Expanding a stroke after changing stroke settings?

[emilyw11409098]

I use a combination of Illustrator and Photoshop to make 3d models via workpath extrusions.  Normally, I add a stroke to the path in Illustrator and use the Expand option to turn the stroke (and ONLY the stroke) into the path.  That way, when I copy it over into Photoshop, the stroke is the only part that extrudes.  However, if I try to move the stroke to the outside of the path, I can no longer use the Expand tool.  I've tried the Expand Appearance and the Outline Stroke tools, and while it looks right in Illustrator, the stroke and the fill both extrude when I convert them to 3d in Photoshop.  So how do you expand a stroke after moving it to the outside (or inside) of the path?

[Monika Gause]

Please show what's happening.

[emilyw11409098]

When I just use a stroke, I can use the expand tool to turn only the stroke into the path.

Dropbox - illust-1.jpg

Then I copy and paste it as a path into Photoshop.

Dropbox - illust-2.jpg

I convert that path to a 3d extrusion. 

Dropbox - illust-3.jpg

As you can see, only the stroke is extruded and the center of the shape is empty space.

Dropbox - illust-4.jpg

However, if I need the object to be a very precise size, I don't want the stroke cutting into the shape, so I change the alignment of the stroke to the outside.

Dropbox - illust-5.jpg

When I do this, the Expand option is no longer available.  I can only click on the Expand Appearance tool.

Dropbox - illust-6.jpg

While in Illustrator, the Expand Appearance tool looks like it has expanded the stroke and turned it into the path like the normal Expand function would. But when I paste it into Photoshop and extrude it, it extrudes both the stroke and the fill. I've tried a few different functions and it always extrudes like this no matter what.

Dropbox - illust-7.jpg

So why does is the expand function not available if I change the alignment of the stroke?

[Monika Gause]

Check the layers panel after epanding if there is a fill on the object.

[emilyw11409098]

There is no fill on the object.

[michelew83603738]

Is there a reason you can't just make the shape in Photoshop in the first place? You can create a vector based image if need be and then convert that into a 3D layer in Photoshop. Why is this your workflow? As far as the problem you are experiencing, I can't duplicate it on my end.

[emilyw11409098]

Typically, it is infinitely easier to do all the heavy lifting in Illustrator and just copy and paste into Photoshop for a quick extrude.  It's normally super easy, but I haven't had to change the stroke alignment before.  I used a circle to show a quick example of the problem, but my typical designs are quite intricate and involve a mix of strokes and fills being extruded together.  It would be much more time consuming in PS because Illustrator's pen tool is such a power house.  Everyone uses this workflow for this particular type of project.

So, you can't duplicate my problem?  As in, you can still access the Expand feature after changing the alignment of a stroke?  I have Illustrator on two different computers and they both grey out the Expand option as soon as I move the stroke.

[tromboniator]

I suspect that Align Stroke to Outside/Inside is essentially an effect, which is why Expand Appearance is active, rather than Expand. With both Outline Stroke and Expand Appearance the stroke on a closed path expands to a Compound Path. With stroke aligned to center, Expand yields a grouped Compound Path. What happens in Photoshop if you first group the path in Illustrator?

Peter

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

I can replicate yor problem.

I cannot see a difference in Illustrator between the compound paths made from an outlined stroke when the stroke was centered or on the outside of the path.

But the extruded difference in Photoshop is clear, one has a fill and the other doesn't.

As a workaround, instead of using the stroke option to move the stroke to the outside, you can use Effect > Path > Offset and offset half the stroke width.

Then: Object > Expand Appearance followed by Object > Path > Outline Path

[emilyw11409098]

That worked!  However, I'm wondering if the easiest solution would be to just calculate the slight size difference (aka half the stroke width) into the original size so that I can just expand and paste it into Photoshop as usual. 

[tromboniator]

With Expand Appearance and Outline Stroke the inner shape of the Compound Path is behind the outer shape. With Expand it is in front. Maybe that makes a difference to Photoshop.

[Ton Frederiks]

When creating a compound shape from 2 objects, it does not seem to make a difference in Photoshop if the middle object was in front or behind,