Turning a project into 1 image

[Sinfireproductions]

Here's the deal. I've made a shape that I need for manufacturing. When I export for AutoCAD, it becomes unusable because of the various segments not being recognized properly. Is there a way to take a finished drawing and remove all of the anchors/paths to make it a continuous path or a custom shape possibly?

[Monika Gause]

Click into it using the shapebuilder tool.

Please embed your screenshots into the post using the forum's web interface. Thank you

[Sinfireproductions]

I did use the web interface. Did the image not show up?

[Sinfireproductions]

If you're talking about the quality, my internets down so I had to take a picture with my phone to upload. 

[Jacob Bugge]

sinfireproductions,

Are we looking at two separate closed paths?

And if we are, what happens if you select both and Pathfinder>Minus front, or Ctrl/Cmd+8, to turn them into a Compound Path?

[Sinfireproductions]

The problem is that AutoCAD doesn't like the curved lines. It will work with the 2 ends and center rectangle, so I want to eliminate the paths and anchors to make it 1 line so the stupid software will work with it. 

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

sinfireproductions,

Presuming both paths are closed, and with my (mis)understanding that there are no AutoCAD issues with the central path and the ends of the large path with the rounded corners, even though they also contain curved segments at the corners, you may try the following:

0) Lock the central path;

1) With the Scissors Tool, cut the large path at the Anchor Points where the troublesome parts begin and lock the end parts; now the upper and lower parts form separate paths;

2) Select both the new upper and lower paths (you may ClickDrag or ShiftClick), then Object>Path>Add Anchor Points a suitable/sufficient number of times (you may Undo the step(s) below and add more if needed; this will add anchor points and give more curved segments;

3) Unlock the end parts locked in 1), select everything, and Ctrl/Cmd+J to join into a closed path, then unlock the central path;

Try to export and see whether it works in AutoCAD; if it does, you are done; if not, either:

4a) Undo 3) so you are back at 2), and try to add more Anchor Points and redo 3) and see;

or (eventually)

4b) Undo 3) so you are back at 2), and select both the upper and lower paths, then apply the sharpenCorners script from the free John Wundes script bundle linked to below which will turn them into polylines (short straight segments like polygons) which is unnoticable if you have added enough Anchor Points, then redo 3) to turn the large shape into a closed path again.

AutoCAD is comfortable with polylines.

The reason for cutting the large path before adding Anchor Points is that you avoid unneeded and very closely placed Anchor Points at the ends. It is simpler to skip 1) and add Anchor Points to the whole path of course.

[Sinfireproductions]

I will try that. AutoCAD keeps spitting out "cannot extrude the selected poly lines" .... or something to that effect. All paths are closed. I went back and checked point by point that there were no gaps or overlaps and that every single anchor at the end of the segments intersected.