Selecting paths of a Live Traced object

Hi, i'm sure i could do this before but for whatever reason it has stopped working. I have a black and white raster image, which i did a live trace too, which worked all well and good. But now when i want to go in and change the line-art produced by the tracing, it wont let me, it just keeps making the trace a big object that can only be moved around which im finding very frustrating.So how do i edit the fills created by a trace instead of just being able to move around the object as one large mass?
Also, another question, why is it that Illustrator is soo slow and closing, opening and saving documents compaired to somthing like Photoshop?

Ah right! YAY! Thanks very much That did the trick.
Yer i know, i'm not really looking at it like Flash, ists just i nocited when you double-click somthing it has that bar at the top of the image like flash does to tell you where you are in the image. I try to think of it more like Photoshop because thats what i have the most experience in, but i'm not so sure thats a good idea either...dispite the user interface tricking me into thinking they could be alike
Thanks so much i've been so frustrated at that today

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Is it possible to apply path styles to live paint objects or clipping paths?

Hey everybody! I tried searching for the answer online, but couldn't find what I was looking for...
I want to create an illustration with black outlines. Within these outlines I want to have some spots without outlines that stay clean within the lines. I have tried 3 options so far and have found a solution but it's far from ideal.
1. Create clipping masks for each element that has a spot on it and assign a stroke to the clipping path again after. However by creating the clipping path, the path styles dissapear. In this case I want to keep the pointed ends to the open path outlines (see top image).
2. Draw in the lines where the spots are and create a live paint object of the entire illustration. Then paint in the spots and other areas. However when I create this live paint object the lines again lose their applied styles and even 'end' at each intersection, creating nasty edges where the lines should go 'underneath' smoothly (see bottom image).
3. The option Im using now. Duplicate the path outlines and create clipping masks for the spots without strokes. Then put the stroked outline with the desired styles on top. The problem with this is that I have almost twice as much elements in my illustration now than I actually 'need'. And the styled outlines are not connected with the color underneath, so its very easy to accidentally move something around...
Does anybody know of an easier way to create this effect without all the hassle? Thanks in advance for you time!

I drew the dark beige shape by pasting a copy in front of the black stroke with light ebige fill. Used the pencil tool to redraw the bottom edge. Then fixed the leaks byusng a blending mode of darken.
I try to keep my illustrations simple using the fewest paths possible, to make future edits easy. Live paint creates a mess, so never use it as I like to control my compound paths and masks.

Is it possible to use an object as a selection path?

I know in photoshop you can make shapes with the pen tool and then covert them into a selection path.
I was wondering if there is such similar feature in Illustrator
For example with the picture I posted here, what I want to do is be able to select the objects that are in contact with the black object on top without having to individually select them or use the "lasso" tool
It would make things easier with a "Select all objects under or above" option, theres only the "Select next object under or above"

Djxyz0 wrote:
It would make things easier with a "Select all objects under or above" option, theres only the "Select next object under or above"
the script works exactly the way you originally asked, you draw a path, with the pen if you want, then run the script and everything under this path of yours will get selected.

Stroking and filling doesn't work in paths expanded from Live Trace

I’m using Adobe Illustrator CS4. I’m a complete beginner, though I’ve done a bit of reading about the basics.
After tracing a bitmap image (of black letters on a transparent background, in pdf format) using Live Trace, expanding it, and editing the paths with the pen tool to my satisfaction, I find neither fills nor strokes appear -- I can change the fill settings or stroke settings, but the paths just stay the colour of all unfilled paths on that layer. (I’m viewing the document in preview mode.) Also, when selecting paths with either the Selection tool or the Direct Selection tool and then trying to use Live Paint, I get a notification that "the selection contains objects that cannot be converted. Live Paint groups can only contain paths and compound paths. Clipping paths are not allowed." When I go to the Object Menu, under Clipping Mask the only available option is "Make Mask", and "Release" and "Edit Mask" are greyed out, which suggests to me there are no clipping masks present.
I’ve created a separate, nearly identical document where strokes, fills and Live Paint work fine. The only difference is that when I used Live Trace on the bitmap image, for the non-working document I selected "Outlines" for the Vector section of the View options (in the Tracing Options dialogue box), and in the working one I selected "Tracing Result" instead. For both, I used the same original document settings, placed the same bitmap image, used the Live Trace preset "Black and White Logo" with all the default settings except that I checked the "Ignore White" box, and then clicked Expand.
Obviously, I know what I did wrong, though I don’t know why it made a difference. But since I spent many hours editing the paths in the screwed-up document before I realized stroking and filling wouldn’t show up, is there a way to fix it? How can I make the paths "valid" for stroking, filling, and Live Paint -- or, failing that, is there a way to somehow copy or automatically trace the shape of the paths, so I don’t have to do all that editing again?
This is kind of urgent, since I’m creating a logo for a project that needs to be finished soon. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I could send someone the document by e-mail if you wanted to look at it properly -- since I’m a beginner, I don’t know what I need to describe.

Never mind! I fixed it. For anyone else who has this same problem -- apparently, I’d made it so the paths were actually guides, which can look like and possess the properties of paths but which don’t show when you print. After going to View, Guides, Release Guides, the fills and strokes manifested, and the paths became "valid".

How do I create a live tracing?

I have a freehand rendering that I need to get into a workable illustrator format. What format do I save it in when scanned, and how do I engage live tracing so that I can play with the resulting graphic or create that graphic?

Illustrator can work with tif, jpeg, psd among some other formats. Don't make the file too big. Illy pops up a warning when it's bigger than 1500 Pixels anyway
First I would try and lighten the background in Photoshop so it's white and delete the dark spots in the edges of the scan.
In Illy you don't just hit the trace button, but click on the little arrow on the right that leads you to the tracing options. Do you want to trace colored or Black and white?
For black and white traces you can choose between fills and strokes. If you want to capture the drawing gestus, fills will be suitable. If you like to achieve exactly tha same line weight for all of the figures later, choose strokes. Illy will then trace single lines in the middle of the pen lines (or whatever tool those figures were drawn with).
Check the "Ignore White" option (Illy CS3 and up), so that the background won't be created as dozens of white objects.
Then check "preview" and adjust the other options. If that's the biggest scan you have, you will have to choose a rather small amount of "minimum area" (below 25) and "path fitting".
For both applies: the smaller the value, the exacter the result, but the more anchors in paths
Then you can only try and work with the "corner angle" setting.
After doing the trace, you have to expand it (in order to use the paths).
There's a quite detailed tutorial available at: http://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator/pdfs/creating_vector_content.pdf

Can't rotate a gradient when it's a live paint object?

Hello,
OK-so I have a bunch of paths currently activated as a Live Paint object.
I place linear gradients in them, and when I go the gradient panel and try to rotate them, it looks like it will let me, by changing the rotation amount in the panel, but nothing happens in the gradient.
Is it possible to rotate a single gradient within a single, path while its still a Live Paint object?
thanks!
babs

Hi Monika and Gradientmush!
So sorry for the delay....My client came in and we just finished up, so I just got your responses!
I feel like an idiot!!! That was it Monika...I completely forgot about the paint paint selections tool!!!! As soon as I selected it with that tool and rotated the gradient in the gradient panel, it worked beautifully!!!
Thanks so much to the both of you.....one of those duh..moments ;-)
Haven't used live paint in awhile, and I completely forgot about the separate selection tool!!!
thanks!
babs

Creating cut mask with live trace object?

Hi, I was wondering if it´s possible to creat a "cut mask" (in my spanish version -mascara de recorte) using an object created with live trace without expanding it. I need this because whenever I expand it, the object is so big and has so many paths that is impossible for my computer memory to work properly.
Thank you!

No, that's not possible. You could only create an opacity Mask with that traced object. But you would get transparency then, this might make your workflow even more complicated depending on what exactly you're masking and what exactly the file will be used for afterwards.
Isn't it possible to simplify the path?

How do i apply one gradient across multiple live paint objects??

I need to apply a single gradient acros a number of live paint objects but am finding it annoyingly hard to find a way. I know that normally, to apply a gradient across multiple objects, you would need to make them all into one compound path but does this apply to live paint groups in any way?? Can what i need to achieve actually be done??
Thanks for any help given

1. With the Live Paint selection tool, shift-select those shapes you want to unify with a gradient.
2. Fill this (multi-shape) selection with your gradient. Now each shape is filled separately.
3. With the gradient tool, drag across all of the selected shapes.
"Annoyingly hard." Is that different than "hard"?

Why won't AI let me drag the selection icon into a Live Paint group?

I routinely add paths to existing Live Paint Groups, by dragging a path that is outside the group, into the LP group. But AI won't let me drag the "selection icon" from a nested layer, into an existing LP Group. Why?
It seems I'm requesting the same action, but AI won't allow the icon to be dragged into the group. I have to either open the layer and drag the objects directly, or drag the objects into the main layer, then into the Live Paint Group. I think this is an interface flaw. Does anyone follow me and have an observation?
FYI… I realize I could jump into the Live Paint Group using Isolation mode, but that takes extra steps and makes the template less useful.

Live Paint groups can't contain sublayers. When attempting to drag a layer/sub-layer into a Live Paint group you are attempting to add a sub-layer, which Live Paint does not support.
You can drag individual objects into the Live Paint group because they are objects, not layers.
The "Layers" panel is somewhat of a misnomer, it's actually a "Layers and Objects" panel and each will have it's own restrictions.

How to create a live trace object with transparent background?

Hi, I am trying to create a live trace object of my logo in ai. The logo is coming from photoshop on a transperent background, and it is all black. What I want to do is to bring it into ai and make it an object for obvious reasons. The problem I have had is that when I live trace it, the live trace leaves a white background which then overlaps with other objects in my ai file. Is there a way to live trace while preserving the transparent area or possibly better, to not include white space in the live trace? Thanks in advance!

Yep open the properties for live trace (Object>Live Trace>Tracing options). You will find a checkbox for ignore white.

Convert live trace object to gradient mesh? Help please! :)

Does anyone have advice on turning a live trace object into a gradient mesh? Or some sort of workaround? We love the live trace tool, but cannot get the mesh to apply to it unless created by the pen tool first. Thanks for any help, using CS5.

Yes Monika has this right.
Ths is wha will happen toyour rt if you are first sucessful in creating shapes and then if you are successful in converting to gradient mesh.
You willlose your strokes and some of your strkes will be in part filed objects.
Best to do the live trace for the ink work and the gradient mesh as separate shaphes, but I do not think it is ncessary to lose you strokes by using tham ads clipping paths I think simply placing the gradient mesh objects behind the line work will do the trick.
Sort of like this

XCelsius Live Office objects and save loss

Hi all,
I'm observing an abnormal behavior using Live Office 3.1 fp 1.8 inside Xcelsius 2008 SP3.
Iu2019ve built Live Office queries based on OLAP universe inside Xcelsius;
all is ok but when I close and reopen Xcelsius the queries lost some
object or some filter. In addition if I try to delete a query it
disappears, but if I save, close and reopen the Xcelsius file it
appears. It seems as if Iu2019m not able to delete Live Office objects, nor
to make changes to query and so on. I've seen that this is a frequently
discussed problem on various forum, but i never found solutions.
Moreover i've observed the same behavior if i introduce through live office webi reports inside the dashboard: initially it seems ok, but after closing and re opening the XCelsius file, one or more reports disappear!!!
Have you any workaround to solve this anomaly?
Best regards

Hi,
As i said the following steps guide you to unlock the worbook.
Try this out
>>Office 2007 (Ribbon menu in Xcelsius or Excel). Select Review > Protect Workbook > Protect Structure and Windows.
Office 2003 (menu only in Excel). Select Tools > Protection > Unprotect Workbook.
>> You will be prompted for a password.
>> This is the password (the O is an uppercase o):
fazOh1+u
>> Click OK and the spreadsheet should no longer be locked.
As far as i think still you are using SP1 or SP2.
Please upgrade your Xcelsius SP and FP.
Let me know if you have any issues.
All credit goes to "Matt Lloyd" Coz the above solution was given by him long back (around Sep 2009).
For further reference you can check the thread ID=1480563
Regards,
AnjaniKumar C.A.

Live paint object gradients

I have a live paint object made up of many shapes and lines. I need to put different gradients into many of the live paint areas. However, when I try to adjust the way a gradient fills one section of the live paint object, using the gradient tool,all of the gradients change. Is there a way to change the direction and angle of one area of the live paint object without affecting all of the gradient filled areas in it?

Actually, now that I look again, you can manipulate the gradient with the Gradient Tool after selecting with the Live Paint Selection Tool.
I thought I had seen a discussion of getting around the horrible highlight, but I haven't found it yet.

Live Office SP3.4/Office 2010 - Live Office objects disappear on conversion

I am testing Live Office XI 3.1 FP3.4 on a Windows 7 laptop with Office 2010 installed and have a question.
I take an Excel 2003 file (XLS) file that has Live Office connections and open it in Office 2010. Then I save as an XLSX file. While saving I get a message that states:
"The name, [1]_1_CRADDIN_DataGrid, either conflicts with a valid range reference of is invalid for Excel. The name has been replaced with 11__1_CRADDIN_DataGrid. You may still need to manually update any references to this name used in VBA code or as text arguements in functions. You must close and reopen the workbook before these changes take effect."
I complete the save then close and reopen the file. When I go check for my Live Office objects, they seem to have disappeared (meaning I right click on what used to be a Live Office object, but I no longer see Live Office on the popup menu).
Can't I convert my old data models to the new excel format? I am doing this because the XLF is taking a LONG time to open in Xcelsius 2008 SP4 with multiple server busy messages. I thought updating the Excel file might speed things up but since the Live Office objects are disappearing from my spreadsheet this is not working as expected.
If any pointers can be given that would be great. If I have missed any documenation that may help me out, please let me know. I checked the Live Office documentation and the highest thing for XI 3.1 I see is SP3, no FP3.4 (or even SP4).

How do I know if Office is 64 bit? If I go to the control panel, I see that "Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010" is installed.
There are no named ranges in my sheet.

Name and Number selected paths?

I am working on a very large .ai file of a baseball stadium render. It contains many small sections and box seats that need named and numbered in this format: section::100, section::101, ... and so on. Right now, I'm having to go through and rename each path individually. Is there a script that will save me TONS of time by automating this for me?
I found this one on here, which is a good start for what I need, but it doesn't let me only number selected paths, nor does it let me start the numbering where I want (say at 100 and go up from there).
#target illustrator
var docRef = app.activeDocument;
var newName = prompt ("What's the base of the new name","base");
var myNB = docRef.pathItems.length;
for ( i = 1 ; i < myNB; i++)
var finalName = newName + i;
docRef.pathItems[i].name = finalName
Thanks in advance!!

I have taken a quick guess at what you want but Im supposed to be busy at work…
#target illustrator
var docRef = app.activeDocument;
var newName = prompt ("What's the base of the new name","base");
var stNumb = prompt ("What's the start number","1");
var myNB = docRef.selection.length;
for (var i = 0 ; i < myNB; i++) {
     var finalName = newName + stNumb;
     if (docRef.selection[i].typename == 'PathItem') {
          docRef.selection[i].name = finalName;
          stNumb++;

Selecting paths of a Live Traced object

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