Merging shapes/paths to make one shape?

[toolman123]

Hi there,

I have the following shapes/paths and would like to create it as one. 

Image

Can anyone tell me the best way to do this? I have tried merging the paths in the Pathfinder window, but it didn't work.

Thanks!

[Kurt Gold]

Pathfinder operations should work fine in this case, but there may be reasons why they could fail. To check that you may want to provide a sample .ai file, so one can take a look at it.

By the way, have you already tried to use the Shapebuilder tool to merge them?

[toolman123]

Thanks for the reply.

I have uploaded a sample here:

http://elop.co/sample.ai

Any help would be appriciated.

Thanks

[Jacob Bugge]

tollman,

Just to make sure a silly question is asked, what happens if you use Pathfinder>Unite?

[toolman123]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have tried to unite them, but get this error:

"The filter produced no results. Please select two overlapping paths"

[Kurt Gold]

Your construction is a compound shape and so far this is just fine.

But if you take a closer look you will notice that there a tiny gaps which should be repaired before executing the appropriate Pathfinder commands.

Perhaps you would even have to first release the compound shape in order to get that right.

[toolman123]

I see, I have switched between Illustrator and Photoshop when creating this shape as I am fairly new to Illustrator.

My main reason I am trying to create it as one solid shape is when I add a stroke, it is becoming a bit messy.

[meganchi]

Use the shapefinder tool. Select your shaped, then with the shapefinder tool, click and drag across the areas you want to fuse together.

[toolman123]

I've just selected that tool, but it is coming up with a cursor with a cross through it, i.e I cannot use it

[meganchi]

1) Is your layer unlocked so you can select your artwork first?

2) Select the shape builder tool, there should be a "plus" sign next to the arrow icon after it is selected, and when you hover over your shape it will look like it grays out, but click and drag across the shapes.

[meganchi]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ceq7dovz7qq4yhk/Shape.mov?dl=0

Try watching my screen recording.

[toolman123]

I think I may have got this all confused. I currently have the following shape from photoshop:

Which I am then copy and pasting into Illustrator.

I'm guessing I will need to somehow merge it all in Photoshop first?

[meganchi]

OK, I realized the issue. Because it is was a complicated process to fix, I have uploaded the file and it is all united. It is called, "Sample2.ai".

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jw4axovzyo3b7bb/sample2.ai?dl=0

This was a pretty messy shape. I had to select all of the objects, expand appearances and release clipping masks. Then I had to eliminate extra points (that I believe we on top of each other, as well as extra ones in the center of each chess piece shape with the delete anchor point tool. Finally, I was able to use the shapebuilder tool to unite it all.

Not sure how the shape was originally drawn or mirrored.