000003000000

import arcpy

def DetectRasterization():
  mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("CURRENT")
  df_list = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd)
  foundRasterization = False
  noneFoundMsg = "No rasterizing layers were detected."
  for df in df_list:
    lyr_list = arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, data_frame=df)
    for lyr in lyr_list:
      if lyr.isRasterizingLayer or lyr.supports("BRIGHTNESS"):
        foundRasterization = True
        if lyr.isGroupLayer and lyr.transparency > 0:
          print "In data frame '" + df.name + "', the group layer '" + \
                   lyr.longName + "' is a rasterizing layer:\r",
          print "\tVisibility is " + str(lyr.visible) + ".\n" + \
                "\tTransparency is " + str(lyr.transparency) + " percent.\n"
        elif not lyr.isGroupLayer:
          print "In data frame '" + df.name + "', the layer '" + \
                   lyr.longName + "' is a rasterizing layer:\r",
          if lyr.transparency > 0:
            print "\tVisibility is " + str(lyr.visible) + ".\n" + \
                  "\tTransparency is " + str(lyr.transparency) + " percent.\n"
          else:
            print "\tVisibility is " + str(lyr.visible) + ".\n" + \
                  "\tTransparency is 0 percent, but the layer may be a\n" + \
                  "\traster layer or contain rasterizing symbology such\n" + \
                  "\tas bitmap picture symbols.\n"
      del lyr
    del lyr_list
    del df
  if not foundRasterization:
    print noneFoundMsg
  del df_list
  del mxd

DetectRasterization()