Adobe Illustrator - make 2 objects into one?

Author

make 2 objects into one?

Dave B

2005-06-03, 7:16 pm

Hi
I have 2 separate objects (left and right halves of a spade). If I put them
side by side to make the full spade, and do a black fill and a white stroke,
I get a white line up the middle because of there being an edge to each
side. I've tried some of the pathfinder tools to try and make one single
spade, but haven't had any luck. There must be a way to combine two objects
into one, yes?

Thanks!

Dave B

iehsmith

2005-06-03, 7:16 pm

On 6/3/05 2:44 PM, Dave B uttered:

> Hi
> I have 2 separate objects (left and right halves of a spade). If I put them
> side by side to make the full spade, and do a black fill and a white stroke,
> I get a white line up the middle because of there being an edge to each
> side. I've tried some of the pathfinder tools to try and make one single
> spade, but haven't had any luck. There must be a way to combine two objects
> into one, yes?

Hi Dave,

Not sure why you're having problems with the pathfinder tools since those
are the ones you'd use. It may be that they only appear to touch. Also, If
they both have strokes you might remove them till you've connected your
pieces. The strokes can be deceptive since half the stroke is inside the
path, half outside the path. Try selecting Outline under the View menu and
take a look at it at high magnification. Move the object so that the too
inner lines overlay or appear to be one (chcking the top and bottom of the
peices as well. Then use the first tool, Unite, in the Patherfinder palette:
Combine: Unite.

Should work. Once it's one peice you can stroke away:)

Alternatively you might use the Direct Select tool to select the vertical
line, delete that line on each piece; then direct select the anchors at the
top of each piece and command+J [Join] (or shift+option+command+J for
Average; whichever gives you best results), and do the same at the bottom.

You can also find Join and Average under the Object/Path menu. I'm afraid I
don't know the Windows shortcuts for the function.

hth,
inez

steggy

2005-06-03, 7:16 pm

Dave B wrote:
>
> Hi
> I have 2 separate objects (left and right halves of a spade). If I put them
> side by side to make the full spade, and do a black fill and a white stroke,
> I get a white line up the middle because of there being an edge to each
> side. I've tried some of the pathfinder tools to try and make one single
> spade, but haven't had any luck. There must be a way to combine two objects
> into one, yes?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Dave B

Join the 2 objects.

The left has two end points, so does the right one, am I right?
Choose the open arrow (Direct Selection tool), select the
top open end points of both half spades and hit Join
(Object>>Path>>Join or simply Command-J)

Do the same with the bottom end points. It will end up as
one closed path which you can fill. You can only fill a
closed path to get what you want.

--
steg

steggy

2005-06-03, 7:16 pm

iehsmith wrote:
>
> On 6/3/05 2:44 PM, Dave B uttered:
>
>
> Hi Dave,
>
> Not sure why you're having problems with the pathfinder tools since those
> are the ones you'd use. It may be that they only appear to touch. Also, If
> they both have strokes you might remove them till you've connected your
> pieces. The strokes can be deceptive since half the stroke is inside the
> path, half outside the path. Try selecting Outline under the View menu and
> take a look at it at high magnification. Move the object so that the too
> inner lines overlay or appear to be one (chcking the top and bottom of the
> peices as well. Then use the first tool, Unite, in the Patherfinder palette:
> Combine: Unite.
>
> Should work. Once it's one peice you can stroke away:)
>
> Alternatively you might use the Direct Select tool to select the vertical
> line, delete that line on each piece; then direct select the anchors at the
> top of each piece and command+J [Join] (or shift+option+command+J for
> Average; whichever gives you best results), and do the same at the bottom.
>
> You can also find Join and Average under the Object/Path menu. I'm afraid I
> don't know the Windows shortcuts for the function.
>
> hth,
> inez

DUH! I was making some coffee before hitting send:))
..
--
steg

iehsmith

2005-06-03, 7:16 pm

On 6/3/05 3:36 PM, steggy uttered:

> DUH! I was making some coffee before hitting send:))

You're forgiven if you'll pour me a cup;)

inez

steggy

2005-06-03, 7:16 pm

iehsmith wrote:
>
> On 6/3/05 3:36 PM, steggy uttered:
>
>
> You're forgiven if you'll pour me a cup;)
>
> inez

Be aware of the time difference, I saved you a cup while I
decided to have a beer;)
--
steg

iehsmith

2005-06-03, 7:16 pm

On 6/3/05 3:47 PM, steggy uttered:

> Be aware of the time difference, I saved you a cup while I
> decided to have a beer;)
> --
> steg

Well then, the next time you make coffee, just pour me a beer;)

inez