Illustrator :: How To Delete The Image Outside Of Offset Path
Feb 25, 2013
I'm really new to Illustrator, and I'm trying to print an image that will have a CutContour swatch around it, with a bleed outside of the CutContour line. You'll see that I set up the bleed by creating an offset path outside of the CutContour path. However, I would like to delete the rest of the image outside of that, but I'm not sure how to do this. I don't want to print the entire block of the photograph, just the image inside the tracing, leaving the outside white. I thought I could select the offset path and make a Clipping Mask from that but it says it's "too complex" or doesn't do anything at all. I've attached an example since it will probably make more sense to have something to look at in addition to my explanation...
I'm currently having troubles from having too many anchor points after "image trace" or "offset path tool".
1. I would like to know if there's a way of deleting useless points AT ONCE. (ex. multiple anchor points on a stait line, or duplicated points at one anchor point) - I've tried "Simplify" but it changed the picture too much. - I've tried "Remove redundant points" when using "image trace" but it came out as below:
2. Sometimes pathfinder seems to make duplicated paths. Is there any way of knowing that there are duplicated paths OR eraseing duplicated paths at ONCE?
Is there a way to make the offset path not close the gap(red arrow)/not disappear if the two paths collide? like if the paths gets x milimeter close, then they dont offset anymore?
I'm doing an offset path command on a random shape and I need to repeat that in 4mm increments. I noticed that this command is far from accurate. To be as precise as possible I copy the base shape, paste it in front, apply the offset path command +4mm, +8mm etc (since the shape has round edges I chose round and a miter of 5000), and expand appearance. However, at 8mm expansion the round curves become pointy curves and therefore not mimicking the original shape.
I made a path and filled it with black. When I zoom in to make anchor adjustments, the fill and the path outline are offset making it very difficult to adjust and align filled paths. This happens all the time.
The letter "A" on the left is filled with a radial gradient. The letter "A" on the right is the same except I used offset path to expand the shape of the letter "A" but the gradient doesn't keep it's original coordinates and the outside shape of the offset "A" does not match the gradient of the original inside "A". I need the gradient to expand out with the same center coordinates as the gradient inside the original "A". I can't just scale the "A". I need both shapes of the "A" but filled with the same gradient.
So I am preparing a document for printing on an Epilog Zing Laser 10000. I have an outline for a cut I need to make, but I need to accomodate for the kerf of the laser. I am trying to select the circles and use the Offset Path tool to make new circles in the same places slightly smaller. However when I apply the negative offset I get a new circle on the outside of the path and on the inside.
As you can see there is now a larger circle as well as a smaller circle, but the smaller circles don't even have a smaller circle only a larger one despite the fact I entered a negative offset.What can I do to only get the smaller circle in all the circle? Am I even on the right path as far as the path offset tool? Pun intended.
I was trying to make a logo and for doing as I sketched it I thought Offset path will do. But unfortunately it didnt. By using this feature repeatedly the shape is losing its initial form. This is what I want (as concept) but as you can see the shapes don't have the same form as the original cloud:
I know is almost impossible to make this without any distortion, but I was wondering if there is any other methond with less shape deformation.
I have a path that turned out to be a litt ethicker than it needs to be.
I see that I can expand a path with Offset Path. I have read online that you can contract a path by entering a negative number, but when I try that, it ignores the minus sign and expends the path instead.
How do I offset the path of a random shape (for example the outline of a guitar) without having it automatically inset the path as well? Is there an easier way to delete the segments of path I don't want than double clicking continuously with the white arrow?
1. Adding Effects to a path applies the effect but the effect is not visible in the Appearance panel. 2. In conjunction with this, it appears that internal stroking of the object creates a weird offset. The stroking is visually incorrect. The stroke generally offset by -1 on each axis. If the object has had a rounding effect applied to it, some of the corners become mangled.
I have made two objects, a vertical elongated ellipse with a circle placed on top that covers a bit of the ellipse and then i made a mask via Ctrl + 7
afterward I want to select the path of the circle and then use the Offset path twice to create two new paths but i want to Delete the first/original path.
however, no matter what i try i cannot seem to Delete the original path. ????
i have searched the manual, FAQ's and even used Google to try and find an answer.
I don't know if i am not asking the right question(s) or what but it seems as though a path cannot be deleted.
after doing ... say ... selecting the path in the layers panel and then clicking the trash can icon at the bottom of the layers palette the Edit menu will indeed say that the path has been deleted ... but ... when i hover over the area ~ the path is STILL there!!??
paths cannot be deleted? i would think if they could be that the manual would have some sort of info.
i find things like ... how to delete part of a path, how to delete anchors ... i mean everything but what i need to know.
I have two shapes placed next to each other but the top section displays is a faint line to the left. How do I use the Path Eraser Tool to delete/remove that piece? Or is there a better way to remove?
Note:
Top image displays without path displayed... Bottom section displays with path displayed...
There are many lisp that draw offset line but what about opposite way , I have wall of double line i need to delete one of them let's say inside wall line .
why i need to do this usually when i tracing in external program like autocad architecture or Revit or archicad i just need outline of exterior and interior walls !.
is there way that can delete the offset line ?(or within range predefined in lisp to prevent interfering of lines deletion).
in my Link window I still see the linke to an image that i have as embedded as well. How do I delete the link ? I didn't see a delete function in the link window, respectively in the dropdown of the window.
Each are can be individually selected in AI. I can change colors, strokes add images pretty much anything except what i can do in ps. In ps i can have the background as a specific layer. Then select the areas of the jersey then invert and delete the remaining portion of the background from the background layer. I CANT FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT IN AI cs6. I have to do this in AI because there are certain images and backgrounds i need to image trace to blow up to size of jersey. I make it work by importing after editing as much as possible in PS.
I know that I can delete anchor points but I was wondering if there is a shortcut to do it on a larger scale.
Can you automatically delete anchor points when a new image is placed on top - so that it 'replaces' the image, only on the parts obviously that you cover with the new one.
I know how to punch out a path out of a shape. Now I have an image. With the image the substract/minus option does not work like it works with a shape. What is the easiest way to do this? N.B.: the path is quite complicated, so redrawing it with the pen tool is the last thing I want to do.
I am trying to use Illustrator to create source files for a CNC cutting machine, it requires a single path or paths to be created and exported a as. DXF file.
The trouble I am having is that when I use image trace to create a path, I am getting multiple paths stacked. I have the image trace set to create fills.
All I do is place image, trace image with settings that give good results, expand trace, remove fill, apply stroke and save.
Is there a way to create one single path in illustrator, I am using the demo version with a view to buy but if this cannot be done then it's a non-starter.
I am getting an error message while trying to use the Path/Join function in Ai CC6. While working on a new layer I try to Path/Join the vectorized image and the message states that "The selected objects cannot be joined as they are invalid objects." What am I doing wrong?
When I pull a regular 2-color photo from the web and use the tracing option, selecting ignore white, then expanding it into a path, it will not fill correctly. Instead of filling the object created, it fills the entire photo area of the original image. URL....
In the video, you'll notice that the fill option after expanding is marked with a "?".The goal here is to, after expanding, fill ONLY the image of the cursor.
Here I have a vector image. The pink stroke is a cut path that the software I use at work recognises and cuts. (Used for vinyl decals/stickers etc). All the lines highlighted in pink is useless to me, as it would cut out each individual line.
All I need is the outer edge of the entire graphic.
Note my crudely drawn red lines that border the image, that is exactly what I need. As you can see, the paths run through the image. BUT...When I try to erase the paths using add anchor point then cut path at selected anchor points so I can remove that particular segment, the colour essentially "leaks" as it isn't a closed area anymore. Rasterizing the image destroys the quality and I would like to be able to perform this task without loss of quality.
Is there a way with JavaScript to place an image with a calculated path and file name? I have 30+ artboards per document, each artboard named by product number. The actual file name of the master AI file is also already established (meaning every document I use this new script on will have already been saved).
Here's the scenario I'm hoping to create in the context of the documents mentioned above:
Run a script to "Place" a linked image based on the following calculated path:
["S:SAPCurrent Images in SAPStock Schools"] + [current ai filename minus the .ai extension]+[a hyphen like this "-"]+[currently selected artboard name]+[".jpg"]
This image link can be placed on a new top layer called "Images" or if necessary on the currently selected layer. Dimensions of the placed image should be a pre-determined size 8"x8".
I'm learning to use Coreldraw for artistic metal cutting using a plasma cutter, so the file itself is important and not just what appears on the screen (or what prints out).
I've used the blend tool to draw some circles along a wavy path. I want the circles but I don't want the path. I remove the outline and the path dissappears on the screen but it's still in the file and when I export as a dxf file there is the path cutting right through the circles.
If I use Detach from Path then the circles simple come of my wavy path and end up in a straight line.
Are there any other techniques to give the same result but one where I can keep the circles/objects in their locations while removing the path at file level.
I know of a plugin available for Coreldraw that can take a bunch of dissimilar objects and place them on a path but at this point don't know if it can do what I need and delete the path afterwards.
Or is there any way I can copy the circles without copying the path.
Is it possible to delete/clear contents outside visible work path easy way?
Sometimes when you create stuff, move stuff, import and cut images something is left outside visible work path. For example, in Adobe Photoshop it could be easily deleted with select tool + delete. Even non visible leftovers that is outside work area.
I started using Gimp yesterday and sure some things are SO irritating after long use of other image editing softwares.. I just can not figure out how people get used to it (Gimp).
Long way would be to move layer contents so you could see those "leftovers" and then it allows you to select them and delete. Then move back image where it was previously. But even after deleting those lefovers why the hell GIMP would select layer size according to "what it was at first" not what's acual dimensions of non transparent area?
I have some negative space I created(black area, see first image) that I want to fill with type, not just a simple fill.
Basically I want to create the negative space from a bunch of small minus signs(-) that need to line up as they go across. If I type on each path one at a time as the text doesn't line up that way. This needs to be one continuous path. (see second image)
Unfortunately if I add them together, it creates a compound path, which you cannot type on, unless I am mistaken? So I need them to be a path, not a compound object.
I've tried every permutation of copy and paste; I renamed the path to path. It looks like a path when I add stroke, but it does not behave like one. I can't cut it or join it to any other path. It remembers it's text path status. I'm running OS X 10.7.5.
I accidentally converted a path to a text path. I searched the forum for how to convert it back to a regular path. The answer I found said to select the path and hit Command+C+F. This gives me another text path! I now have at least 6 copies of the path in my files but they are ALL text paths and none are visible with a stroke.
