Let's give you a detailed explanation of the path finder function for users of the Illustrator software.
Analysis and sharing:
AI users should be used to combining several shapes into a new image using the AI Pathfinder, but do you often spend your time clicking the buttons of the AI path finder to find the required functions? As a result, the correct button is found only after several undo operations are performed. The purpose of this article is to explain the various functions of AI Pathfinder to familiarize readers with the specific functions of each button, reduce misoperations and improve work efficiency.
1. Introduction to AI Path Finder
In fact, in AI software, the name of Pathfinder can easily be misunderstood by AI beginners. Instead of looking for paths, it combines several shapes into a new shape.
As shown in the following figure, the AI path finder panel is divided into two parts. The four buttons above are Shape Modes, and the six buttons below are Pathfinders ).
Graphic design tutorial notes:
If you have enabled the tooltip function on AI (configure Preferences> General> Display tooltip Show Tool Tips), move the cursor to the buttons of the AI Path Finder, A prompt is displayed.
However, there are some differences between the functional naming and the actual operation naming. As shown in the prompt "Unite" is equivalent to "Add" of the operation, the prompt "Minus the previous section (Minus Front) "equivalent to" Subtract )".
2. Shape modes function diagram A: combination of two objects:
The following figure explains how to combine two objects in shape mode:
Add/combine Unite: merges all selected objects into a shape. If the colors of these objects are different, the attribute of the top object is unified.
Subtract/Minus Front: Subtract the shape of the top object from the following object to get a new shape.
Intersect: removes the selected parts that do not overlap and merges them into a new shape.
Exclude exclusion: in contrast to the above intersection function, the overlapping parts of the selected object are deleted, and the remaining parts are converted into a compound path ).
B: shape combination of multiple objects
Note: in AI, you can select several objects for combined operations at the same time, so the stacking sequence of these objects is very important. Observe the following figure to understand:
Add: merges all objects into a shape, and retains the attribute of the top object as the attribute of the new shape.
Subtract: Subtract the object above the mouth from the bottom object.
Intersect: only the overlapping parts of all objects are retained.
Exclude exclusion: when an even number of objects overlap, the overlapping part is deleted. When an odd number of objects overlap, the overlapping part is filled, as shown in the preceding figure, all overlapping parts are retained.
Expand: The Expand button can collapse the completed shape into a truly separate shape.
The following figure shows the differences between expansion and non-expansion. In normal mode, they look the same, but in the contour mode, you can see the difference.
In the unexpanded mode, the two shapes are retained, allowing you to move and perform other operations. In the expand mode, they are truly merged into new paths.
Note (AI version changes ):
In AI CS4, Adobe has changed the function of this key. In CS4, after the operation is completed in shape mode, it is expanded by default, that is, the operation cannot be edited. If you do not want to be expanded during the operation, press and hold the Alt key when you click.
In contrast to the previous versions of CS3, operations are not expanded by default. To Expand a chart, you must click the Expand button again. Press and hold the Alt key to expand at the same time.
3. Pathfinders function diagram
Now I want to explain the AI search path mode. The following figure shows the names and functions of the six buttons in search path mode. The last column in the figure below is the result of the operation. If some shapes are separated.
Split Divide:
This is the most commonly used function. AI will cut along the stacked parts of an object and divide it into many new shapes, as shown in the figure above. The new shape inherits the attributes of the original shape. For example, the color remains unchanged.
After splitting, you can use the direct selection tool or group selection tool to move these new shapes, or you can also remove these shapes and then use the selection tool to select them.
Trim:
Trim the following objects with the above Object. AI will delete the overlapping parts of the following objects. If the object has a Stroked, the outline will be removed. Each object retains its attributes.
Merge:
The merge function is similar to the trim function, but the difference is that the merge will combine objects with the same color into one, and this merge operation will ignore the stacking sequence of objects.
Crop:
Use the top object to crop all the following objects. You can think of the top object as a mask. This operation also removes the contour line.
Outline:
This function does not seem to have done anything at first, but in fact its function is similar to the split described earlier. The difference is that its final result is the line segment of the segment.
Minus Back: this is the opposite of Minus Front. This is to subtract the following objects from the above objects.
When you are familiar with AI Path Finder, it will greatly save your time.
All right, the above information is the detailed path finder function provided to all the users of this software of Illustrator to parse and share all the content. You can see it now, I believe that everyone is very clear now. I hope the tutorials above will help you.
