Cutting, Dividing, And Trimming Objects - Adobe ILLUSTRATOR CS2 User Manual

See also
"Pathfinder options" on page 306
"To mix colors using the Hard Mix or Soft Mix effect" on page 196
"To create a trap" on page 493
Pathfinder options
You can set Pathfinder Options from the Pathfinder palette menu or by double-clicking a Pathfinder effect in the
Appearance palette.
Affects how precisely the Pathfinder filters calculate an object's path. The more precise the calculation, the
Precision
more accurate the drawing and the more time is required to generate the resulting path.
Removes unnecessary points as you click a Pathfinder button.
Remove Redundant Points
Divide And Outline Will Remove Unpainted Artwork
the Divide or Outline button.

Cutting, dividing, and trimming objects

Cutting, dividing, and trimming objects
Illustrator provides the following methods to cut, divide, and trim objects:
This command acts as a cookie cutter or stencil, using a selected object to cut through other
Divide Objects Below
objects, discarding the original selection.
Cuts objects along a freehand path you draw with the tool, dividing objects into their component filled
Knife tool
faces (a face is an area undivided by a line segment).
This command lets you divide one or more objects into multiple rectangular objects arranged in rows
Split Into Grid
and columns. You can precisely change the height, width, and gutter size between rows and columns, and quickly
create guides for laying out artwork.
Compound paths and compound shapes
Provide various ways to divide and trim overlapping objects.
Pathfinder effects
Let you use an object to hide portions of other objects.
Clipping masks
See also
"About clipping masks" on page 309
"About compound shapes" on page 301
"Pathfinder effects" on page 304
To cut objects with the Divide Objects Below command
Select the object to use as a cutter, and position it so that it overlaps the objects to cut.
1
2 Choose Object > Path > Divide Objects Below.
Deletes any unfilled objects in the selected artwork as you click
Let you use an object to cut a hole in another object.
ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR CS2 306
User Guide