You're aware that, if you select an open path and hit command-j, it will close by adding a straight segment between the first and last enpoint? This is a close path option. Perfect if your endpoints have no outboard handles. If they do, and you want a close path command that respects the direction and length of those handles, James Talmage has created a free script to do just that.
Nor should you have to. I agree whole heartedly that this is among many very basic functions that should be included in any decent vector drawing program--but have never been provided in Illustrator.
Illustrator's anemic Join command is hideous. It requires tediously selecting endpoints. Using it to close paths, it cannot close more than one path at a time.
This stuff is nothing new. It has been pointed out and asked for, literally for decades. Illustrator is simply worst-in-class when it comes to the basics of selection and path manipulation interface. It is perpetually hindered by its dogged adherance to an interface which has been proven inferior many times over.
Adobe owns the rights (in FreeHand) to a far superior interface scheme. It has chosen to simply discontinue that product.
Let's hope these over-looked features are added to CS5. I work with paths all the time and even CorelDraw was superior when using paths. I say "was" because there's no more Mac version.
/t5/illustrator-discussions/close-open-path-option/m-p/2143080#M3612Nov 16, 2017
Nov 16, 2017
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Hi, my name is Zorg and I am contacting you from the future! The year is 2017 and I am here to report that this (closing paths) is still not a feature! We are now on "CC 2018" (long story) and it still sucks for path selection, closing paths, manipulation etc.
They have introduced a 'Properties' panel though, which would've been pretty cool... back in 2002..
/t5/illustrator-discussions/close-open-path-option/m-p/2143082#M3614Nov 30, 2017
Nov 30, 2017
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If the path end points lay over one another and you therefore cannot find the loose joints, hit [Unite] from the pathfinder blend modes while the whole path is selected.
Greetings it the year 2025 and frip51 is correct to connect endpoints. However, I've bee doing that for years and have yet to discover any upgrades on that useful tool.
Greetings it the year 2025 and frip51 is correct to connect endpoints. However, I've bee doing that for years and have yet to discover any upgrades on that useful tool.
May the force be with you... zap
In the dark ages you needed to select the 2 points you wanted to join and then use cmd+J
Nowadays you can select even multiple paths and join them all at once. that was widely regarded as an improvement.
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