Combine / Slice stopped working

[jens g.r. benthien]

I don't know what you have done, but your second file is a mess as well. Can you post the 'raw' data here? That means your traced lines, not combined, not sliced, not modified?

The object consists of two almost identical shapes, placed on top of each other and then combined or added to a new shape or whatever. There is no way to tear those objects apart...

[jens g.r. benthien]

I guess this is what you want to achieve. I've placed your object on layer one. Note that there are only very few nodes/control points in my object - as compared to countless in your object.

In many cases it's easier to draw new vectors instead of tracing a bitmap.

[mudwoman]

I guess this is what you want to achieve...

In many cases it's easier to draw new vectors instead of tracing a bitmap.

Thanks, Jens! The single flat form, with the four tails, is exactly what I was trying to achive. I didn't actually use Bitmap Trace, I just used an imported picture (JPG) of my logo in a background layer, and matched the lines on another layer on top of the picture, with the Shape Ed tool. So, in essence, I thought I was "drawing new vectors," because I was drawing on only one of the layers, and eliminated the background picture using as a guide, before combining the lines. In theory, I thought, I should end up one single-layer drawing, with single lines. Is there something about having the two layers being present during drawing, that duplicated the lines? I'll keep playing - click and learn, I always say. All you guys are fabulous!

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi Mudwoman

Here's is were I think your problem lies:

I drew some random lines, connected them, and then inserted a circle to close the gap that I left. I then did Combine/Add, so it's all into one shape.

You can't join (or add) shapes & lines in this manner. Firstly you should select all the lines, give them the required line width, then go Arrange/Convert line to shape. Now select the circle as well and Arrange/Combine/Add shapes.

If you miss out the step of first converting the line to shape and just select all Add shapes, you will get a very different result.

Egg

[mudwoman]

You can't join (or add) shapes & lines in this manner. Firstly you should select all the lines, give them the required line width, then go Arrange/Convert line to shape.... If you miss out the step of first converting the line to shape and just select all Add shapes, you will get a very different result. Egg

I think you've hit on something, Egg. I was doing the Convert step earlier, but not consistently, because when working with lines only, I could see no visual difference at the time. So I figured it was an unnecessary step in that situation (we newbies need that instant gratification, ya know). It finally showed up as a problem with this complex shape. Lesson learned. I will play around with it and see if that avoids the problem for me.

With what you and Jens and everyone have told me, if I can avoid the "lines masquerading as shapes" situation, it will solve another problem I might have wasted a lot of time on: the final "shape" would not fill in with a color, because what I had was basically a very oddly-configured doughnut! You guys are great!