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rayan2604
Participant
August 6, 2025
Answered

path eraser tool option to keep the path closed

  • August 6, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 687 views

Hello everyone,

I use oftenly the pencil tool, especially smooth option while holding Alt, to clean points when there are too many of them (for exemple when using the blending shape tool). Sometimes I use the path eraser tool but as its name tells it, it erases the path and then I have to select points and Ctrl+J to join. I just want an option to give us the choice to keep the path closed or not. Cleaning illustration can be a huge part of jobs on illustrator and it would be very nice to do it easily. The smooth tool is ok but it changes too much the global shape, and I need to zoom out so the smooth effect applies on a single part of the shape (with the pencil tool + holding alt, see the video it does nothing beacause of the zoom)

Correct answer Kurt Gold

You may try this action to straighten the steps automatically:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lnUcJxKuaDz0gkH5ZAQJMNDsxA3jamaL/view?usp=sharing


The .zip file contains an action set (.aia) file and a sample Illustrator file for test purposes.

 

Usage:

 

- Open the sample Illustrator file (stairs_001.ai)

- In the Actions panel menu, import the action straightener.aia

- Select one of the objects in the sample Illustrator file

- Run the action

3 replies

Kurt Gold
Community Expert
Kurt GoldCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
August 6, 2025

You may try this action to straighten the steps automatically:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lnUcJxKuaDz0gkH5ZAQJMNDsxA3jamaL/view?usp=sharing


The .zip file contains an action set (.aia) file and a sample Illustrator file for test purposes.

 

Usage:

 

- Open the sample Illustrator file (stairs_001.ai)

- In the Actions panel menu, import the action straightener.aia

- Select one of the objects in the sample Illustrator file

- Run the action

R
rayan2604Author
Participant
August 7, 2025

Hi Kurt,

Thank you very much for this action script. I tried it with the sample ai file and it's ok (it changed a bit the path though:/) but I also tried it with a text expanded and blended to create a 3d effect, and it doesn't work. A message appears telling "the selection isn't suitable for this filter" and then "the objet "simplify" is not available for the moment". Please see the video attached

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 7, 2025

There is a plugin that can do block shadows, but it's not free.

And then there is this method: https://www.vektorgarten.de/long-shadows-with-illustrator.html 

FrauFlamme
FrauFlamme
Participant
August 6, 2025

Hey Rayan, I do this very often too. But I use the "Remove anchor points" function. Simply select the points you don't want, then go to "Object/Path/Remove anchor points". This will keep your path closed. I have set up a shortcut for this, so it's super quick. I hope I was able to help you!

R
rayan2604Author
Participant
August 7, 2025

Hello,

Thank you very much for your suggestion. The way you make it is good but only works for straight lines. The point of my feature request is to avoid making a selection and just use the eraser as i can use the pencil tool. It would just be the combination of anchor point remove and pencil tool indeed, like the smooth tool but especially to delete points and try to keep the path as it is 🙂

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 6, 2025

Did you use Blend or the transform effect to get this?

If you need to do this very often, I would probably create the thing differently.

 

As for erasing these points: check out Simplify

Or make a selection with the lasso tool and then hit the delete points button in the control panel.

R
rayan2604Author
Participant
August 6, 2025

Hello Monika,

I use the blend tool (ctrl+alt+b) and I increase the number of step, but it was for the exemple, I also get files with many useless points on different cases. 

I suggested this not to have to make a selection to simplify a part of an illustration. The simplify tool or smooth tool are good with a selection but it's a bit difficult when there are many object near. 

I think the path eraser tool could be faster and easier with the option to keep the path colsed. There would be less steps

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 6, 2025

If you want to make a feature request, please do so over there: https://illustrator.uservoice.com

It will not happen over night or maybe at all.

 

So just tell us if you want to continue discussing your options.

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