Adobe Illustrator - cropping (?) clipping (?) cutting objects

Author

cropping (?) clipping (?) cutting objects

2006-03-30, 6:17 pm

I'm using Illustrator 10 - and am a fairly new convert !

I have a grouped object made up of about 50 open and closed paths with
different stoke and fill attributes.

I want to clip this object off at one end, so that it fits smoothly against
another object.

I could do this manually by dragging all the paths to presisely the same
position, but is there a command which does this automatically - i.e. i
specify where, and the all parts of the object are clipped to that line.

Thanks

--
Tobit

Connie Pierce

2006-03-30, 6:17 pm

In article <c6idnWBMcM0RSbbZRVnyjg@bt.com>, TC <tc@NO> wrote:

> I'm using Illustrator 10 - and am a fairly new convert !
>
> I have a grouped object made up of about 50 open and closed paths with
> different stoke and fill attributes.
>
> I want to clip this object off at one end, so that it fits smoothly against
> another object.
>
> I could do this manually by dragging all the paths to presisely the same
> position, but is there a command which does this automatically - i.e. i
> specify where, and the all parts of the object are clipped to that line.
>
> Thanks

Yes, there is (Illy has practically EVERYTHING you could ever want!) .
.. .

Go to your menu and choose Window>Pathfinder. The Pathfinder (and the
Align, and Transform palettes will also appear as tabs within the same
palette) will pop up. The symbols/icons from left to right:
Combine/Meld, Divide/Minus/Trim (which is what you're looking for),
Intersect, and Exclude.

If you want to "keep" the object you're using to "trim" the other, copy
it (but don't paste it yet). Then, making sure that the "cutter" is on
TOP of the "cuttee," select both and tap on the "Divide/Trim" button.
The end result will be effectively trimmed by the top object. Now paste
(Command-F for Mac to paste the object in front or Command-B to paste
behind the current object selected - sub "Control" for Command if
you're on a PC) the copy of your trimming object and you're done!

But bear in mind, that this will (iirc) "convert" open paths to closed
paths when you trim. So if you have an open arc, and you trim it, it
will be a CLOSED half circle once it's been trimmed. Also, don't trim
grouped objects - you will have to ungroup and trim each separately for
the best results.

To "trim" grouped objects, have the object you want to use to trim the
others on top, and go to Object>Path>Divide Objects Below. However,
bear in mind that the results can be unpredictable . . .

HTH!
Connie

--
C Pierce

2006-03-31, 3:18 am

Thanks Connie - It's clever this Illustrator thing !!

One question

The object I am trimming (subtracting from) consists of about 50 open and
closed paths with no stroke colour and three different colour fills - red,
yellow and white. When I subtract the shape I have put on the layer above
(square - black stroke no fill) it all works fine except the yellow elements
in in the main object are become invisible. (and the black line around the
subtraction square disappears - althpugh this is not a problem in this
instance) The yellow elements are still there in the layer palette and I
can see the paths when I select the object, but they have no fill. The red
parp keeps its fill. I have moved the yellow elements to the top of the
layer to make sure that they are not simply being overlayed by another
element in the object, but no luck. - any ideas ? i.e. I think my question
is how does the pathfinder>subtract commad handle different fill and stroke
attributes.

Thanks again

--
Tobit

Connie Pierce

2006-04-01, 6:16 pm

In article <drqdnRNtCY9DQbHZRVnyrA@bt.com>, TC <tc@NO> wrote:

> Thanks Connie - It's clever this Illustrator thing !!
>
> One question
>
> The object I am trimming (subtracting from) consists of about 50 open and
> closed paths with no stroke colour and three different colour fills - red,
> yellow and white. When I subtract the shape I have put on the layer above
> (square - black stroke no fill) it all works fine except the yellow elements
> in in the main object are become invisible. (and the black line around the
> subtraction square disappears - althpugh this is not a problem in this
> instance) The yellow elements are still there in the layer palette and I
> can see the paths when I select the object, but they have no fill. The red
> parp keeps its fill. I have moved the yellow elements to the top of the
> layer to make sure that they are not simply being overlayed by another
> element in the object, but no luck. - any ideas ? i.e. I think my question
> is how does the pathfinder>subtract commad handle different fill and stroke
> attributes.
>
> Thanks again

Ugh, that one's a bit of a toughie. Pathfinder>Combine: if you
join/combine two objects with different fills/strokes, the final object
will have the attributes of the FIRST object. Menaing, a black square
and a red circle combined will be black.

(BTW, ALWAYS remember to hit "expand" after using a PF command -
otherwise, at the very least, your copy/paste and output results will
be unpredictable at BEST)

Now, PF> Divide should leave all objects as they were - other than open
path objects will now be CLOSED. A good tip: to leave "open path"
elements AS IS, outline the path before using PF (Object>Path>Outline
Stroke - you'll retain the look of the open path and can Divide at
will!

As to your issue with disappearing elements, I'd have to see a
screenshot . . . or perhaps the file itself?? If you like, feel free to
send it to me at the reply-to, sans NOSPAM . . . And I'd be more than
happy to help!! And it sounds more like a possible bug than just a PF
thing. But again, send it to me and I'm sure that if I can't help, I
can send you to someone who could!!

HTH
Connie

--
C Pierce

2006-04-17, 6:17 pm

Connie - thanks again for the helpful answer. Tried and failed a few
timews - I think I'm trying to do this with too complicated an object.
Probably easier to get around it with masks. If I fail once more I might be
asking for help again!!

--
Tobit

> In article <drqdnRNtCY9DQbHZRVnyrA@bt.com>, TC <tc@NO> wrote:
>
>
> Ugh, that one's a bit of a toughie. Pathfinder>Combine: if you
> join/combine two objects with different fills/strokes, the final object
> will have the attributes of the FIRST object. Menaing, a black square
> and a red circle combined will be black.
>
> (BTW, ALWAYS remember to hit "expand" after using a PF command -
> otherwise, at the very least, your copy/paste and output results will
> be unpredictable at BEST)
>
> Now, PF> Divide should leave all objects as they were - other than open
> path objects will now be CLOSED. A good tip: to leave "open path"
> elements AS IS, outline the path before using PF (Object>Path>Outline
> Stroke - you'll retain the look of the open path and can Divide at
> will!
>
> As to your issue with disappearing elements, I'd have to see a
> screenshot . . . or perhaps the file itself?? If you like, feel free to
> send it to me at the reply-to, sans NOSPAM . . . And I'd be more than
> happy to help!! And it sounds more like a possible bug than just a PF
> thing. But again, send it to me and I'm sure that if I can't help, I
> can send you to someone who could!!
>
> HTH
> Connie
>
> --
> C Pierce