Illustrator: How to convert a Path in Outline View

Lord Daz

New Member
Hi

For a LaserCut projekt I need to convert the Outline (path) View (cmd-y) in a dotted Path. How can I convert the Outline View in the aspect of my path?
Hope I could explain my problem... :-/

Thanks,
LD
 
Thanks for replay, scotty!

If I select "Outline Stroke" I have the outline of the single dotted parts of Stroke. The Outline view (cmd-y) looks like a series of small rectangles and it is not what Im looking for.

I need that the Phat looks in Outline view like the dotted stroke I see in the "normal" view mode.

Thanks again for the help!
LD
 
Do you mean that when you view the stroke as a wire frame (CMD-Y) that you want to see the stroke as a path but broken into bits?
A bit like a series of smaller paths?

If so, I'm not entirely sure Ai will do this.
I recall having to do a similar thing a while back and I ended up having to use the path cutting tool and do it manually which was pretty laborious and not very accurate.
I think the dotted line option works a bit like a brush in the way that it's an effect on a path and you can either have it in that mode (editable) or outlined (as shapes).

There may be a work around where you could try expanding the appearance and using the pathfinder to divide the shapes and then manually delete the sections you don't want but it's a lot of work and not really ideal.
 
Hi

For a LaserCut projekt I need to convert the Outline (path) View (cmd-y) in a dotted Path. How can I convert the Outline View in the aspect of my path?
Hope I could explain my problem... :-/

Thanks,
LD

I believe you usually would save your outlined paths file in .AI as a .eps which should open in the LaserCut software that you should have for your machine, which will automatically create the outlines (wireframes) of your paths.

I need that the Phat looks in Outline view like the dotted stroke I see in the "normal" view mode.

Do you mean this:

Screen Shot 2018-02-05 at 13.39.49.png

In Outline View to look like this:

Screen Shot 2018-02-05 at 13.39.59.png
 
Yes, Exactly. But instead of a circle a need a single point.
I will try with the Brush as suggest from scotty. Maybe there is any other solution...

Thanks,
LD
 
Sounds like you're wanting the path rather than the shape or outline of the stroke.

A dotted line seen in outline view would essentially be a broken path.
I don't think a brush will help as that's just an effect on a path really.
Once it's outlined it becomes a shape.
You're wanting the mathematical co-ordinates of the path broken into sections to form a dotted line I think.

Would this explain it?

Dotted-Line.jpg
 
If the above is what you're trying to achieve then as far as I know it won't be a quick or easy solution in Illustrator but then I may be wrong.

The way I did it was to manually cut the path and delete alternating parts which is how I quickly made the example.
This isn't very accurate and it's time consuming.

The only other way to make it accurate involves copying the path, converting the dotted version of the path to outlines (and you may have to make this a compound shape).

Then paste the path you copied in place (C+F) and use the pathfinder to "divide" the dotted line shape and essentially cut it down the centre.
Then you'd need to go in a delete all the paths you don't need leaving just one of the paths that followed the centre line.

If you've anything other than very simple or basic then I think this would be a nightmare task.
 
I assume you want to see this when you view outline mode, i.e. just a single point for each circle's central point?

background.jpg
 
Thanks for helping!

Exactly, Paul. This is what I want to see. How did you do that??

I have to do a quite complex project and I wanted to laser a dashed path only for the lines I need to fold.

The Lasercut machine will first cut out the form of the Object and then will "cut" the dashed path inside so that I can fold the paper.

OMG I did not think it was so complicate to create a dashed path in Illustrator :eek:
 
P.s. the solution to create a Brush an then Object > Expand Appearance ist the best at the moment! :) It seems to be precise and fast.
 
Thanks for helping!

Exactly, Paul. This is what I want to see. How did you do that??

I have to do a quite complex project and I wanted to laser a dashed path only for the lines I need to fold.

The Lasercut machine will first cut out the form of the Object and then will "cut" the dashed path inside so that I can fold the paper.

OMG I did not think it was so complicate to create a dashed path in Illustrator :eek:


(Off the top of my head)

To create that you could make a simple dot with the brush tool, literally just click the mouse button once. It shouldn’t matter what size brush you use.

Then select the ‘dot’ and go to Object -> Transform -> Move

From here input the horizontal or vertical values (or maybe both) for where you would like your next dot to appear. Then click on the ‘Copy’ option.

Then repeatedly duplicate the command you just set up by using the shortcut CMD+D (or Control D for PC I believe). You can hold CMD and keep tapping the letter D or you can hold CMD and then hold D then let go once you have the desired amount of dots.

Now view in outline mode and you should have your desired result
 
(Off the top of my head)

To create that you could make a simple dot with the brush tool, literally just click the mouse button once. It shouldn’t matter what size brush you use.

Then select the ‘dot’ and go to Object -> Transform -> Move

From here input the horizontal or vertical values (or maybe both) for where you would like your next dot to appear. Then click on the ‘Copy’ option.

Then repeatedly duplicate the command you just set up by using the shortcut CMD+D (or Control D for PC I believe). You can hold CMD and keep tapping the letter D or you can hold CMD and then hold D then let go once you have the desired amount of dots.

Now view in outline mode and you should have your desired result

This.

It's also easy to vary this method to draw a dotted linear path too (with path dashes instead of dots for your perforations):

1) Position a guide at the where you want the line to go (make sure guides are unlocked by right-clicking in the work area and making sure 'Lock Guides' is unchecked, relock them when you have finished this step).

2) At the point you want the line to start, draw a line which is the length you want the dashes to be.

3) Duplicate the line in the position that you want the second dash to appear, then make sure the second dash is selected.

4) CMD/CTRL + C to copy it, CMD/CTRL + B to past it in place, CMD/CTRL + D to repeat the relative repositioning. Repeat this sequence of shortcuts until the line is the desired length.

Alternatively, a more laborious option for a curved path (not sure what you would use a curved fold path for, but here it is).

1) With 'Butt Cap' selected in the Stroke dialogue box, draw a dashed path out as desired.

2) Outline the stroke.

3) For each dash on your line, individually delete the two unwanted points and 3 unwanted sides from the path.

4) Depening on how accurate you want to be, this method will mean that your dotted line of individual paths will be offset from your original curved path. To resolve this, you can use Adobe Illustrator's path offsetting options to compensate for this, so you know the line you draw originally will pretty much line up with the dotted path you end up with.
 
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