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Splitting paths to print large, complex shapes


    If you are printing Adobe Illustrator files containing overly long or complicated paths, the file may not print and you may receive limit-check error messages from your printer. To simplify paths, you can split long, complex paths into two or more separate paths using Split Long Paths in the Printing & Export panel of the Document Setup dialog box.

    When Split Long Paths is selected, the Adobe Illustrator program checks whether a closed path is too long to print whenever you save or print an image. If the path length exceeds what the printer's memory can handle, Illustrator breaks the closed path into pieces represented on-screen by lines through the path. These lines appear only in Outline view; they do not preview or print. The image previews and prints as if the paths were joined.

    Keep the following in mind when using Split Long Paths:

    • It's a good idea to save a copy of your original artwork before splitting paths. That way, you still have the original, unsplit file to work with if needed.
    • Illustrator treats split paths in the artwork as separate objects. To change your artwork once paths are split, you must either work with the separate shapes or rejoin the paths to work with the image as a single shape.
    • Split Long Paths has no effect on stroked paths or compound paths. When you use Split Long Paths on an object that is both filled and stroked, the object is split into two objects.

To split long paths:

  1. Choose File > Document Setup. Then choose Printing & Export from the pop-up menu at the top left of the Document Setup dialog box.
  2. Select Split Long Paths, and click OK. Illustrator splits paths as needed when you print or save the file.

To split a stroked path:

    Split the path with the scissors tool.

To split a compound path:

  1. Choose Object > Compound Paths > Release to remove the compound path.
  2. Break the path into pieces using the scissors tool.
  3. Redefine the pieces as compound paths.

To split a mask:

  1. Choose Object > Clipping Mask > Release to remove the mask.
  2. Break the path into pieces using the scissors tool.
  3. Redefine the pieces as masks.

To rejoin a split path:

  1. Delete any extra lines created with Split Long Paths by selecting the lines and pressing Delete.
  2. Select all of the split paths that made up the original object.
  3. Choose Window > Pathfinder and click the Add to Shape Area button in the Pathfinder palette. The path is rejoined, with an anchor point placed at each intersection where a split path was reconnected.