I'm trying to set up a script that will grab a group of objects and turn them into a compound path, then apply a clipping mask to the compound path and the next group in the layer.
View 5 RepliesI am trying to cut holes permanently out of an solid oblong and although I have made a compound path I need to make this permanent
View 5 Replies View RelatedI'm working on a script for my company that sets up templates for internal use. I've been able to get most of it completed by drawing basic pathItems and textFrames. The problem I face now is adding our company logo. In the scripting reference I've found examples of duplicating art from one document to another, but that isn't what I need here.
I've approached this by trying to select our company logo in an existing document and in some way capturing the pathPoints so I can use them in the the script that is setting up the templates.However I've not had much luck with this. Ideally everything will be self contained in the one script, so that external files aren't required.
Like in a Circle I need to make the compound path the inner area or negative space of my objects. I have expanded letters and joined their paths so that there are negative space, I was wondering if it were possible to fill in the negative space with a clipping mask? (like one would with an object like a circle or rectangle) The letter that I am using is an A and I have connected two A's together like a diamond reflecting each other... Is it possible to create a clipping mask to cover the negative space of the inside of the letters...?
View 6 Replies View RelatedI 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'm a novice here so here's my script. It works really well like it sits. It basically takes two objects in a large group and aligns them. I want to make each two objects combined into a single compound path. I have tried multiple things and they all just kick out errors and what not. I can't seem to get my head around the vocabulary for the scripting but the darkness is starting to fade the more I do.
#target Illustrator
var idoc = app.activeDocument;
var pi =idoc.compoundPathItems;
var numn = prompt ("How Many Names?", "Enter Number of Names");
var dd = prompt ("How far below name is the number?", "Enter Drop Distance");
var nH = prompt ("How tall are the names?", "Enter Name Height in Inches");
dd = parseFloat (dd);
numn = parseInt (numn);
nH = parseFloat (nH);
[code]...
Would Like to combine the aligned items into a single compound item.
I'm redrawing the Realtor Logo which is a simple square, and inside that are a rectangle, triangle and a semi-circle with a flat edge on the left. When combined, look like the letter R reversed out of a black box. When I select the all the elements and tell it to make a compound path, only the rectangle knocks out the background square and the semi circle and triangle just appear to be grouped with the square instead of knocked out!!! I've tried everything including moving the square to the front and the back, etc. How do you find out if the semi circle I drew is a closed path? I made the semi circle by drawing a circle and a square and then using pathfinder to edit them into a the left flat edged circle. The triangle I simply drew with the pen tool.
View 6 Replies View RelatedI'm trying to create a compound path in AI CS4 for Mac, but I have not been successful. 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 {
[code]....
I am a complete novice with Illustrator. Ok now that we have that out of the way I have a logo that I had created for me that I would like to edit one small portion of. Basically in the middle of the logo is the word/text "EDCpen" (I believe the text is made up from compund paths).
I would like to edit it FROM "EDCpen" TO "EDCpin" however cannot get it to work. I am sure that I am doing everything wrong, however cannot seem to make this what I belive to be simple change.
Attached is a sample of the logo in jpg format. I have the file in both .ai and .eps formats.
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.
I am wondering if there is a way to add/remove/redistribute anchor points on a compound shape so that there are evenly spaced anchors along the outline of that shape.I am aware of the "add anchor points" command. But that adds a new anchor at EVERY midpoint between two anchors. It doesn't smartly calculate where to add and where to avoid adding anchors.
View 1 Replies View RelatedCs6 here.... I am trying to cut out a simple shape to allow the area under the shape to be trasnparent or Alpha. Like a Mask. Except when I use the Mask it does at it should do and mask the area where the shape is and MASKING or removing the areas not under the mask. I tried Compound path but I am not getting any result from it. My shape stays right on top of my work and does not "cut it out" to allow the Background to shine through as an alpha channel. See pics for clarity. I want to reverse this where the circle is cut out and the rest stays visible...
View 11 Replies View RelatedI rarely want my Compound Paths to have voids where overlapping takes place, but sometimes (and it seems random) I get voids anyway.
The Attribute Panel options don't seem to do anything.
I am working on a file where there are kangaroos that are compound paths. I need to stroke only parts of them. Is there a way to do that? Should I just manually be drawing paths that go right up to the edge of the compund path (drawing my own stroke)?
View 9 Replies View RelatedI'm having trouble making adjustments to my compound path/shape, as I'd like to outline the inside of the shape with a stroke - but this doesn't seem possible as the stroke always surrounds the outside too.
So: I've got a simple rectangle with white fill, with a rectangle-window hole cut out of it using the compound path action so you can see the layers beneath. Now I want to stroke the window hole, but NOT the outside of the entire rectangle. I'd be happy to split the shape up and tried various options like divide, edit in isolation mode, expand (button is greyed out), all the pathfinders - but none of them allow me to do this only to the inside part of the path.
How I can perform this action? I'm working in CS5 and CS6.
This yellow donut is a compound path. I'd like to divide it into 10 segments, in the places where the black lines cross it.
View 5 Replies View RelatedI have this compound path (green in the print screens below) which I would like to apply a bevel effect on.
It seems as if the compound path is fine but when I apply the bevel effect, the result is as image 2. How can I solve this so that all of the beveled effect is smoothly and unite instead of rectangles popping out etc... ?
I'm working on a project and I need to use the free distort tool + ctrl (command for mac users) but it won't work. I found out that I need to convert it to a smart object, from another disscussion, but right clicking the name of it in the layers menu isn't working. I'm using CS6 by the way.
View 10 Replies View RelatedI'm trying to create a clipping mask of a photograph using several separate shapes and then separate the final masked image/shapes.
I've made the shapes a compound path, and then applied a clipping mask (so far so good).
Now that I have my masked photo/shapes I want to separate the shapes so I can edit them individually and independent of one another.
(using Illustrator CS4)
I'm trying to create a compound path in order to mask off some bits and create letters, but there seems to be some kind of overlap and its leaving a white line where there shouldn't be one. Its all set up to snap-to and both shapes are perfectly in line, but its still leaving this white border.
The top of each letter is basically just 2 semi circles, the diameter being where the white line is. the lines are still visible on low-res monitors...
how to get rid of this line or if it will even print?
I've created a logo with a grunge texture over the font in Illustrator CS5. When I try and create a compound path with the grunge texture I lose the detail. Here's one of the letter to show what it looks like before and after creating the compound path using the minus front pathfinder option. On the left is how I'd like it to look.
Although it doesn't look like much of a difference when printed it flattens out even more. I've tried every grouping option I could think of, used the pathfinder options and used this thread: [URL].... to try creating it using a transparency. Nothing gets the detail I need.
Is this something I can achieve?
I'm trying to use the gradient annotator on a compound path. Moving the sliders and rotating the annotator works fine, but if I double click a slider and change the color the annotator disappears and the color of the slider stays the same. It works fine on non compound paths.
View 7 Replies View RelatedI'd like to start utilizing Illustrator more frequently for web and user interface design projects, but I still like taking everything into Photoshop for final rendering and compositing (and the simple fact that most developers want psds, not ai files). However, I find that the only way to successfully transfer all of the vector artwork from Illustrator and preserve it as vector objects in Photoshop (when exporting) is to manually convert every individual vector object in Illustrator to a Compound Shape (by selecting the shape and clicking Make Compound Shape from the Pathfinder palette menu). This can be very tedious if it has to be done after the design is complete, and very inefficient if you convert every object as you draw it.
Is there a way to set Illustrator to automatically create every vector object drawn as a Compound Shape without having to manually convert it?
Adobe Illustrator allows you to export your Illustrator document as a Photoshop document. However, Compound Paths (not Compound Shapes - see this article for not-so-great explanations comparing the two) – which is the default attribute applied to all of Illustrator's basic vector objects – do not convert into vector objects when the exported document is opened in Photoshop. Rather, the vector objects drawn in Illustrator get flattened into raster layers in Photoshop, making them poor candidates for refining the design in Photoshop.
Using transform tool to rotate, often gradients do not rotate. In the example below only the "w" gradient did. Good news is the rotate tool works fine.
Appears this has something to do with compound paths, as this normally does not happen on a new single path. Releasing the compound also rotates the gradient unexpectedly.
I placed text on a shape and outlined it. As soon as I create a compound path, the result appears lighter than the originally outlined text (on screen and printed), although the paths seem to be identical when I overlay them. Same happens when I divide the paths.
View 21 Replies View RelatedI want to make a tab in a radiotext and it does not work when i just add a tab.
I can add a space and other characters using unicode but i cant make it work with the tab character!
staticText = Grp1.add("statictext",undefined,"What? "); // Does not work
staticText2 = Grp1.add("statictext",undefined,"What?u00A0"); // Works but this is a space character
staticText3 = Grp1.add("statictext",undefined,"What?u0009"); // Does not work with Tab character
I'm having serious issues in Illustrator CS5 trying to import SVG files with nested clip-path properties.
Illutrator seems to create unnecessary groups, and messes up with group parents, effectively screwing things up.
Here is a minimal example :
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd" [<!ENTITY ns_svg "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><!ENTITY ns_xlink "http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">]>
<svg version="1.1" id="main" overflow="visible" xmlns="&ns_svg;" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
<g id="piece-1">
<g clip-path="url(#cpform)" id="form1">
<g clip-path="url(#cplogo)" id="logo1">
<rect fill="#FF0000" x="10" y="10" width="1000" height="1000" />
[Code]...
Such a valid SVG file displays fine in Chrome, IE, Opera, Firefox, but Illustrator fails loading it properly, because it creates two groups between "main" and "piece-1" (which is in itself not too bad), and sets piece-1 as a brother of another unnecesarry group from which piece-2 will descend. piece-2 and piece-1 are then clipped with piece-1 clip-path, which is just plain wrong and screws display.
Note that you can move piece-2 to the root of the document, which restores the display. But save this fixed file, and open it again : it"s back to its broken state.
Does anoyone know if this is fixed in CS6 ? If there is a workaround ?
I picked up the following search and replace script online which works as inteded, except that it removes any italics I have and makes all of my text bold. Is there something I need to add/remove/replace to make it stop doing this?
Edit: It's doing even more in some files, including changing the size of my text. Also, it is only making these changes to any text box that has a string to be replaced.
function myReplace(search_string, replace_string) {
var active_doc = app.activeDocument;
var text_frames = active_doc.textFrames;
[Code].....
How to make a layer visible by using the name of the layer, with javascript?
View 2 Replies View Relatedtrying to make an object the exact size of the artboard. This is something I do on a daily basis for several different reasons and it would be very useful if this can happen automatically for whatever size the artboard may be. As I understand it the only way is with a script but I have no experience with making illustrator scripts, im definately no programmer. I have set up quickkeys in the past to copy from the artboard inputs when you are on the artboard tool but these round to the nearest .01 and this is not accurate enough for what I am working with. Also if I do this with multiple pages open illustrator is very slow to respond to the artboard tool.
Below is a script that I saw on here that I believe may contain what I need but now knowing programming. Where to start on editing. All I need is the part where an object is placed on the artboard that is the exact same size as the artboard.
#target illustrator function main() { if (app.documents.length == 0) { alert('Open a document before running this script'); return; // Stop script here no doc open… } else { var docRef = app.activeDocument; with (docRef) { if (selection.length == 0)
[Code].....
Have searched but i cant find a good way of retrieving the source path of the current .AI file. Is it possible?
IE: If i am working with a file in C:adobeIllustratoreautifulfile.ai i want a function that retrieve C:adobeIllustrator
// Clint