PAthfinder Minus front

I'm still working on a key project and I am yet agsin unable to complete because of Minus Front Pathfinder.
Here are the steps:
I'm following this tutorial and am on 4. Add Shading and Highlights for Your Main Shapes
http://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-create-a-detailed-key-illustration-in-adobe-il lustrator--cms-23065

Becky,
What happens if you use Pathfinder>Divide, then Ungroup and delete the unwanted paths?
I am beginning to wonder whether it may be a case for the list.
The following is a general list of things you may try when the issue is not in a specific file, and when it is not caused by issues with opening a file from external media. You may have tried/done some of them already; 1) and 2) are the easy ones for temporary strangenesses, and 3) and 4) are specifically aimed at possibly corrupt preferences); 5) is a list in itself, and 6) is the last resort.
If possible/applicable, you should save current artwork first, of course.
1) Close down Illy and open again;
2) Restart the computer (you may do that up to at least 5 times);
3) Close down Illy and press Ctrl+Alt+Shift/Cmd+Option+Shift during startup (easy but irreversible);
4) Move the folder (follow the link with that name) with Illy closed (more tedious but also more thorough and reversible), for CS3 - CC you may find the folder here:
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/preference-file-location-illustrator.html
5) Look through and try out the relevant among the Other options (follow the link with that name, Item 7) is a list of usual suspects among other applications that may disturb and confuse Illy, Item 15) applies to CC, CS6, and maybe CS5);
Even more seriously, you may:
6) Uninstall (ticking the box to delete the preferences), run the Cleaner Tool (if you have CS3/CS4/CS5/CS6/CC), and reinstall.
http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cscleanertool.html

Similar Messages

Shape distorted after using Minus-Front

Hello -
I have a white rectangle with black type on top. When I try to mask out the type so that the background color shows through the rectangle, the shape of the mask is distorted. The text was outlined before doing [pathfinder-minus front] and it looked fine before doing pathfinder. After pathfinder the shape is distorted. Notice the E, the Z and the J.
Why is this happening? It's really frustrating. Thanks for the help.

YES!! Thank you!!!

Pathfinder for shapes only? Can't minus front object from back...

Hi. I'm trying to minus the shape of the brown 'steam swirl' from the black swirl behind. I tried minus front in pathfinder but a warning pop-up says "the filter produced no results. Please select 2 intersecting paths" How are the two objects not intersecting? I tried deleting the brown object and simply have no fill on the black swirl but it dosen't look good. Any ideas?

Sure, Monika, but it's just what the screenshot shows and there it is pretty obvious what objects are meant.
As it is not obvious about what specific objects we are talking in the sample file, I'd suggest another approach.
Select the black shape, go to Object > Path > Outline Stroke, then in the Pathfinder panel Unite (Add to Shape). Then select both the beige and black shape and do Pathfinder Subtract. Or just create a compound path
One could also use the Pathfinder effects in that case.

Pathfinder Tool - Minus Front (Front shape outline not included)

I'm having some difficulty applying the Minus Front option of the Pathfinder tool with a front shape that contains an outline with rounded points.
Question: Is there a way to preserve the rounded outline + front shape as part of the final shape when applying the Minus Front Pathfinder option?
To recreate:
1. Create background shape (Orange box)
2. Add front shape with outline containing rounded points (Star shape)
3. Select background and front shape and apply the Minus Front Pathfinder tool option.
4. Rounded outline from front shape not transferred to final shape after pathfinder action is applied.

You might find this thread helpful:
outlining text
The Pathfinder functions don't take into account "appearances" applied to the underlying object, so you would have to convert the object to a single outermost path. Usually this can be done with one or two invocations of Object > Expand.
Allen

Minus Front From Two Layers

I am currently following a tutorial to create some illustrations. One part of this tutorial makes use of the minus-front function with the pathfinder. An ellipse apparently needs to be "subtracted" from the bottom right-hand corner of a rectangle and its outline rectangle the lays behind it. I am unsure as to how to subtract the ellipse from both of those layers as it appears it can only be subtracted from one using the pathfinder.
Here are the steps in the tutorial:
Step 3 is what I am having trouble with.
All help is appreciated!
Thanks,
Alex

Alex,
To use the way described, you have to select one ellipse/circle for each underlying path and apply Minus Front to each set.
It should be noted that there are other ways of getting the appearance described.

Weird minus front thing going on when pdf saved in ID cs4 on mac

I have an indesign cs4 file with a couple layers. one the bottom layer is eps file with some shapes in it. On the layer above is a tif (product image) and it happens to be above the shapes in the eps file. When i export it as pdf the shapes knock the color out of the product image so its half white. Its acting sort of like the minus front pathfinder in illustrator but with colors. Its driving me crazy.

Not sure but I would try resaving that EPS as native AI file and see what happens. Also your flattening and PDF export settings will play a big role in this, I imagine.

Minus front/back issue

Hey guys, I am a newbee in Illustrator. Currently I am following a tutorial. I know most of the basic functions. But lately I have a irritating issue and cant seem to find a logical solution on internet too, of course I tried them. here are the details>>>
1.I have created a polygon with 150px radius. black stroke and yellow fill. then applied round corner effect from effects>stylize.
2.next I went to object>expand appearance.
3. then created another small polygon(75px radius) on the first one
(I want to subtract this small polygon from bigger polygon. both of these are, of course ungrouped)
4. I selected both polygons using shift+click and clicked minus front in pathfinder
and error pops up, 'filter produced no results, select two or more intersecting paths'
what am I doing wrong?
P.S. weird thing is, sometimes this filter works and sometimes I get above error for the same 5th step
I have started feeling its an issue of Illustrator...is it?
tutorial that I am following>> http://www.vectorcove.com/tutorials/icon-design/logo-design-in-adobe-illustrator/

i think the problem is your expanded first shape is now a group consisting of a stroked object and a filled object., and the stroked object perfectly overlays the filled one (since they used to be a single object). so when you try to minus front, you'd end up with no shapes, as one of your shapes in front perfectly overlaps the shape at the back.
edit: yeah, looking at the tutorial, they didn't use a stroked object.

"Minus Front" a simple shape on top of a complex clipping mask

I have a clipping path that is made up of:
1. a complex assortment of vector shapes (a pattern) and
2. a simple shape on top.
My pattern appears to be inside the simple shape, because of the clipping mask.
Now, I'd like to "punch-out" a shape in the middle of my clipping path, and have that punch-out be transparent. After creating my punch-out shape, I drag it to the same layer that has the clipping mask, select both (the clipping mask is below the punch-out shape), and slect "minus front" from the pathfinder window.
It's not working.
Any advice is much appreciated.

bovine wrote:
... it's almost completly gone.
It is hard to imagine how an almost completely gone object looks like in the Layer's panel
See the little blue squares highlighted in the image, they indicate selected objects . This is called the Selection Column in the Layers panel. You can select any object with equal ease by clicking on the selection column - the red arrow points to the spot you can click to select that path.
Also, another alternative method to make what you want is to make the punch out shape with 0 opacity, put it above and in the same group as the clipping path and in the Transparency panel click in the box in front of the Knockout Group until a checkmark appears.

Minus front from multiple layers

Hello, I am trying to subtract a "distressed" layer (A) from several other layers (B,C,D) at once. I would like to punch through layers (B,C,D) with layer (A).
I was able to expand font & expand stroke - Then minus front with success.
However, when I expand all layers, select all layers, hold (alt) & Minus Front
I get mixed results, such as missing layers from (B,C,D).
What would be the best way to achieve this? Thank you
White = Distressed layer (A)
Black = Layers (B,C,D)
Orange = Locked Background Color

since you are using Photoshop for mockups and you need the black art to be transparent--here is (what I hope) is a useful idea:
simply build your art using white (as in your original post) then save yourself a lot of time and effort by doing this--turn off the background layer and 'export' art as a high resolution (say 1200 dpi) graysacle tiff--then open the tiff in Photoshop and convert it to a 1-bit tiff--using '50% Threshold' setting (which will be transparent and just black).
you can then drop the 1 bit into an illustrator file with a colored background and save as PDF or export as jpeg, tiff, png etc (but don't save over the original Illus document--use a different name)
note: the 1200 dpi 1-bit tiff should yield you a a decent film positive or you can print the black layer only (from Illustrator) with the background turned off
there will be no loss of resolution!

Shape Mode - Minus front tool.

Hi
Im having problems with the minus front tool in llustrator, when I use this tool on a shape ( the shape on the bottom which I am trying to cut) which has an effect on it such as an inner glow, the tool simply doesn't work. I have tried on several different shapes and with different effects and am getting the same result. Is there an alternative way to cut the shape with another shape like I am trying to do? Without me having to redraw the shape without the effects on it?
Thanks
Rebecca

There is no before and after the tool does not work.
But here is what happens when I try

Can't minus front an image on top of a shape?

Basically the title, any help please? Sorry if this is a lack of information.

Draw a circle, select the bottom point with the white arrow and delete it. Apply a thick stroke to the circle and scale it so that it fits the template. Then you can either draw some straight lines with the line segment tool, or far quicker: take the pen tool. Then click on one of the endpoints of the circle, press the shift key and click some inches below. Then press Ctrl and click somewhere else to deselect and repeat with the other endpoint.
To draw the bottom part of the keyhole, you could combime a circle and a rectangle. Or draw a line with a thick stroke and a round end cap (when done use Objct > Path > Outline stroke). Or you could draw a rectangle and round its corners to the maximum. What ever is more appropriate for you.

A few questions that probs make me look like an idiot!

Hi.
I've used Photoshop for 13 years and recently made the jump to Illustrator and there's been a few things bugging me. I've been using 'my own way' of solving them, but I'm pretty sure I'm doing it wrong, and it's far too time consuming...
I'll have to use pictures to describe what I'm trying to say, so we'll use my origami frog...
Right, here he is...
Now, I've read that all paths must be closed before sending to clients / printing etc... In my next picture, how are you meant to close the highlighted yellow path? (And similar ones used as detailing lines on faces for example, since they're just a single line and can't join back to their starting point)
Also, where I'm pointing the red arrow... How can I make that triangular section a different colour? Since the leg as a whole is the joined path, all these thinner strokes inside the leg are singular, open paths, as you can see by the yellow highlight... Am I supposed to 'trace' the leg outline in the shapes of the smaller triangles? Because that doesn't seem very professional, and I can imagine it being annoying and time consuming with complex curved lines. So I must be missing something obvious.
^ Also, as you can see by the blue arrow, it doesn't meet up with the corner of the leg. Is this impossible, as it's just based on the stroke width? Because close up you can see its not very tidy.
And finally... Can I use the Pathfinder Minus Front tool on the arm layer (yellow outline) the rough edge bit hidden behind the body layer, because again, when you mouse over the arm, it looks untidy again... But If i were to minus front that hidden bit from behind the body layer, to line it up neatly to the outline of the body, again, if the body stroke was thinner than the arm stroke, then the arm stroke would show past the edge of the body stroke making it look horrible again?
This program can be very confusing. I hope someone can understand what I'm trying to say.
Thanks.
Shaun.

Shaun,
Now, I've read that all paths must be closed before sending to clients / printing etc... In my next picture, how are you meant to close the highlighted yellow path? (And similar ones used as detailing lines on faces for example, since they're just a single line and can't join back to their starting point)
That is not a general requirement. It is possible (but usually unnecessary) to create closed paths by combining segments/paths, such as copies of segments of the closed outer path and the inner open paths, using the lighter Stroke Weight of the latter.
Also, where I'm pointing the red arrow... How can I make that triangular section a different colour?
You should be able to use Live paint, or create a closed path as described above.
Also, as you can see by the blue arrow, it doesn't meet up with the corner of the leg. Is this impossible, as it's just based on the stroke width? Because close up you can see its not very tidy.
You could move the Anchor Point at the corner of the thinner inner path a bit to match the apparent inner corner of the thicker path.
And finally... Can I use the Pathfinder Minus Front tool on the arm layer (yellow outline) the rough edge bit hidden behind the body layer, because again, when you mouse over the arm, it looks untidy again...
Basically, there is nothing wrong in hiding something beneath something else. The viewer may just as well find it smart or intriguing that something turns up on mouseover.

Using Text as a Selection so I can select and delete to create a transparency.

I am trying to create a very simple logo. Basically, I created two layers: one with the letter M and the other with the letter W. I now want to place another letter over top of them and then select it so I can delete the shape of the third letter from the other two and essentially be able to see the transparent background through the third letter.
I have done this in PS CS2 no problem, but I am trying to do it in illustrator so I can resize the design for anything from a business card to a billboard if needed. Bottom line is I need a solution that wont effect me being able to resize the vecotr to crazy sizes.
In the image below, the "S" is just a white letter. I need it to be a cut out through the M and W so that whatever Background it is on the page or document shows tthrough that S space.

mswinc,
If you wish to keep the letters as live Type, you may simply select all and in the Transparency palette flyout click Make Opacity Mask, ticing/unticking Clip and Invert depending on the actual colour of the top letter (S here), which should be black or white, so you get it to cut out (no Clip and no Invert for black, no Clip and Invert for white).
With outlined Type you can also use Pathfinder>Minus Front.

Smart Guide/Snap to point not working

Hi
I am trying to remove a circular shape from a rectangle in illustrator, the retangles width is 10px and the diameter of the circle is 13px, I centre the circle ontop of the rectangle ( or I appear to) but when I use the Shape mode tool minus front, the circle is no longer centred ( see images)
I have tried switching off smart guides and snap to grid and am still having the same problem.
In the above image you can see once I have divided the 13px circle from the rectangle it has moved off to one side.
Also when I am trying to manually place the circle ( rather than using the centre guides ) I can only move it by a large degree it alway moves further than I move the mouse, could this be because of a pixel grid? I do not think I am using this. ( can see in the above image where I am trying to place the circle and when I let go of the mouse, the grey circle is where it lands
From the 2 images below you can see that there is a 1px difference on either side of the extracted circle I was trying to get centred
I should mention that the 'Align to pixel grid' in the transform menu is inactive when I am trying to do this, as I initially thought that this may be the cause of my problems, but it made no difference

Rebecca,
So why does the minus front tool mess up alignment so much?
No clue. I believe this issue has never been reported.
At a first glance, it really looked like an Align to Pixel Grid issue, and also the fact that it works when both object widths have an odd (or even) number of pixels.
But that is apart from the fact that you stated that it was off. If it were on, Align to Pixel Grid would apply to the circle, to the rectangle, or to both.
Obviously, it is possible to (direct) select each and check. It is also possible to check the Y value of the centre for both in the Transform palette and see that they are actually identical before applying the Pathfinder.
And if on, Align to Pixel Grid should also affect/destroy the Object>Path>Divide Objects Below way. And it should make it impossible to even place both objects centre aligned when one is an odd number of pixels wide and the other is an even number wide.
As the issue is described, it may indicate some Pathfinder>Minus Front malfunctioning.
It may be worth trying some of the following things (you may have tried/done some of them already) and see whether it helps (the following is a general list of things you may try when it is not in a specific file; 3) and 4) are specifically aimed at possibly corrupt preferences):
1) Close down Illy and open again;
2) Restart the computer;
3) Close down Illy and press Ctrl+Alt+Shift/Cmd+Option+Shift during startup (easy but irreversible);
4) Move the folder with Illy closed (more tedious but also more thorough and reversible);
5) Look through and try out the relevant among the Other options (Item 7) is a list of usual suspects among other applications that may disturb and confuse Illy, other items may also be relevant);
Even more seriously, you may:
6) Uninstall, run the Cleaner Tool if you have CS3/CS4/CS5/CS6, and reinstall.
http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cscleanertool.html

How to make curved arrows from circle?

Hi, I want to make four curved arrows that lead into each other. Ideally, arrow head would just be a > shape at the end of the line that is the same width as the line (i.e., as if a straight line was cut at the end, so no tips or gaps.) I have drawn a circle with the ellipse tool, but I can't figure out how to cut it properly. An AI file that sort of shows what I mean is at https://www.onlinefilefolder.com/2swDvNSyBkcsXd
Thanks in advance for any help!

Like Jacob described for:
Point 3: That is how I managed to get my 8 segments. Basically, if you centered you cursor in the middle of the circle and set the rotation of the arrows (in my instance 40 degrees) - Command D and then it duplicates the arrows all around the circle accurately.
You are welcome, Neil, and no need to apologize.
You may have a look at the link by Jeanette in post #4; it shows end results.
Here are the instructions in the first post with an extension of 3):
1) Create the circle with the desired width in the form of Stroke Weight;
2) Create a V shaped path with two segments on top of the circle where the first gap is to be, lengthwise extending outside the circle stroke, and with a Stroke Weight corresponding to the gap;
3) Copy and place so you have all V shapes where you want the gaps; you may do that by rotating copies round the centre of the circle 1), this may be done in different ways, one being to create an auxliary concentric circle extending past the V shape and rotating copies of that and the V shape using the Object>Transform>Rotate and inserting the desired value(s), then deleting the auxiliary circles;
4) Select all and Object>Path>Outline Stroke;
5) Pathfinder>Minus front (Subtract from shape ares in older versions, maybe pressing Alt/Option to expand).

PAthfinder Minus front

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