Substract a <Line> from a <Rectangle>

[Lavitas Macutis]

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

I'd like to substract a <Line> from a <Rectangle>, using the Pathfinder or any other tool. Creating a rectangle of the same shape (length and width) as that line is a workaround of course, but even more uneconomic as I have to cut out dotted lines—imported from InDesign, if it matters, and Illustrator calls them a <Path>, not a <Line>, but I thought, lines are good start. Anyway, if anyone has a solution for both, or even for the dotted line path only, I’d be most thankful. 

Cheers

[Kurt Gold]

Which version of Illustrator are you using?

Also, can you clarify your request a bit? I do not understand it at the moment.

[Monika Gause]

You can outline the strokes in order to turn a line into a shape. Then use pathfinder

If you don't want to outline strokes (as that will become difficult for editing) you can also apply the line as an opacity mask to the rectangle.

[JETalmage]

There are no "lines" (ambiguous casual term). All vector-based "lines" (of any shape) are Paths (Illustrator term). All Paths are one or more cubic Bezier curves ( technical term ).

Regardless of its shape, the portion of a Path between any two adjacent Anchor Points (Illustrator term) is a Segment (Illustrator term, but also generic among programs like Illustrator). Technically, each Segment is a single cubic Bezier curve.

If what you mean by "remove a line from a rectangle" is that you want to remove one "side" from a recangular Path, you can:

1. Deselect the rectangular Path.

2. Direct Selection Tool (white pointer): Click the Segment of interest. Don't click an Anchor Point, click the part of the Path somewhere between two Anchor Points.

3. Delete.

If instead of merely deleting the Segment, you want to keep it, but make that one Segment dashed:

1. White Pointer: Select the Segment.

2. Edit>Cut (Ctrl-X).

3. Edit>Paste In Front.

4. In the Stroke Panel, turn on the Dashed Line checkbox.

JET

[Myra Ferguson]

You could use the Scissors Tool (C). Click on the anchor points for the segment you want to cut from the rectangle. Then use the Direct Selection Tool to select the segment and change the stroke to dashed.