Using Pathfinder on multiple objects

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Hey Guys,

I am trying to turn a logo into a vector cut file.  I need to be able to use the 'minus front' in pathfinder on a large number of objects.  Obviously groups doesn't work, but when I got to make a compound path it ends up putting a bunch of tiny holes into the power line drawing as shown below.  Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks,

Simon

[Monika Gause]

That's where shapes overlap.

You would have to first unite all those shapes, which will likely give you some shapes inside a group. probably the group will already contain some compound paths, but not all. Release the groups and then make a compound path.

[Bobby Henderson]

I would suggest first doing weld operations on the "Hardline" letters and the power line tower before trying to make the "Hardline" element cut through the power line tower artwork behind it. Both of those elements have a lot of overlapping paths. Those overlaps need to be removed before doing a more complex pathfinder operation.

I would isolate the Hardline letters and the power line tower on different layers and then do the object welding work. Check the outline view to be sure the overlaps are being removed. Once the that work is done the elements can be moved onto the same layer for the more complex minus front (or trim) Pathfinder operations.

[Met1]

Try this:

Make a copy

Select all

Object→Path→Outline stroke (if you select all and you have a no strokes you can ignore this step)

In Pathfinder's Pathfinders section, hit Divide, then Trim, then Merge...

[Monika Gause]

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@Met1 wrote:

In Pathfinder's Pathfinders section, hit Divide, then Trim, then Merge...

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Which will leave you with countless no fill/no stroke objects. Which might just completely ruin the cutting.

[Bobby Henderson]

Exactly. Over the years I've seen a lot of Adobe Illustrator artwork that was not at all ready to send to a vinyl cutter. The outline effect is particularly bad since it will generate new paths inside and outside of the original path. Additionally the effect will often create overlaps at corners and joins that have to be removed (the non-zero winding setting in Attributes must be set properly to remove those overlaps). I very much prefer the Path Offset effect for creating outline effects around existing paths. Outline is okay for certain tasks, but it's not great to use if the artwork will be sent to a vinyl cutter.

Even if no visible thickening is applied to the artwork via the Outline effect, trying to Unite or Minus Front the results will yield a lot of unpredictable results due to all the duplicate objects stacked directly on top of each other. Simply put, the letters in the artwork need to be welded together into one compound path with no overlaps. The same goes for the power line tower. If both are just two compound objects, each with no overlapping paths, then a minus front operation (or trim operation) will work cleanly.

[Monika Gause]

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@Bobby Henderson wrote:

Exactly. Over the years I've seen a lot of Adobe Illustrator artwork that was not at all ready to send to a vinyl cutter. The outline effect is particularly bad since it will generate new paths inside and outside of the original path. 

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As an effect it won't create new paths.

Only when applied via the Object menu.

[open-to-view · Accepted solution]

Thank You @Met1 ! This was exactly what I needed to turn hundreds of overlapping rects into a clean separation (with final addition of Object→Path→Simplify...).

[Met1]

Hey Simon, upload your pdf.