How do I set a transparent color?

[Newlyman]

I am trying to edit images that I have from a PDF document. The PDF is available for copying yet when I "select all" it does not copy. I use the graphic select tool to get the image I want but it comes with the background color, how can I get rid of that color and leave the image I want to edit? Jeez hope you can understand this.
N.

 

[askIllustrator]

Just open the PDF into illustrator. If you still have the "background" then it is a raster based image and you create a clipping path and mask it.

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." -Einstein

 

[Triska]

That's right... the only way to maintain complete (sometimes) editability over a PDF is to open it in Illustrator.

Copy/Paste should be a last resort in most cases for transferring data between programs, as there are often conversions taking place that destroy editability or reduce quality.

You can also Extract individual pages from Acrobat and save them as .EPS, and/or Save the PDF as a .PS (postscript) and then REdistill it with Distiller, giving you control over font embedding/ PS levels etc.

Sef.

It is alright to decorate construction, but never construct decoration. - Pugin, on Arch.

http://www.elucidesign.com

 

[Newlyman]

Thanks for the great suggestions, however they don't work. What has happenned is a document was built by an individual within the company and has since left with the security password for the document. I cannot open it in illustrator because of the password and I cannot extract pages. More ideas are appreciated.
N.

 

[Newlyman]

All of your suggestions work like a charm once I found a program to strip the password from the document.
Thank you for the help