illustrator: pathfinder messing up my paths

MuGeN

MuGeN

MuGeN

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dunno as anyone else has noticed this, but in Illustrator CS5 (fully updated etc) the pathfinder plays up...

if I highlight some objects and click divide, it does do the divide but it also messes up a lot... almost as if its trying to snap the points to nearby grid coordinates (even though i'm not using a grid) so it yanks the object out of shape, rendering pathfinder unusable...

anyone else noticed this? have i enabled some weird snapping function somewhere?
 
Ok, I see this might be a bit ambigous...

If anyone could give me 2 minutes of their time I would be very grateful:

1) using the text tool, write a character onto the artboard.

2) right click and go "Create Outlines"

3) now the problem in its simplest form: click your letter/object and choose Unite (the top left option in the pathfinder palette)

... does it corrupt the shape of the letter?

(I've also tried ungrouping/releasing the compound path that is often found on typed characters, but it doesn't stop the distortion happening - there is no problem with custom shapes... only letters as far as I can tell...)
 
With the latest version if Illustrator I have found I have to use the 'Expand Apperance' option in the Object menu to do some stuff. Thing I would have done in CS2 have a barny in CS5.

Try it see what happens....
 
Expand Appearance is more for expanding a fancy brush stroke or whatnot, the option isn't there for the problems I am experiencing (like in the example just in my second post)...

Here is the before and after of stage 3:

pathfinder-before.png


pathfinder-after.png


Proper knackers it up!

This is actually quite a mild shape corruption, I've seen some monsters! - There has to be a simple, fundamental thing I'm doing wrong...
 
Is unite new in CS5? I'm on CS3 and I can't see it.

Does it add additional vertices to the path when you unite it? Or is it the same path and the fill area is appearing different?
 
Unite is int eh Pathfinder Panel, can't remeber if it was in the older verison.

Doing the same thing to a degree, the 1sr d & b are fonts, 2nd Paths and the 3rd united. I really aren't an Illustrator expert, we use it for it most basic function, but I'm not getting the same corruption, may an install issue or corruption ?

Anything else I can try to help out ?

AI1.PNG
 
unite i think is the new name for just add... the standard take these two shapes and make them into one option...

just found something VERY strange, if i move the letter i'm using to a different place, it corrupts to a different shape!!!!!

You'd think my copy of illustrator was busted, but it happens on another machine in the office too :confused:
 
Very bizzare, I can move the font and pathed object around and get no corruption.

You on Mac or PC ?
 
MuGeN said:
just found something VERY strange, if i move the letter i'm using to a different place, it corrupts to a different shape!!!!!
Click to expand...
This suggests to me that it's snapping to an underlying grid of some sort. Nodes or handles are definitely snapping to something, or you'd get the same results anywhere on the artboard.
 
simisker said:
This suggests to me that it's snapping to an underlying grid of some sort. Nodes or handles are definitely snapping to something, or you'd get the same results anywhere on the artboard.
Click to expand...
Exactly what I'm thinking, but I've killed all the preference files (I'm on a mac) and gone in to a fresh version... still happens!!!!
 
MuGeN said:
Exactly what I'm thinking, but I've killed all the preference files (I'm on a mac) and gone in to a fresh version... still happens!!!!
Click to expand...

But if it's happening on 2 machines it sounds like the default config is screwed. Unfortunately I don't have CS5 to help much further and imagine you've gone through the prefs with a fine tooth comb to make the grid smaller...
 
I'VE GOT THE B%$&$£D!!!

After much fiddling... worked out that its when a document is created with "Align to Pixel Grid" checked! - its not then an option you can see or change anywhere apart from in the Transform palette but even then it can't set a document to not align to the grid...

So there we have it, when you create a document, beware the pixel grid ;) - it has its place now I've read up on it but its not for me in most cases...
 
Glad u got it sorted !

....of course I beleive its not that at all it is actually all down to the Mac ;)
 
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