Erasing part of a shape?

**WAR** · 23 March 2018, 06:21 PM

As I attempt to erase part of the line of a circle, the eraser tool doesn't erase but moves the line in toward the middle. On a straight line, it works as I would expect.

Why the difference?

**gwpriester** · 23 March 2018, 07:46 PM

OK I had to try this. If the circle has an outline and you erase part of the circle, you have created a new shape around which the outline still exists. That make sense?

**gwpriester** · 23 March 2018, 07:59 PM

If you want to remove the outline, make a clone of the object with the outline and no fill.

Then select the original and set the fill to none.

Use the Shape Tool to select and Break at Points where you want the line to disappear. Select that portion of the line and delete.

**wizard509** · 23 March 2018, 08:01 PM

OK I just tried this twice and it worked both times as expected. Funny thing is I had that very problem before but I don't remember the solution for sure, it may have been convert to editable shaped before erasing.

**angelize** · 23 March 2018, 11:35 PM

There is a way to do this. Add a bit of softening to the eraser. About 2or3px should do it. This will force the program to mask the shape instead of altering it.

**Boy** · 24 March 2018, 08:25 AM

Nifty!

**Acorn** · 24 March 2018, 11:00 AM

@angelize - learning something every day - thanks.

Acorn

**WAR** · 24 March 2018, 12:36 PM

Thanks, Angelize! I'm not sure I understand the logic of adding a little softening, but it does do the trick.

Getting quick answers to both of my questions sure has improved my satisfaction with Xara. Thanks to all in the community!

**handrawn** · 24 March 2018, 01:11 PM

the softening really has nothing to do with it, except as a shortcut for entering opacity mask group mode - you can verify that by taking the softening out once you start to erase an object and it will still continue to erase that object the same way because that object is now part of an opacity mask group [look at the page and layer gallery to verify this]

when you use the erase without an opacity mask it only erases the shape, and for a filled shape object, the shape is defined as the fill without the outline so that remains in place

when you use opacity mask mode you are masking out the entire object: fill shape and outline

there are many operations in xara that work only on the fill, it may take some getting used to...