Illustrator :: Transform Tool Fails To Rotate Gradients - Especially When Inside Compound Path
May 17, 2013
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'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.
I have applied simple gradients to shapes. When I try to select the object with the direct selection tool, it selects paths made from the gradient, not the object itself.
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'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.
I'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.
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.
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.
Cs6 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...
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)?
I 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.
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.
I'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.
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.
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.
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...?
I have a horizontal bar graphic and I want to make it have the same shape than a circular graphic that I have as background.
What I do first is to rotate the graph (after converting it in an image) to the right angle, depending on where it has to be positioned. After that, I use the Effect->Deform->Arc to make it fit in the same shape as the circular graph. But when I do those processes (in any order) I get a distorted image, with lines not describing concentric lines (not as radius, I mean).
I got the perfect shape working on a MAC, but now I am working on PC. How can I achieve the same?
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.
I am trying to create a pattern that I have created in previous itterations of Illustrator. In CC when I create a triangle (either via Star, Poly, or Pen tool) and then try to rotate it via Transform Each > Transform again, the rotation point moves according to what the bounding box would be if I reset it, rather than staying in one (original) spot relative to the actual bounding box and triangle. I cannot find any settings that would be affecting the rotate point in this way. I am pretty confident that I am using the same procedure now that I did in older versions of Illustrator. Perhaps I am using the wrong procedure.
Naturally, if you are rotating something around its center you should expect that it would end up create a circular pattern. It is more of a square with concave sides. The red is a perfect circle that I grouped to the triangle to demonstrate the rotate points movement. It is located in the exact center according to the align tools.
The Pen Tool is my favorite / go to selection tool. But can it do the following...I've made a path and converted it to a selection, then filled the area with a color or texture (on it's own layer).
Now I find that I need to adjust (fine tune) the shape I've created / filled with color or texture to better fit how / where it's being used. Is is possible to invoke the path handles and get it to adjust the filled area as you move / adjust the path. (This is not a shape, not using the shape tool.)
I can select the filled path / layer and free transform but that does not give me a fine enough adjustment.Puppet Warp doesn't really fit the bill eitherA good example of what I want to achieve is similar to when you put type on a path. When you adjust the path the type moves to conform to the changes in the path. I want to do the same thing with the area I filled using the path.
Does the scissor tool NOT work on compound paths? I am guessing it does not being it does not work when I use it on them, but the Adobe help section didn't specify.
Also, sometimes when I am using the pen tool, I will place an anchor point but it shifts away from where I want to place it. For example, I will put it at x = 72 & y = 1000 and it will place it at x = 95 & y = 1050.
I thought maybe it was from something I accidentally selected like snap to grid or point, but changing the settings does not correct the issue. I have to close out of the program and restart to fix it.
Problem: Transform applied to Smart Object fails to transform an attached Smart Filters Mask.
I mean a Transform, including Free Transform, as found in the Edit menu. A simple move by the Move Tool is OK.
A workaround until this bug is squashed is to encapsulate the Smart Object + Smart Filters + Filter Mask inside another Smart Object and transform that.However, that will not be a satisfactory solution in some cases. If a filter has size parameter(s), e.g. Gaussian Blur radius, a scaling or warping/distorting transform applied after the filter will obviously differ from the filter applied after the transform.
In any case, the workaround is inconvenient to subsequent editing and experimenting with filters and masks.
I created text on a curved path using the pen tool and the the type on a path tool. However, there are portions of the text that I want to taper. For example, my text begins horizontally, continues to the right, and gradually curves downward. As the text curves downward I would like it to taper smoothly into a narrower and narrower text.
I'm working in the fashion industry where we are creating a lot of patterns and textile designs.transform pattern inside a vector shape without having to move the vector object :
To transform patterns but not objects when using a transform tool, hold down the tilde key (~) while dragging. The borders of the object appear to be transformed, but when you release the mouse button, the borders snap back to their original configuration, leaving only the pattern transformed. URL..
It seems this shortcut works only with US and UK keyboard.
I'm using a french keyboard where it doesn't work, probably because there is'nt any key especially dedicated to the Tilde sign (~), and you need to combine multiple keys to get this symbol (Alt GR + the key 2 above the key Z) .
I finally found the shortcut on MAC which is the keyboard key with the britisih pound sterling symbol (£). But not on PC !!!how to get this shortcut on PC with a french keyboard ?
Is there a way to change the shortcut for this very useful option, without having to take care of the kind of keyboard ?
There is a way inside Illustrator to send back or front the anchor points of a path?
In the image below was createad with Pen Tool starting from left to right but if i want to bring some of these crossing points back and forth from each other, is it possible?
Like in the middle one to send it back from the other behind it?