I had to break a closed path apart, delete a section, and re-do it. Unfortunately Illustrator has a penchant for deselecting the path you're working on with the pen tool and starting a new one from time to time, so now I have three paths instead of one. But they all have common end points, ready to join.
I've searched the doc, the forums, and the Web, but haven't found how to join these paths into one. Not a compound path that remains separable (which is what "Pathfinder" creates), but rather one path as if I'd drawn it continuously.
Either select both endpoints with the direct selection tool and Cmd-J. This joins points with a straight line.
Or use the pen tool, click on one end point, drag if you want to, click on the second endpoint and drag if you want to. This joins the point with a curve, if that's what you want.
Thanks. I tried that, but that only works to close a single path. If you try that with two separate paths, you get a dialog saying, "To join, you must select two open endpoints. If they are not on the same path, they cannot be on text paths nor inside graphs, and if both of them are grouped, they must be in the same group."
The lines satisfy all those conditions, but Illustrator still won't join them.
Strange, it works o.k. for me (CS2 and CS3 - I tried on both). I drew two wiggly lines and had both of them deselected. Got hold of the pen tool again and went to the first anchor - a little diagonal line appeared beside the cursor as soon as it approached the anchor. Click and drag and then to the second anchor - a tiny square with a line through it appeared beside the cursor. Click and drag and I had joined the lines. Note that the drag is optional - if you don't drag you get a sharp corner.
Just to try: Click one endpoint at the time with the Direct Selection tool and nudge it few times (count it so you can nudge it back to the same place) to the sides to make sure there is not another anchor point below. You might be selecting more than two points.
The paths may be grouped or even considered compound paths. Ungroup the paths and also check under the Object menu to ensure none of the paths are compound paths.
After that, you can do as others have mentioned here...select the endpoints with the Direct Selection tool and join. Alternatively, JET has created some great scripts for joining paths that I use ALL of the time. I am not sure what the URL for the download is, but I'm sure someone floating around the forums would be able to post it.
Joshua, I know this is an ancient thread but you have just solved the problem I have encountered for over a decade. THANK YOU!!! No one else has ever suggested a compound path was the issue.
See the JET_JoinNearest script here (and enjoy some of the many other amazing things created by James (JETLT): http://www.illustrationetc.com/AI_Javascripts/PathScripts.htm.
Yes, I tried Pathfinder, but it creates a "compound path", which still acts as separate paths when you're selecting. The other operations I tried produced bizarre web-like connections between points that weren't even selected.
The lines weren't in groups or any of the other conditions mentioned in that dialog box.
I have the JET scripts, thank you. They're nice, but the fact that Illustrator doesn't let you assign scripts to a hotkey is just pathetic.
Once again, I regret wasting time on this pitiful product.
I am begining to be curious to see what kind of artwork you are drawing just to get a better understanding why joining is not working for you.
If the main source of the problem is that the pen does not continue to draw but wants to draw a new path there might be some settings that could be adjusted so it would better suit you. Are you using a Wacom maybe?
Anyway, take a period where you closely watch the pen icon while you are drawing. If the pen discontinues there will appear an x just beside the icon. You can then move the pen to where it left off and a slash will appear at the icon to let you know you can continue.
Under usual conditions the pen only stops drawing the path if you hold down the Cmd key and click on a white area. If that is not the case something else is wrong.
A key can be assigned to a scripts via the Action Panel. Make a new Action. Stop recording and from the fly-out menu: Insert a Menu Item... etc.
Thanks for the additional info. For part of this piece I was using a Wacom, but I'm pretty sure I had the problem using the mouse as well.
Typically the discontinuity would occur when I had to change tools momentarily for some reason and then come back to the line. Even after selecting the line, switching back to the pen tool, and clicking quite precisely on the last node, it would sometimes create a separate path.
/t5/illustrator-discussions/how-do-you-combine-paths/m-p/1797149#M2483Jun 12, 2014
Jun 12, 2014
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I had to solve similar problem and what helped me was InkScribe, with inkscribe tool I just connected points I wanted and that was it, simple as that. Why this is such an obstacle for out-of-the-box Illustrator is beyond me.
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