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John Stanowski
John Stanowski
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I'd like to be able to make Clipping Paths out of Compound Shapes

May 18, 2012 12:20 AM

I'd like to be able to make Clipping Paths out of (unexpanded) Compound Shapes.

I'm kind of disappointed that we can't do that already.

 

I'd also like the Expand button to work like it did in CS4 again. It made sense then.

780 Views   9 Replies   Latest reply: emil emil, May 18, 2012 1:12 PM
 
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  • Monika Gause
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    1. Monika Gause,
    May 18, 2012 1:28 AM   in reply to John Stanowski
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    You can make clipping paths out of compound paths. Using both fill rules, you should be able use compound paths *** you use compound shapes.

     

    WHcih "Expand button" do you mean - there's more than one.

     
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  • John Stanowski
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    2. John Stanowski,
    May 18, 2012 1:43 AM   in reply to Monika Gause
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    I mean the Expand button in the Pathfinder Panel. Most of the time when I make Compound Shapes I elect not to Expand them into Compound Paths.

    But when I need one to be a Clipping Path I have no choice though.

     
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  • [scott w]
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    3. [scott w],
    May 18, 2012 1:49 AM   in reply to John Stanowski
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    Hold option when you click it... no expanding. They reversed the option function in CS4.

     
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  • Monika Gause
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    4. Monika Gause,
    May 18, 2012 1:53 AM   in reply to John Stanowski
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    For the shape modes "Add" and "Intersect" you can use compound paths instead.

     

    Please show what you need to create.

     

    BTW: you could also use your compound shape as an opacity mask on whatever you want to mask.

     
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  • John Stanowski
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    5. John Stanowski,
    May 18, 2012 2:43 AM   in reply to Monika Gause
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    Scott, thank you, but I knew that. My point is I'd like to be able to use Compound Shapes as Clipping Paths.

    Right now, AI only lets you do that with Clipping Paths. But Compound Shapes are way easier to edit.

     

    Monika, it doesn't really matter what I need to create right now as I'll be creating something else tomorrow, etc.

    I don't need a workaround. In the end I'll just Expand the Compound Shape into a Compound Path and just use that.

    But it would really be sweet if I didn't have to do that and lose the ease of editablility.

     
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  • John Stanowski
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    6. John Stanowski,
    May 18, 2012 2:44 AM   in reply to John Stanowski
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    Gadzooks. I just realized that I posted this in the wrong forum. I meant to post it in the Feature Requests. Doh, sorry.

     
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  • emil emil
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    7. emil emil,
    May 18, 2012 6:45 AM   in reply to John Stanowski
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    John Stanowski wrote:

     

    .... Most of the time when I make Compound Shapes I elect not to Expand them into Compound Paths.

    But when I need one to be a Clipping Path I have no choice though.

    It works fine here, CS5 Windows 7

    Capture.JPG

     
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  • John Stanowski
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    8. John Stanowski,
    May 18, 2012 12:36 PM   in reply to emil emil
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    Okay, interesting. I tried it again today and it's miraculously working.

    Last night it just wouldn't happen.

     

    However, even though I got it to work today, I'm experiencing really sluggish behavior and other stuff.

    Please tell me if this happens with you as well.

    1. When I use a Compound Shape as a Clipping Mask, and I try to move the entire Clipping Group, the shapes don't come along for the ride. They just stay where they were until I release the mouse, then it pops into place. It doesn't move with the mouse.

    2. I can't edit the paths within the Compound Shape as easily as I could before they were employed as a Clipping Path. With a Compound Shape which is Not being using as a Clipping Path, you can use the Direct Select Tool to click on the individual shapes and move them around. If I try the same thing while it's being used as a Clipping Path, it doesn't work. I can't select the individual shapes as easily. And, if I release the Group, this awkward behavior continues with the Compund Shape.

     

    I'm guessing these are just more of the usual AI quirkiness. Or this just a Mac thing?

     
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  • emil emil
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    9. emil emil,
    May 18, 2012 1:12 PM   in reply to John Stanowski
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    Number 1. is confirmed, doesn't display any outlines when transformation tools are used. Not a big problem when using the Move tool as you can remember the point clicked, drag and when you drop the point will be under the cursor, but it is a much bigger problem if you want to scale, rotate, or skew. No feedback as to what's happening until releasing the mouse. One workaround could be creating a copy on top with making it compound path, not shape and transform both using the copy for a feedback.

     

    Number 2 seems to be fine here unless I'm not understanding the issue. But I created one version with compound shape and one with just compound and tried various selections and editing with the direct selection tool and it appears both behave the same.

     
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