(Pathfinder) Minus Front multiple separate shapes at once?

[quinton_8010]

Is there a way to use the Minus back on the Pathfinder on mulitple serperate objects at once without it just deleting every other object/shape? I've tried everything i can think of such as seperating the top shapes and the bottom shapes into serperate layers and grouping and merging the top and bottom shapes into one shape among other methods. Despite this the Minus Back always gets rid of every other shape selected. I can't use Divide or Trim as alternatives cause they dont subtract as smooth and cleanly as Minus back for some reason. 

[Jacob Bugge]

quinton,

At least to me it is difficult to see what you mean. Both images seem to show just two objects selected.

Also that the Heading and images seem to be about Minus front whereas the description is about Minus back.

Unknown to most, it is quite easy to directly show images in posts, hence the following general suggestion:

Please show images by using the Insert Photos button (looks like moon over mountains) for each at the top of the reply box which makes everything appear right there in your post together with your text, rather than he more conspicuous Drag&drop attachment which requires helpers to open a new tab for each image and wait for its showing, then go back and forth; and if they just click it and wait for its showing and press the X to get back to the text, the image is gone so they have to open it again and wait to see it again.

[Jacob Bugge]

Another thought, quinton, based on a guess:

If you can live with the appearance of cutting out of the shapes, you can put the cutting path on top and turn it black, then select everything and in the Transparency palette flyout click Make (Opacity) Mask; this is reversible.

[Jacob Bugge]

Maybe a better thought, quinton, based on the same guess:

You can put the cutting path on top, then with only that selected use Object>Path>Divide Objects Below, then click each of the path parts beneath it and press Delete.

[althagafie]

 Here's how to do it properly:

1. Group the target shapes that you want to subtract from (Object > Group or Ctrl+G).

2. Select all the shapes you want to subtract and the grouped base shape.

3. Then go to Pathfinder > Minus Front.

If you're using Compound Paths, make sure to expand or release them first if they behave unpredictably.

:warning: Common Pitfall:

If you try to subtract multiple fronts from multiple backs without grouping, Illustrator may treat them as isolated interactions and end up deleting unintended shapes.

Alternatively, you can use Shape Builder Tool (Shift+M) for more precise manual subtraction when dealing with complex structures.

[Kurt Gold · Accepted solution]

Althagafie,

unfortunately your instruction is wrong and misleading.

What you can do: Instead of grouping one can create a compound path (target shapes), but that implies that the objects cannot have different appearance attributes.

Using the Shape Builder tool or Live Paint groups are indeed good alternatives.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

As @Kurt Gold said, make a compound path. You only need to compound the yellow circles.