How do you create a one color halftone vector?

Question

I've been creating them in black and white in CS6, then converting to vector via image trace since that's the only way to make them a perfect circular vector that I've found, but how do you convert it to a color afterward? It won't let me simply change the fill color, nor will it let me select the black dots with the white arrow. I had also selected "ignore white" while image tracing so it had a transparent background. Help! I'd really like an orange halftone vector, and when I make it a color from the start it creates it out of multiple colors. I want it to be a solid color without any circles overlapping. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Hmmnnn...JET, I think you're confusing two posters as one. You pulled info from my post and Mike Gondek's and your post seems to imply we are one and the same.
I wrote "It's a little convoluted but it works!" which you criticize as pointlessly convoluted and failing to deliver vectors. It does deliver a vector solution, my process does not include rasterizing the art at all, at least not until final output. In addition to the criticism, you offer no solutions.
I wrote " I created a halftone pattern on an object with a white to black gradient..." which you attacked as incorrect, saying I started with a gradient filled path. No. That was Mike Gondek who used a gradient filled spiral path. I started with an ellipse, filled with a gradient, as I stated. Again, not sure why the need to blast away here, but you did, incorrectly.
I wrote "...using the Effects>Pixelate>Color Halftone option." which you blasted as being a raster effect. Okay, but I also told the original poster they could increase the resolution  to clear up the pixelated appearance. And since it is a live effect, It offers a lot of flexibilty, right up to the point of otput. Unless the OP is creating svg files for web, I'm not sure what your beef is with using a raster effect. You didn't say. You didn't offer an alternative solution here either.
I used the halftone to create a transparency mask. You insist that it is now a raster image. No, it's not. It's still a vector with a live effect and can be continually edited and modified. And when I raise the raster effects resolution to 1200 or 2400 I see pretty nice edges, on perfectly round halftone dots, in a spot color, which is, I think, what the OP was looking for.
You're the 3rd person to jump on me since I've returned to the forums. It feels a bit like the regular posters here don't like to share the sandbox. I wouldn't mind if your criticisms were written to help the original poster, or shed some new insight into the problem, or even respectfully point out potential problems with the technique being offered. But there is none of that here.
I think the original poster can use the technique I offered to get the visual look they are after. At the very least my post was an honest attempt to provide a solution, be helpful, and contribute to the forums community. Can you say the same of your post?