Help with pathfinder modes not working as expected

[Loves2create46]

Hi All and thanks for the help.

I am trying to create a file for a graphic plotter and wanting to add weeding lines.  Plotters cut EVERY path so extraneous paths are a no-no.

This is my workflow:

Type text. Convert to outline. Select all and pathfinder> Merge (this stops the plotter from cutting teeny bits where the letters overlap

Add a line where I want an extra cut however I don't want the plotter to cut through the letters so I need to trim the line around the letters.

It doesn't seem to matter whether I leave the line as a line or convert it to a compound path.  It does seem to be important that the line has a color for fill.

I also make sure the line is at the back.

When I try and use minus front Shape Modes>Minus Front, (which would leave the line segments I need,  get the following error:

Yet I DO have two intersecting paths selected.

If instead, I use the Pathfinder>Trim option, I get this which looks correct

until you remove the letters to see what's left and I have all these artifacts - look at the paths and see below

What I really need is just the line segments:

I work on big projects and the cleanup is too time consuming.  What am I missing?

[Monika Gause]

I don't think I understand what you are trying to achieve.

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

Loves2create,

I am afraid that with AI, the closest you can get to what you have in mind/are used to, requires your turning the weeding line into a closed path, then clean up by getting rid of the unwanted parts, as follows.

With the text as two Compound Paths and the weeding line as a stroked path beneath the text, you can:

1) Create a copy of the whole text (Ctrl/Cmd+C+F) and hide it (both Compound Paths);

2) With the Pen Tool Click one of the end Anchor Points of the weeding line, then Click beneath the text on both sides, then Click the other end Anchor Point of the weeding line so it forms a closed path with only the original section crossing (behind) the text;

3) Select everytning and Pathfinder>Minus front;

This will create a closed path with the lower parts of the text included along with the three new segments created in 2);

4) Deselect, then with the Direct Selection Tool ClickDrag across each of the different unwanted parts of the path and press delete (only once);

Now you only have the desired pieces of weeding line as separate paths;

5) Show (the copy of) the text in front of the weeding line(s).

Now you have everything.

[Loves2create46]

Thanks.  This works.  It's messier and more time consuming than the Silhouette software especially when I have multiple lines of text.  The Silhouette software is free to download even if you don't use that plotter,  so I may try it.

[Jacob Bugge]

For my part you are welcome, Loves2create.

[Bobby Henderson]

Why is there a diagonal line running through the lettering? Are the "Cleaner" letters being cut out of roll vinyl on a plotter? While it is a must to weld over any overlaps in connected script lettering prior to cutting I don't understand the purpose of the diagonal line.

[Jacob Bugge]

Bobby,

I believe Loves2create wishes to switch to AI with this,

https://www.silhouetteschoolblog.com/2014/08/adding-weeding-lines-in-silhouette.html

[Loves2create46]

Jacob, wow, YES exactly this but that software is generally so limiting I did not even think to use it.

Bobby, as mentioned in my post this will be cut from vinyl on a plotter.  The diagonal lie is a weeding line.  It is much easier to weed small details or letters if you add in weeding lines.

[Bobby Henderson]

I've weeded a lot of vinyl over the years. It's faster for me to use an X-Acto blade to manually make some cuts in the sheet of vinyl to weed out any complicated (or tiny) graphics. 

[Jacob Bugge]

An exquisite and straightforward real world solution, Bobby, by (and for) the surehanded.

[Bobby Henderson]

It's not all that difficult using a scalpel to manually make cuts in a sheet of cut vinyl. The key thing is starting the cut on the edge of where the plotter had cut and being careful not to cut into any "positive" areas of the sheet. Good close-up eye sight is probably more critical than a steady hand (particularly with certain dark vinyl colors). I prefer making such cuts by hand because there isn't going to be a chance of confusing those cuts with the ones made by the plotter. If all the cuts are made by the plotter, including weeding lines, then I would have to be doubly sure which pieces of vinyl to pull off the sheet. Some people get in a big hurry and try to weed away big portions at once. They're already thinking about release taping the graphics and moving on to others tasks before finishing this step. It's easy to pull up the wrong things or do something like tear the descender off a lowercase "g." Small letters and details can get lifted up pretty easy with the "negative" vinyl if one isn't careful.

[Jacob Bugge]

Bobby, that makes sense, and is reassuring for one that has never dealt with cut vinyl; I should (otherwise) fear cutting into the positive vinyl and waste time on cutting away from it, starting at either end, or use a chisel(ing) blade for the end(ing) end.

But surely surehandedness is needed, albeit usually just taken for granted by one that is.