Thanks both of you but I'm not sure I'm any closer to understanding.

Maybe I should ask the question about what's different between crop and clip?

From my reading:

• Both "preserve" the original objects' paths (crop will create a new path when expanded).  Getting back the original shapes appears to be easier with clip (release)
• Crop will work with 2 or more shapes while clip uses the top and bottom shapes.  This means crop is "burning" through multiple shapes.  Now that I write this I need to test what happens with clip when there are 3 or more shapes.

Is that it?

You both may be right that it comes down to personal preference.  I just want to make sure any differences aren't workflow sensitive.

Thanks

Tom

[EDIT]  I ran a clip test with 3 objects and I may be getting an idea of the important difference between crop and clip.

Clip will keep the fill of the object just below the top object.  I used a star over a circle over a rectangle.  Where the star was over the circle I got the circle fill.  Where the star was over the rectangle (but not the circle) I got the rectangle.

Crop is going to burn right through all the objects below the top object.

It appears crop (pathfinder) is about creating new objects.  Clip is very specific to bringing the fill of an object or objects "through" a front shape.

You could accomplish the same effect clip creates but it looks like it would require multiple steps.

I'm new to this so if I have it wrong I'd very much appreciate comments.

[scott w] wrote:

 

Both Clipping Masks and Pathfinder Crop use the top object as a defining area. There is no difference there. I don't see where you're getting "clip uses the top and bottom shapes". That is compeltely inaccurate.

You're correct.  I got that idea from a web tutorial (which is also incorrect).

Thanks