Pathfinder Minus front

[Apollo_Chandler]

I posted before about this, with another project I was working on through Lynda.com   

I'm on another group of training videos and need to use the Minus front option in pathfinder, When I click on minus front, I get an error message that won't allow me to perform the task, I decided to try minus back, and basically got the result I was going for. In the screen shots, I turned the fill on so it would so the effect, for the one with the hole punched out, I put to pink, to show it wasn't there due to being removed.

How do I go about using the minus front option how it is done in the videos?

[Bill Silbert]

You have to make sure that the inner shape is above the outer shape. Select the inner shape and go to Object>Arrange>Bring to Front or have it on a layer above the outer shape. Then the Minus Front pathfinder option will, work.

[porter1643 · Accepted solution]

pathfinder can be finicky if there are any groups or clipping masks involved.

Here's something that's worth a try.

1) Create a new layer and drag the two objects your dealing with onto it via the layers palette.

     Check to make sure you didn't drag over any groups or clipping groups.

2) Turn off other layers (just so you know what yer lookin at) Ungroup/release masks if necessary.

3) Make sure the object you're trying to punch out is on top of "punch out of" object and give'er a go.\

If that doesn't do it try to expand... the objects (under object menu) or expand appearance.

Basically, just try to simplify the objects your dealing with.

Good luck.

- Porter1643

[matthewn43692242]

In the screenshot where pink fill is set, no object is selected. Which object are you trying to cut? Are you trying to cut the overlap from the left side piece from the oval shape? Is the bottom path of the left side piece enclosed?

As the error message states in the top screenshot, you don't actually have 2 shapes or paths selected, you have the oval shape selected which is a single "compound path" made of the inner oval path and the outer oval path. In order to minus front you need to select 2 indpendent shapes.