Lines to Shapes

Afternoon, all -

I'm making a map from a hand-drawn image. To ensure the roads are a uniform width, I am using a line tool set to 16pt. I draw the lines down the center of each road and a uniform width is shown.

Then, to get the blocks to add the non-road details, I group the lines as a single object, convert it to an editable shape (Shift-Ctrl-s), put a large shape behind the road lines, and then subtract the shapes (Ctrl-2).

The result is not the roads deleted from the background shape, at least, not in their 16pt width. What happens is the lines are subtracted at, looks like, 0.25pt.

Is there any way to get lines to convert to editable shapes while maintaining the point size as a useable width?

Thanx!

Have you tried Arrange > Convert Line To Shape? This makes the line into a shape that can now have its own outline.

Then select the converted lines and Arrange > Combine Shapes > Add Shapes.

Select all your Lines (1px Width) but then use the Contour Tool set at 8px Outer and finally Intersect All Shapes, removing the unwanted bits.

Acorn

If I follow your question corectly CKinTX you need to 'Change Lines to Shapes' first

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gwpriester

Have you tried Arrange > Convert Line To Shape? This makes the line into a shape that can now have its own outline.

Then select the converted lines and Arrange > Combine Shapes > Add Shapes.

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I used the convert to editable shape. The info bar at the lower left then identified the object as a shape, but the subtract only removed the simple line object.

I'll give it a try converting just to a shape and see what happens.

Thanx!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Acorn

Select all your Lines (1px Width) but then use the Contour Tool set at 8px Outer and finally Intersect All Shapes, removing the unwanted bits.

Acorn

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That's a thought that didn't occur to me. Cool, I'll give that a try, too.

Thanx!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Egg Bramhill

If I follow your question corectly CKinTX you need to 'Change Lines to Shapes' first

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I did, but I made it into an editable shape, not just a standard shape.

Thanx for your reply!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CKinTX

That's a thought that didn't occur to me. Cool, I'll give that a try, too.
Thanx!

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You're welcome. I hope it works for you.

Acorn

just to recap

you cannot make a line into an editable shape unless you make it into a shape first.. as has been pointed out

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gwpriester

Have you tried Arrange > Convert Line To Shape? This makes the line into a shape that can now have its own outline.

Then select the converted lines and Arrange > Combine Shapes > Add Shapes.

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OK, I see what I did wrong. The convert to editable shape doesn't take into account the properties of a line. Convert line to shape, being specific to lines does.

That did it! Thanx!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by handrawn

just to recap

you cannot make a line into an editable shape unless you make it into a shape first.. as has been pointed out

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Indeedy. Just tried it and found out that little tidbit. I didn't realize the convert to editable shape only worked on preexisting shapes.

Been using this package since 1997 and I'm still learning new things about it.

:)

Convert to Editable Shapes converts shapes such as those created with the Rectangle, Ellipse and Smart Shape to editable shapes whereby you can edit them with the Shape Tool. It does the same for Text too.

Convert Line to Shape converts a line say of 200px x 16px to a rectangle of the same dimensions. Of course if the line is curved it converts it to a curved shape.

Just use the shape painter tool(shift+b)
Hold alt+drag for straight lines
Hold ctrl+alt+drag to constrain to set angles(utilities>options>general>angle constraints)