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A
anacathena
Participating Frequently
January 9, 2013
Answered

How does one convert a text path back into a line path in Illustrator CS 5?

  • January 9, 2013
  • 4 replies
  • 51035 views

The previous answer to the same question in Nov 2009 does not work for me. That was to copy and paste in front. I've tried every permutation of copy and paste; I renamed the path to path. It looks like a path when I add stroke, but it does not behave like one.  I can't cut it or join it to any other path. It remembers it's text path status.

I'm running OS X 10.7.5.

Thank you.

Correct answer C.DDDDD

THIS is so much easier. Omg. The solutions here did NOT work for me but this simple trick did it. Good luck out there! 🙂 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJDjILKLv20&t=70s

4 replies

C.DDDDD
C.DDDDDCorrect answer
New Participant
February 20, 2025

THIS is so much easier. Omg. The solutions here did NOT work for me but this simple trick did it. Good luck out there! 🙂 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJDjILKLv20&t=70s

    Monika Gause
    Monika Gause
    Adobe Expert
    February 20, 2025

    SHe's pretty much doing what Mike wrote.

    But you'd better use the group selection tool for it like others in the thread wrote.

    I
    impodster1
    Participating Frequently
    August 12, 2025

    Actually not at all like what Mike wrote.  She's spot on in all her tutorials.  

    anandaguy
    anandaguy
    New Participant
    December 18, 2024

    I found that it does work to, first, select only the line that the text is placed upon -- using the "Selection" (select entire object) tool (and NOT the "Direct Selection" tool for selecting anchor points and segments). Upon selecting the line (like a baseline of the text) further out away from the text itself, and copying it -- I then deleted the orignal text and its line, and pasted the copied version in place (Mac:  Command-Shift-V). The line is now there, but it's a tad tricky assigning a color (i.e. black and with the desired weight). Once you have the "new" converted "line," click elsewhere to deselect the new line. Then now, with the "Direct Selection" (white arrow) tool, hover over it (as it's now not visible) and click on it to highlight it. Now open the "Stroke" panel and apply your desired "Weight" and stoke color. Voila! -- this worked for me.

    _scott__
    _scott__
    Brainiac
    January 9, 2013

    Same way.. copy and paste.

    But you need to select the text path with the Direct Selection tool (white arrow).

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Adobe Expert
    January 9, 2013

    Select only the line with the hollow arrow tool

    Copy

    Delete text path

    paste in front

      A
      anacathenaAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      January 9, 2013

      Hi Mike,

      I very much appreciate your rapid reply. Unfortunately this solution does not work. The path is still a text path and cannot be manipulated as a line path, cut or joined.

      I used the Direct Selection (A) tool as you both recommended.

      Ana

      A
      anacathenaAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      January 9, 2013

      Works just fine here, Ana.

      Note: you must option-CLICK the path, not drag to selected. If you option-drag to select the path, you still get the type aspect of it.

      The image below is an animated gif. Click the image to see the animation.

      An easier option may be to select the path via the Layer Panel, then copy it.


      Thank you! You guys are great.

      Once I added text back to the path and the stroke color vanished. Then employed the 1) Option-Click with the Direct Selection Tool, and the commands to 2) Copy and Paste in front back, where ever, converts the type path back to a line path.

      This did not work for me from the layers panel at all.

      Holding down Option, while using the Direct Selection Tool, adds a little plus sign to the side of the tool, as there is next to the pen tool when you are in a position to add points. Is the plus sign there to let the user know the tool is in an option mode?

      Here's what I think prevented the conversion previously. In case this helps someone in the future:

      I had deleted any text I inadvertently typed on this path and set a stroke line to the 'text path.' Maybe I confused the path identity by asking it to masquerade with a line stroke? This step hid the text handles. So maybe it was neither truly a text or a line path?

      Based on my experimenting, when the path has a stroke value assigned, the Option-Click does not work.

      Once there is text on the path. The option-click seems a reliable solution.

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