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1. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
Harron K. Appleman Mar 26, 2009 5:21 PM (in response to aljCharlie)How are you selecting the two endpoints? -
2. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
aljCharlie Mar 26, 2009 5:39 PM (in response to aljCharlie)I use the Direct Selection Tool (A) to select both ends of the path. When both points are selected by having solid square, I then choose path/join, but it's not joining. By the way both points are on the exact X and Y location so there is no reason why I can't join them. I have done many times before but for some reason this time it does not work. Both of these paths are under one Group according to the Layer tab, and I make this selection and joining at the Group level, NOT the individual layer level. -
3. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
aljCharlie Mar 26, 2009 6:06 PM (in response to aljCharlie)While waiting for someone to answer my question, I did a little search and I found this tutorial:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Illustrator/14.0/WSB6C210C6-7113-4e50-B176-EC789EAC18EEa.html
I looked over the section called "Join two endpoints" and on step 2, which it says, "Click the Connect Selected End Points button in the Control panel.", the Connect Selected End Points button is inactive. I can't click on it. What might have caused this? -
4. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
aljCharlie Mar 26, 2009 6:29 PM (in response to aljCharlie)Okay, I think I found something here. Since I convert this shape from Text (in my earlier post here), it has created a compound path. I've read on another forum that compound path cannot be joined, so, how do I get rid of compound path? -
5. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
aljCharlie Mar 26, 2009 6:44 PM (in response to aljCharlie)This is frustrating. I can't even release the compound path anymore. I click on the <Compound Path> layer and go into Object/Compound Path/ but the Compound Path is inactive or grayed out. Any suggestion? -
6. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
aljCharlie Mar 26, 2009 6:47 PM (in response to aljCharlie)Never mind. I found my answer by myself. I have to right click on the path itself with the black arrow head and choose release compound path. -
7. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
AndreaHall_ Nov 17, 2011 11:30 AM (in response to aljCharlie)It's simple. The two endpoints are too close together. Move them apart slightly, then select them and they will join okay.
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8. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
markerline Nov 17, 2011 1:05 PM (in response to aljCharlie)You might be selecting a third invisible endpoint. If you select ONLY the two endpoints of the open curves then you will not have a problem. No need to release compound paths if the path is open and it is in fact an open endpoint.
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9. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
JETalmage Nov 18, 2011 6:16 AM (in response to AndreaHall_)This thread is over 2.5 years old. The problem is moot in current version, because it is (finally) not necessary to select endpoints to join paths at their nearest endpoints.
JET
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10. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
samichi Feb 25, 2014 6:12 PM (in response to aljCharlie)@JETalmage, This thread is still helpful, 1. Not everyone have latest versions. 2. This was helpful for me, since his situation was about trying to connect 2 compound paths together, which woin't work unless you right click and release the compound path, which he stated earlier in the thread.
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11. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
thou000 Oct 1, 2014 9:37 AM (in response to samichi)This thread is over 5.5 years old and it is STILL helpful. I love that aljCharlie ended up finding the solution for himself. So to repeat, (and this is particularly pertinent when dealing with figures created by outlining type fonts) Before joining points you must select each object with the direct selection tool and release compound paths. Once both objects have been released you can proceed with joining points.
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12. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
Thomas Dearie Sep 29, 2015 10:16 AM (in response to thou000)Absolutely.
The thread is still important because this has been and remains an interface nuisance since Adobe Illustrator 88 (yes, that's as in 1988).
It's crazily overdue to be cleaned up.
There are still situations when you want to select 2 endpoints and join them.
They're not in different groups; they're not in compound paths; and there are no errant loose points in play.
But the app still steadfastly refuses to join them and gives the age-old cryptic error message about groups and endpoints.
I'm sure there's a logical answer, but it's not self evident to users and results in many, many cases of confusion and frustration.
After 25 yrs of using Illustrator, this is still one of the most common problems I see people report.
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13. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
Thomas Dearie Sep 29, 2015 11:24 AM (in response to Thomas Dearie)1 person found this helpfulI should add a bit of help here:
In some cases (for example when you convert type to paths), you'll get paths that are part of a compound path.
But, when you go to the menu:
Object > Compound Path,
the Release Compound Path option is grayed out.
However, if you try to Make a compound path with it, Illustrator will report that the path is already part of a compound path.
Regardless of the answer (I'm sure there is one), this is an unnecessarily confusing scenario and it would be good if Adobe would clean it up.
(I should also add that, most times this happens, it's actually something I've overlooked - here's my checklist for troubleshooting this issue:
1. Unlock all target paths.
2. Locate and remove stray points that are not part of the target path.
3. "Release compound paths" on target paths (Object > Compound Path > Release)4. Ungroup target paths.
5. If Illustrator reports that the path is not compound, but you suspect it really is, make sure you're selecting all of the paths that might be part of the compound shape.
Hope this helps someone.)
Cheers
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14. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
nicoleb36880979 Dec 12, 2015 8:44 AM (in response to aljCharlie)aljCharlie said: "Never mind. I found my answer by myself. I have to right click on the path itself with the black arrow head and choose release compound path. "
Yes! December of 2015 and this answer helped me solve that most frustrating problem in Illustrator CS6. I actually had to turn both into compound paths, then release compound path. Then they joined no problem.
Thanks aljCharlie!
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15. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
sabiner6858279 Dec 13, 2015 5:28 PM (in response to nicoleb36880979)Thanks Nicole36880979, I did what you suggested (make compound path and then release again) and then it finally worked!
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16. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
bsabiston1 Mar 15, 2016 10:59 AM (in response to aljCharlie)I just got this error. It had nothing to do with compound paths as mine was a very simple shape. The problem for me was invisible stray anchors floating in space at the same point as my two target points. I only could see them by selecting each of my true anchor points and moving them out of the way (to the same spot) and joining them there. By dragging the selection box over the original area I finally saw the "invisible" anchor. Deleted that and then moved my joined corner back to exactly where it was by typing the coordinates in manually.
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17. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
Ton Frederiks Mar 15, 2016 2:32 PM (in response to bsabiston1)Object > Path > Clean Up... > Delete Stray Points
May save you some time in the future.
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18. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
biochem_heather May 18, 2016 6:43 AM (in response to nicoleb36880979)Thanks, Nicoleb36880979 and aljCharlie. I encountered this error in Ai CC 2015 release, and the only solution presented here that worked for me was making each into a compound path, and then releasing them.
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19. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
yu.ri.et Aug 19, 2016 6:45 AM (in response to bsabiston1)Thank you bsabiston1 ! This was my problem. None of the above like compound path etc... And Thanks to Ton Frederiks for the easy way to delete stray points. (Object > Path > Clean Up... > Delete Stray Points)
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20. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
tuesdaiew29080634 Dec 13, 2016 5:11 PM (in response to Ton Frederiks)Omg thank you so much!!! I would always have this problem periodically when working in illustrator and I just couldn't figure out what it was or why it kept doing that. It was driving me crazy. I never thought the problem was a stray point.
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21. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
DaleH Jan 27, 2017 11:43 AM (in response to tuesdaiew29080634)"Can't join endpoints of line segments"
I am having this problem with CC 2017 Illustrator and geometry from AutoCAD DWG files.
I am able to isolate line segments - straight lines and arcs - whose endpoints coincide exactly, but when I marquee select the points, I get the message "To join, you must select two open endpoints. etc".
There are no stray points ( I view in outline mode) and nothing is grouped.
Compound paths have nothing to do with the problem.
I have saved the drawing all the way back to Illustrator 3 and that did not solve the problem.
I can join the segments by moving one endpoint from on top of the other, and using the pen tool to connect them with another segment.
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22. Re: " To join, you must select two open endpoints." Popup.
Monika Gause Jan 28, 2017 1:11 AM (in response to DaleH)DaleH schrieb:
"Can't join endpoints of line segments"
I am having this problem with CC 2017 Illustrator and geometry from AutoCAD DWG files.
I am able to isolate line segments - straight lines and arcs - whose endpoints coincide exactly, but when I marquee select the points, I get the message "To join, you must select two open endpoints. etc".
There are no stray points ( I view in outline mode) and nothing is grouped.
Compound paths have nothing to do with the problem.
I have saved the drawing all the way back to Illustrator 3 and that did not solve the problem.
I can join the segments by moving one endpoint from on top of the other, and using the pen tool to connect them with another segment.
Why do you post in this thread at all, when nothing in this thread matters in your issue?
Please create a new thread and provide a sample file.