Simple Icon, Difficult Compound Path Issue

Hey everyone,
Need a little help here. Ive created this very simple icon:
The airplane is a single object as is the runway. The two objects are grouped. There are a total of 9 compound paths that I see. The landing struts have 8 plus the 1 stripe in the middle of the runway. The problem I'm having appears only when I reduce the image down to around an inch. (Image is enlarged for better viewing)
I'm assuming its the compound paths that make this happen but can't be 100% sure. Im completely baffled because Ive never experienced this with any other compound path and this is an extremely simple group of objects!
My work around was to export as a hires png and then place it back in illustrator and trace as a sillohette. It solved the problem but this doesn't make any sense since when it was traced it still made the same compound paths. Right?
Any input would be most appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

c,
John has it. Just to elaborate a bit:
You may select everything and then untick Align to Pixel Grid in the Transform palette, and also untick Align New Objects to Pixel Grid in the flyout options.
You may avoid document types with that as default (RGB for web and the like) or change the default for such documents.

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Illustrator CC Compound Path backward compatibility issues

I have a file created in CS6, it contains compound paths, it will not open correctly in CC. I have saved it as .eps, and down to illustrator 10 with no success on CC. CC drops many of the paths, and creates bizarre transparencies that do not exist in the original file. I need to share this file (and many others like it) with colleagues who are on CC... but cannot figure out what is going on. Any suggestions are welcome as I've hit a wall here... I've never seen anything like it.
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Thanks.

When opening your CS6 file in CC it looks like this:
The EPS looks like this:
The Ai 10 looks like this:
Since I don't know how it should look, I can't know what went wrong.
Usually if you just hand them the CS6 file it should cause the least problems. Converting it to EPS or Ai10 makes no sense at all when all the other people use Illustrator CC.

KVC simple path vs compound path

Hi
According to Apple's article about KVC http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/KeyValueCoding/Concept s/BasicPrinciples.html paths for valueForKey can be compound. I mean consist from several property names separated by dot.
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Totally different features.
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I have created some icons in Illustrator using compound paths. I ended up having these faint, dark "cut out" lines (please see example). What am I doing wrong or what do I need to do to get rid of this?
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No, but this one is having the same issue.
On Tue, Jun 10, 2014 at 11:37 AM, Monika Gause <[email protected]>

CS4 Select all compound paths?

Hi all,
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The only function from the set I truly need is the ability to select all compound paths. Just wondering if it is possible to do this with a script? I recently found a javascript to close all open paths, so that got me thinking there may be a way to select the compound paths with a script as well...
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I also wondered if there is a way to call the script with a speakable items command, which I guess would mean creating an action to run the script that I could then assign to a function key...?
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Thanks for any swift kicks in the right direction!!

Hi,Thanks!!
This does work but on a complex document it is very slow as it seems to be redrawing all the compound paths? It worked fine on a simple file but when I tried it on the kind of complex file I would actually use it on it has Illustrator hung up with a spinning beach ball....
The Graphix plug in to select all compound paths worked instantaneously. Is there a different way to write this that would not be as processor intensive?
Ah, the beachball just stopped spinning and all the correct paths are indeed selected...

Making a clipping group with a compound path

So, as of today I'm new to scripting for Illustrator, I'm using the ExtendScript Toolkit. However I'm not new to scripting my own solutions and I do have some experience with JavaScript already.
What I'm trying to do is this: For all selected Items->Duplicate selected item and make a simple clipping group with it
What I end up with visually doesn't change the picture, but gives me a lot of clipped colored areas which I then can edit in the isolated mode, allowing me far faster and better shading. Doing that by hand takes hours on some pictures, it'd take a second with a script.
The script itself already perfectly works for normal PathItems. As obvious in the title, as soon as I have to apply the same to CompundPathItems things stop working. My issue is somewhat similar to this old thread [Problem with compound path clipping], but I couldn't find a solution there because I get different behavior.
When I run the very same script that perfectly works with the normal PathItems with CompoundPathItems I get this: Error 9046: The top item in the group must be a path item to create a mask
Well that's a problem. In the GUI there is absolutely no difference between making a clipping mask with a simple path and a compound path. The reference guide has frankly not helped me with this issue at all, the only thing I learned from that is that the CompoundPathItem object doesn't have a clipping attribute, but those included PathItems do.
Here's what I have so far:
if ( selected[i].typename == "PathItem" ) {
var newGroup = doc.groupItems.add();
copy = selected[i].duplicate(newGroup,ElementPlacement.PLACEATEND);
selected[i].moveToBeginning(newGroup);
newGroup.clipped = true;
As I said, this part perfectly does what it's supposed to do for normal Paths.
For CompoundPaths I use this workaround.
if ( selected[i].typename == "CompoundPathItem" ) {
var newGroup = doc.groupItems.add();
copy = selected[i].duplicate(newGroup,ElementPlacement.PLACEATEND);
selected[i].moveToBeginning(newGroup);
compoundItems = selected[i].pathItems;
compoundIndex = compoundItems.length;
for ( f = 0; f < compoundIndex; f++ ) {compoundItems[f].clipping=true;}
var lineList = new Array(10);
for ( l = 0; l < lineList.length; l++ ) {lineList[l] = new Array( i * 10 + 50, ((i - 5) ^ 2) * 5 +50);}
newPath = app.activeDocument.pathItems.add();
newPath.setEntirePath(lineList);
newPath.moveToBeginning(newGroup);
newGroup.clipped = true;
newPath.remove();
Mind you, this workaround does work in so far that it bypasses that annoying and wrong error, and the Compound Clipping Path also works, with the only problem being that the Compound Clipping Path created like this is still displayed in its original colors in the Layers section, and is still selectable. When I lock the Compound Clipping Path I can work with it but still...
So the question is, what am I missing here? Surely there must be a proper way to do this.

app.executeMenuCommand()? That one eluded me so far, might be just the right thing. I'll definitely take a look, now just to find a ref on that, as unfortunately the official ref documents I have don't mention that command. Any place with a list of possible commands?
Ah, also of course I'm not only doing it for the isolation mode. If you care to hear the background, here is it:
As I said it's for shading the pictures I'm working on. I've iterated and tried through a bunch of techniques. For example gradient meshes on my first few real works. Now those meshes don't do well with complex shapes, which previously I alleviated by using a simple square or rectangle gradient mesh and using the original colored shape as a clipping mask. That did work, but it was a huge lot of work.
After a bunch of attempts at that I went over to using simple gradients as a background for the shape and then I'm doing the shading freehand with the blob brush tool, using a graphic style and filters to make it look right. That's better, but properly making all the clipping masks takes me much longer than anything else.
Now the problem is that the shading is not supposed to go over the lines, which is impossible to do properly without either messing up the order, or using clipping masks, hence the script. Because you know, if you use a blob brush with a strong Gaussian blur close to the lines you'll end up with stuff on both sides. If you don't start close to the line the shading won't look right if the darkest part of the shade needs to be close to the line. And that's where clipping masks do magic.
And finally here's an example how I work with the script and the result:
After I have traced a sketch, adjusted the line widths and everything to look neat I turn the paths to outline strokes and then make them into a live paint group (which would mess up the line widths, unless you turn the paths into outline strokes first).
With that live paint group it takes me just a few minutes to flat color my piece. Then I expand the live paint group, in case of doubt spend some more minutes to make compound paths from all areas I need to shade in one piece, then I select all the areas and use my script to turn them into neat clipping masks. Then I can click any area, enter the isolation mode and go up one level so I'm in the appropriate group, where I can shade freely without the problem of going over the lines.
At the end that allows me to apply a complex and in-depth shading, without wasting any time to get there.
PS: Well, I just found out that Draw Inside is pretty darn close to what I want to do, and oddly enough it produces the same visual discrepancy with compound paths that my script produces. I'll be taking a closer look at that, though my script does a little more than just the clipping mask stuff, so maybe I'll go for a hybrid solution. Whatever makes for a better workflow.

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);
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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.

How to create multiple gradients in a compound path?

Hi, I am trying to color a compound path with multiple colors? Kinda similar to the effect here
I tried using the blend tool and replace the spline but it does not give the desired effect.
Any tips as to how to approach this?
I have made the G by creating a compound path.
Thank you!

namk,
You may:
1) Create a simple stroke/nofill path, with a stroke at least as wide as the semicircular end parts, which follows and fully covers the G shape of the compound path;
2) Ctrl/Cmd+X+B to bring it to the back, then give it the desired gradient along the stroke/path;
3) Select all and Object>Clipping Mask>Make.
If you wish to get the stroke back on top, you may:
4) Click the compund path with the Direct Selection Tool and reapply its stroke with the original weight.

Use a compound path as clipping mask?

Hello,
I’m trying to use a complex compound path as a clipping mask, but it won’t work. I have narrowed down the problem a little in two smaller scripts described below.
Using a single path as clipping mask works very well:
var doc = app.documents.add();
var clipGroup = doc.groupItems.add();
var bgItem = clipGroup.pathItems.rectangle(200, 200, 200, 200);
bgItem.position = Array(200, 500);
bgItem.fillColor = doc.swatches[8].color;
var fgItem = clipGroup.pathItems.polygon(144, 288, 72.0, 7);
fgItem.position = Array(220, 480);
fgItem.fillColor = doc.swatches[7].color;
fgItem.zOrder(ZOrderMethod.BRINGTOFRONT);
clipGroup.clipped = true;
alert(clipGroup.clipped); // will alert true
But when trying the simplest form of a compound path, it’s not working:
var doc = app.documents.add();
var clipGroup = doc.groupItems.add();
var bgItem = clipGroup.pathItems.rectangle(200, 200, 200, 200);
bgItem.position = Array(200, 500);
bgItem.fillColor = doc.swatches[8].color;
var compoundItem = clipGroup.compoundPathItems.add();
var fgItem = compoundItem.pathItems.polygon(144, 288, 72.0, 7);
fgItem.position = Array(220, 480);
fgItem.fillColor = doc.swatches[7].color;
compoundItem.zOrder(ZOrderMethod.BRINGTOFRONT);
clipGroup.clipped = true;
alert(clipGroup.clipped); // will alert false
Using compound paths as clipping masks is really simple in the Illustrator GUI. So what am I missing here?
Help would be greatly appreciated.

The simplest way, I think, would be to set the white line work as an opacity mask on top of the tan circle. That is not a clipping mask, but does the same thing and it's much easier.
Otherwise, outline white strokes and "Unite" using pathfinder tool, then delete outside path (the circle), from the compound shape. That will leave the appropriate compound object to make the clipping mask:

Compound paths lose colour

A strange thing happened just now that I don’t recall having seen before.
I have a number of simple objects, all the same fill colour, no stroke and none of them overlapping.
When I make them into a compound path they sometimes lose all their colour.
I have checked winding order, even/odd fill and that sort of thing but since none of the objects overlap, that shouldn’t make any difference anyway.
This doesn’t happen every time, so does anyone know what could be causing it?

I got before and resolved by cleaning up the original selection. Cleared stray points and duplicate overlapping objects.
In screenshot below I duplicated the cyan square and filled with none, did a compound path of 4 objects and lost the fill of cyan.
Also if you ever open a file and get a missing plugin that could happen.

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?

Compound Path Trouble - Type to Outlines

I've had these issues for years, wherein I'll convert some type to outlines, and the counters of letterforms that have them are filled in!
The paths are still there, but no amount of futzing or making compound, or releasing and trying again, will make them come back.*
Has anyone developed a fix to this problem?
If so, thank you for sharing it with me!
katt
*Sometimes it turns out that a duplicate path is directly on top of another, but most of the time, the "compoundness" seems broken, for lack of better phrasing..

If you
Create outliens form type
Release compound path
then try to make this a compound path again
your result wil be broken compoiunf paths
If you
Create outliens form type
Release compound path
Ungroup
then try to make this a compound path again
your result will be good

Compound path inside/outside test

Is there an API for testing if a point is inside or outside of a specific compound path? I've found stuff for the length/area, but not inside outside. I supposed I could implement it myself but that kind of code tends to have a lot of fiddly <= vs < sensitivity when implementing the winding rule, and I'd rather not re-invent the wheel when illustrator is obviously already able to do this test. (Plus I could take advantage of whatever acceleration code illustrator already has for this test.)
If there's a individual path inside outside test, I don't mind tallying things up for the components of the compound path, but I didn't even find that. I'm probably just missing something obvious.
Thanks,
PS (I'm still back using CS2 since that's the suite I have and I'm unable to shell out the big bucks to upgrade.)

Well, I think the problem with that is that the hit test will also report a "hit" when you're on things like control points outside of the fill region. Now you could say "well then check the hit type and don't report a hit if it's over a control point" but then you're just in trouble because you might be over an internal control point.
So I don't think it can reliably be used for that.
I guess you might be able to make it work by manually making sure no control points are visible, and that fill is on, and then use the hit test lib. I'll look into it, but my gut feeling is that this is going to have issues. Interesting though. Thanks for the suggestion!
-Kurt

Simple Icon, Difficult Compound Path Issue

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