Why doesn't the pathfinder add separate shapes together as one shape?

[marlies_tulp]

Hello everyone,

Why doesn't the pahtfinder make one shape out of separate shapes? If I try to make one shape out of the three separate lines in the example beneath, then it automatically groupes them together, like a compound path. But I don't want them to be a group, I want them to be one shape. When the shapes overlap, it does merge them together, so the pathfinder is working. 

Is there another way to make one shape out of separate shapes? Or is there some kind of setting I have to change? Would love to hear about it. In other design software I use, this is no issue. 

[Monika Gause]

If the shapes do not cros, then either a group or a compound path are your only options.

[marlies_tulp · Accepted solution]

Thank you for responding so quickly. Too bad it's not possible.

[Monika Gause]

It's generally not possible to make one shape out of multiple unconnected paths. Wenn you do that in Affinity Designer the object is shown in the Layers panel as  "Curves", but actually it is a compound path. You can see that when opening the menu (see that "Separate Curves" menu item?)

The exact same happens in Illustrator. Just select them and Object > Compound path > Make.

[marlies_tulp]

Oh, I did not know about the 'separate curves' option in Affinity. Thanks for the tip!

The thing I was trying to achieve, was to use the mesh warp tool to alter the three lines as one shape (as in the screen shot). I can't figure out how to do that in Illustrator, because the compound path doesn't seem to respond to the mesh tool. Are there any other ways to achieve that effect?

[Kurt Gold]

Object menu > Envelope Distort doesn't work for you?

[Marlies32821719ddkm]

Ah, that's what I was looking for. I tried the mesh tool in the left tool bar, but it didn't work. Thanks for your help! 

[marlies_tulp]

Oops, different account all of a sudden. Still me. Thanks again!

[Jacob Bugge]

tulp graphics,

I believe that other software turns the paths into the equivalent of the Compound Path that Monika mentions, maybe even by doing something that correponds to Ctrl/Cmd+8 (hold Ctrl or Cmd and press 8).

[marlies_tulp]

Hi Jacob, 

Thanks for your comment. I don't know which software you are referring to, but in Affinity Designer it is possible to make one actual shape out of separate shapes. You also have the option to make a compound path. Before using Illustrator, I started out with Affinity, so I guess I was automatically expecting that it would work the same way.