Compound Path Without Fills

I have been trying and trying to turn this whole design into a compound path so I can add a texture to it with the minus front feature. However, every time I attempt it fills in circles or changes the stroke width of lines. I have attached the file so it can be tinkered with. I really want to learn how to do this. https://www.mediafire.com/?88qnk8wwqxepdwy

You could use a transparency mask to add the texture. Group your logo, and use it to mask your texture.

Similar Messages

Compound Path without border on inner path

Hi Guys,
I'm trying to create a shape with text that has to be transparent.
I fixed this by creating a compound path but it inherits all the elements of the shape (which is logical) but since the shape has a border it now get an innner border as well.
Is there a way to discard the inner border and just have the outside one?

Or you may:
1) With the type on top of the shape, select the type.
2) In the Transparency panel set the opacity to 0.
3) Select type and shape; group.
4) With the group selected, in Transparency Panel click Knockout Group once or twice, as needed, until the check (tick) mark appears.
The transparency (or opacity) of the type is then infinitely variable by again selecting the type in the Layers Panel and adjusting the opacity setting in the Transparency Panel. I think (though I may be mistaken) that in CS5 it's adjustable in the Appearance Panel.
Peter
Hello, Jacob.

Live trace, gradients and compounding paths

I have a complex shape, and I want to have a copy behind of it that is filled.. the shape itself is a combination of stokes and fills, so a straight-out fill doesn't look good at all.. I can get it all colored the same way using live paint groups to only fill in the areas that are completely surrounded. The problem with that, though, is a gradient will apply separately to each object, but if I make a compound path it fills in some bits of the strokes the protrude as lines into the outside (it's a ironwork sort of pattern).
The only way i can think to do this automatically would be to color all the selections the same and then rasterize it and then live trace it so it's one object and then apply the gradient to that, but I feel there's probably a more straightforward way. Not sure I explained that properly, if something's unclear I'll be happy to elaborate

"The problem with that, though, is a gradient will apply separately to each object..."
Once you get to this point, you can grab the gradient tool from the tool panel and drag across all of the filled shapes. This will make one uniform gradient seen through the many pieces of the selection.
Give that a try, let us know how it goes.

Compound path and live fill problem

Hello experts
I really hope you can help me out with this one. I'm all new to Illustrator and have tried to find the answer to my question but without luck, so you are my last way out
I'm currently working on a logo of a football which I have drawn with the line segment tool. A football is made of pentagons and hexagons, and I want all the pentagons to have a color fill. For that I have used the live paint bucket. But if I apply an effect such as a gradient it is applied to each segment as many seperates. I then read that you could use compound path and that works with my lines but not with the live fill. Is there a work around for my problem or do you have any smart suggestions of what I could do ?
Thanks for your help in advance
Kind regards
Christopher

A few questions:
What AI version?
By "Live Fill" are you refering to "Live Paint"?
CS 6 lets you fill a stroke with a gradient. That may be what you used here.
Congratulations learning about "compound paths" on you own. That's a step in the right direction.
You can control a gradient fill across multiple objects by using the "Gradient Annotator" (under "View" or "G"). This allows you to set a gradient start and end point by dragging across your selected artwork. You can also edit the gradient sliders directly on the annotator.
If you ARE using "Live Paint", you can use the "Live Paint Selection Tool" (hidden under the Live Paint Bucket tool, or "Shift-L"), to select multiple Live Paint segments, then drag the annotator across all segments. The annotator is hidden when used with Live Paint (at least in AICS5).
I hope these tips are helpful.
Ray

Compound Path fill rules

I rarely want my Compound Paths to have voids where overlapping takes place, but sometimes (and it seems random) I get voids anyway.
The Attribute Panel options don't seem to do anything.
Am I stuck having to apply Pathfinder effects to solve this?

I just want all inner shape and overlapping shape areas to be considered the composite fill of the compound shape - so in my example above, the three red rectangles lacking a centerpoint I want to contribute to compound path's composite fill, instead of knocking it out.
BTW, that example up there has a big outer stroke, no fill. Maybe confusing, but that's how I'm currently using the shape (to mask the outsides of 3 different designs).

Compound path (or similar) but without "holes"

Hi guys
I'm designing a logo in which I use the letter C but I would like to "extend" the upper part of it with an extra "curl".
So I expanded the C (text to outlines) and added a line which should be the extension. Now I would like them to be one item together. I tried compound path but that makes the overcrossing parts of the letter "blank". How do I solve this?
See print screens below.
Thanks!
Bob

Hi John Mensinger,
Indeed, it worked!! Thanks! I forgot to use the Pathfinder! I should learn to use it more
Thanks!!!
Bob

Punch hole without compound path?

I have a shape where I then need to punch a hole in that shape. If I do that it then creates a compound path.
The problem is I am want to use the Area Type Tool to then paste some text within the shape - but it won't allow me to do that as you can't do that on a compound shape.
But what I would like to do is make the text flow in and around the shape I've created. So as you can see below I need to remove the triangle in the center so the text flows around to form the letter A.
Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated.

greencode,
You could cheat and create two shapes, the upper one ending at the bottom of the counter (the hole) i the A (You may have to adjust exactly where you cut between the two simple closed paths) and let the Type flow from one to the other. I am still with 10, so I am unable to describe exactly how to do the latter. Hopefully, someone else will give the instructions.
Someone?

Adding multiple paths into a compound path

If I use the gui to add multiple paths into a compound path all I have to do is select multiple paths and choose Object->Compound Path->Make (or ctrl-8). When I do this then the bottom path which is filled has holes 'punched through' creating a window in the shape of the smaller paths which were on top of the larger one. For example, a large rectangle with a white fill color is the bottom item and two smaller paths are on top. I create a compound path and whatever is below the new compound path shows through in the largest shape of the previous two smaller paths.
If I use JavaScript and create a new compoundPathItem and move 3 paths into it, with the largest being first, then I get a compound path but only the first of the smaller objects creates a transparent space.
Here is a simplified example:
    var grpMask = doc.groupItems['mask group'];
    var compound = grpMask.compoundPathItems.add();
    var pathobj = grpMask.pathItems['bigbox'];
    pathobj.move(compound,ElementPlacement.INSIDE);
    pathobj = grpMask.pathItems['PathLeft'];
    pathobj.move(compound,ElementPlacement.INSIDE);
    pathobj = grpMask.pathItems['PathRight'];
    pathobj.move(compound,ElementPlacement.INSIDE);
In the above example the 'bigbox' path has the left and right paths on top of it but only the left path creates a transparent space in the original box.
I also tried using PLACEATEND instead of INSIDE and grouping the two smaller paths together and moving the group to the compound path.
Merging path items together won't work - I want to keep the original path's closed and intact without drawing a line between them so I can't just add their pathpoints together.
Is move() the best way to add existing paths to a new compound path?
Thanks!

Im at work at the moment so only have access to CS2 where the second script works… The first script worked at home with CS5…
here were my test files… Before
and After…
As you can see with this I did not change the polarity of the last path as in this test case I knew it was the largest of the shapes not sure if that had any bearing on my results…?

Compound paths & graphic style problem (map related)

Hi all,
Been banging my head against a wal with this all morning. I'm hoping one of you can help.
I need to replace portions of a map - it' slots and lots of shapes representing buildings.The original file has shapes made of compound paths (see illustration below). That's great, because the center needs to be knocked out (there are some items underneath that occasionally show through). I thought I'd try to create a graphic style to replicate the look as closelty as possible, but I cannot get a fill to act as a knockout - so I have the basic shape and effect that I want, but with a colored center instead of a knocked-out one. This is a problem becuase I'll be changing dozens of shapes and I don't want to have to recreate the look on each shape manually.
Here's a pic to help clarify. The original is on the left, my attempted recreation is on the right. Help!

First, thansk so much for the help! I'm soooo close, but I keep doing something wrong. Let me run through my steps to see if you can spot where I'm falling down:
Draw my rotated box (I Object> Compound Path > Make converted it to a compound path becuase I assuemd I'd need that when applying a knockout. I may be wrong there).:
Fill with white, copy the fill and fill with brown:
Apply a Transform effect to the 2nd fill (I need the numbers to be absolute, not scale, becuase I need to apply thsi to a variety of shapes but achieve a uniform look):
I then go to the Opacity on that second layer and check Knockout:
But when I drop the Opacity down to 0% (with knockout checked) that entire fill layer just goes transparent:
And if I apply the Knowckout - Opacity settings to the main opacity at teh bottom, the whole thing goes blank:
Incidentally, here's the shape I'm trying to replicate (I know my attempt doesn't reproduce the connected lower left and upper right rounded corners):
And here's a small chunk of the map. I'll be changing dozens of these shapes and want to apply that consistent look to them without doing each one manually.
G'ah! It's driving me nuts! What am I doing wrong?

Can't release compound path

I drew some simple paths in Photoshop with the pen tool, then exported the paths to Illustrator. All the paths came into illustrator as compound paths, though they look like simple paths in illustrator. Because they are compound paths, I can't join the ends of the paths to the ends of other paths.
Whe I select one of these paths:
Object>Compound Path>Release is greyed out and unavailable.
"Release Compound Shape" in the Pathfinde palette menu is also greyed out and unavailable.
Is there any way to make these paths back into simple paths without redrawing them?
I'm using CS6 versions of both Photoshop and Illustrator.

Okay, here's the screen shot.

[AI CS4 Mac] How to create a Compound Path?

Hi Folks,
I'm trying to create a compound path in AI CS4 for Mac, but I have not been successful. One would think this would be easy, so maybe I'm missing the obvious solution...
What is best way to create a compound path using the SDK? I just need to make a compound path out of two non-overlapping rectangles so that I can create a clipping mask. Nothing tricky.
The SDK is not clear about the best way to go about creating a compound path, but I figured that programmitically selecting the two rectanlges and then using the built in "adobe_makeCompound" action would work, but it doesn't.
err = sAIActionManager->PlayActionEvent("adobe_makeCompound", kDialogNone, NULL);
When the above code is called while I'm debugging, I get a dialog box that reads: The object "Make Compound Path" is not currently available.
If I click the "Stop" button while debugging, the value of err is 1346458189 which is 'PARM'. So, maybe I need to set a parameter? The crazy thing is that there appears to be no parameters needed for the "adobe_makeCompound" action event. When I created the action manually, the resulting .aia file (see its contents below) has a parameterCount == 0. I've tried passing a parameter block without adding any parameters to it (instead of NULL), but still no joy.
/version 2
/name [ 5
          5365742031
/isOpen 1
/actionCount 1
/action-1 {
          /name [ 12
                    436f6d706f756e6450617468
          /keyIndex 0
          /colorIndex 0
          /isOpen 0
          /eventCount 1
          /event-1 {
                    /internalName (adobe_makeCompound)
                    /localizedName [ 18
                              4d616b6520436f6d706f756e642050617468
                    /isOpen 0
                    /isOn 1
                    /hasDialog 0
                    /parameterCount 0
Any help or suggestions on how to create a compound path would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
-- Jim

Actually, here's a more useful variation
// rectangle1 & rectangle2 are the AIArtHandles for your existing paths
AIArtHandle compound = 0;
sArt->NewArt(kCompoundPathArt, kPlaceAbove, rectangle1, &compound);
sArt->sReorderArt(rectangle1, kPlaceInsideOnTop, compound);
sArt->sReorderArt(rectangle2, kPlaceInsideOnTop, compound);
// this will create the compound right next to wherever rectangle1 is, much simpler and more likely what you want

Compound Path - determine winding rules

I have a compound path, and i need to parse all points, for export to CANVAS HTML , for this I wrote this script:
But the problem is how to detect the holes. I find information, and i think that i need the fill rule or clockwise fill, but in the reference doesn't exist.
Somebody can help me. Thanks
Compound Path fill rules: http://forums.adobe.com/message/4507598?tstart=0#4507598
Nonzero winding fill rule
Uses mathematical equations to determine if a point is outside or inside a shape. Illustrator uses the nonzero winding rule as the default rule.
Even-odd fill rule
Uses mathematical equations to determine if a point is outside or inside a shape. This rule is the more predictable rule because every other region within an even‑odd compound path is a hole, regardless of path direction. Some applications, such as Adobe Photoshop, use the even‑odd rule by default, so compound paths imported from these applications will use the even‑odd rule.
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/illustrator/cs/using/WS714a382cdf7d304e7e07d0100196cbc5f-6462a .html#WS714a382cdf7d304e7e07d0100196cbc5f-644ea
http://www.fireworkszone.com/tuts/476/fill_rules.pdf
/*bool*/ Polygon.prototype.collideShapes = function(/*Polygon*/ _poly)
// Ret. TRUE if the shapes intersect
// slow method
try {
     this.intersectPath(_poly);
     app.activeDocument.undo();
     return(true);
catch(ex)
     return(false);
var selection = app.activeDocument.selection;
var a= selection[0]
var b= selection[1]
//alert( a.collideShapes(b))
function inArray(agulla, paller){
    var length = paller.length;
    for(var i = 0; i < length; i++) {
        if(paller[i] == agulla) return true;
    return false;
var item = app.activeDocument.selection;
var items = item[0].releaseCompoundPath();
var restantes = items;
var groups={}
var i = items.length;
//          while( i-- )
for (var i=0;i< items.length;i++)
                    a = items[i];
                    try{
                    $.writeln( items[i].LocalDisplaySetting          )
                    }catch(e){$.writeln( e)}
for (var s=0;s< restantes.length;s++){
var b = restantes[s]
if(a!=b){
if(inArray(b, restantes)== true){
try{
if(a.collideShapes(b)){
if(typeof groups[i]== "undefined"){
groups[i]=[]
groups[i].push(i)
groups[i].push(s)
restantes[i]= "void";
items[i]= "void";
restantes[s]= "void";
items[s]= "void";
catch(e){}
app.activeDocument.undo();
for (var t=0;t< restantes.length;t++){
if(restantes[t]!= "void")
$.writeln ( "_" + t +",");
for(var g in groups){
var group = groups[g]
$.writeln ("var compoundPath = new CompoundPath( _" + group.join(", _") +").fillColor = 'red';");

I just want all inner shape and overlapping shape areas to be considered the composite fill of the compound shape - so in my example above, the three red rectangles lacking a centerpoint I want to contribute to compound path's composite fill, instead of knocking it out.
BTW, that example up there has a big outer stroke, no fill. Maybe confusing, but that's how I'm currently using the shape (to mask the outsides of 3 different designs).

Can someone explain to me what are the benefits of compound path when it comes to text? I can understand one or two lines but a whole paragraph?

Every year we do a fundraiser to help my job, but my co-worker is getting frustrated. We receive outside files laid out in Illustrator, but the person who does the file sets all of the text using compound path. These aren't one or two lines of text to be manipulated but whole paragraphs of text. This person does this every year, and it is time consuming if my co-worker can't manipulate a paragraph without going to each individual layer that has a letter. Is there a way to make these compound paths merge as one without altering the document i.e. make some element disappear. Any kind of help is appreciated.

ikaika,
As I (mis)understand it, you should simply ask this outside person to keep all text as Live Type, using a font that you have on your machines (in the exact same version) so there will be no font substitution issue(s).
That way, you could get the job done without silly waste of time.
Failing to comply would seem quite uncooperative.
I presume there is no copyright question onvolved in this.

Help with linked files/ compound paths please

Hi - I am working with an illustrator file from another designer which has a compound path with linked files - when you link a new file the image is automatically resized and clipped to the path. I am able to edit it but i want to make my own from scratch and can't figure it out. I'm working with Illustrator CS6. Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks

Hi Steve - thanks for the reply - my question was a bit vague as I wasn't entirely sure what I was working with but I think your point about the new linked image scaling to the same size as the existing file has helped me understand it a bit more. What I want to know how to do is to make an entirely new file with a clipping mask that I then link an image to. I made a file with a clipping mask on the page and then chose file>place but the image I import is not being clipped (I ticked the link option when importing it) I see it working with the existing file I'm working with but I need to know how to make a new one myself.
If this makes it clearer here's what I want to do ...
I am making a banner, I have 3 flat jpegs of t-shirts that I want to place on the banner without their white background. I made a clipping mask the same shape as the outline of the t-shirt and now I want to import the jpeg so it is a linked file and is clipped by the clipping mask and so I can use it in future to import different t-shirt image in without scaling and clipping them each time.
REally appreciate your help, thanks.

[Ai CS4] So I cannot convert compound path to regular paths?

I have some complicated shapes done with the pathfinder tools, and I need to use the gradient mesh on them. But I cannot, because they are compound paths. I cannot seem to find a way to convert them to regular paths. I am almost 100% sure that there must be a way, because Illustrator :hopefully: won't expect me to redraw those with a pen tool. Or hand-draw them, scan and trace.
Guidance please

Doh! I guess I found my answer, a minute after I post the question.
The problem was, I was punching holes using the "Minus Front" tool. Because there are no connection between two object's paths, Ai cannot make a single shape out of them.
Workaround:
Pick the line tool
start from the inside the hole
drag end point to outside of the shape
and make "Divide everything under"
Easy for the fill-only shapes, but will get a bit more complicated if I use strokes...
Other tips are also welcomed..

Compound Path Without Fills

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