Summary of Pathfinder effects


    You can choose any of the following effects from the Effect > Pathfinder menu:

    Add

    Traces the outline of all objects as if they were a single, merged object. The resulting shape takes on the paint attributes of the top object.

    Intersect

    Traces the outline of the region overlapped by all the objects.

    Exclude

    Traces all nonoverlapping areas of the objects, and makes overlapping areas transparent. Where an even number of objects overlap, the overlap becomes transparent. Where an odd number of objects overlap, the overlap becomes filled.

    Subtract

    Subtracts the frontmost objects from the backmost object. You can use this command to delete areas of an illustration by adjusting the stacking order. (See Stacking objects.)

    Minus Back

    Subtracts the objects in back from the frontmost object. You can use this command to delete areas of an illustration by adjusting the stacking order. (See Stacking objects.)

    Divide

    Separates a piece of artwork into its component filled faces (a face is an area undivided by a line segment).

    Note: When you use the Divide button in the Pathfinder palette, you can use the Direct Selection or Group Selection tool to manipulate the resulting faces independently of each other. You can also choose to delete or preserve unfilled objects when applying the Divide command. (See Using the Pathfinder palette.)

    Trim

    Removes the part of a filled object that is hidden. It removes any strokes and does not merge objects of the same color.

    Merge

    Removes the part of a filled object that is hidden. It removes any strokes and merges any adjoining or overlapping objects filled with the same color.

    Crop

    Divides artwork into its component filled faces, and then deletes all the parts of the artwork that fall outside the boundary of the topmost object. It also removes any strokes.

    Outline

    Divides an object into its component line segments, or edges. This command is useful for preparing artwork that needs a trap for overprinting objects.

    Note: When you use the Outline button in the Pathfinder palette, you can use the Direct Selection or Group Selection tool to manipulate each edge independently. You can also choose to delete or preserve unfilled objects when applying the Outline command. (See Using the Pathfinder palette.)

    Hard Mix, Soft Mix, and Trap

    Mix colors that overlap or adjoin. (SeeUsing the Hard Mix and Soft Mix effects.)