I’m working with an EPS file created by someone else. I’m trying to bring an object to the front in an effort to change the background color and it will not work. The object I want in the background (basically a dark rectangle) is on a layer that is below the object I want showing up on top. So layering is not the issue. I’m not sure if the object (a group of paths) is locked somehow or what - I can edit it just fine though. I’m not sure what I need to check.
You shouldn’t need to bring an object to the front just to change the color. It could be that the layer is locked (it would have the lock icon on the left next to the visibility icon). Can you see the separate layers in the layers palate?
If the background layer is completely covered by the foreground object you should be able to actively select the layer in the layers palate - an actively selected layer shows the colored square to the right that matches up with the “outline” color of layer’s anchor points, paths and bounding box (if visible). Hovering over that spot on the layers palate you will get a tool tip saying “Indicates Selected Art.” This colored box shows up automatically when you click on an object on the artboard. To select a layer directly from the layers palate you must click to the right of the circle where this colored square shows up. Now any changes to stroke/fill color, gradients, etc. will apply to that layer instead of the wrong layer or nothing at all.
Or you can turn off visibility for the objects above it in order to be able select it on the artboard.
most likely the layer is locked, so go to your menu, select object, then unlock all