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 long, complex paths, you can split them into two or more separate paths.

    You can also change the number of line segments used to approximate curves and adjust the printer resolution. (See Approximating curved paths and Specifying the printer resolution (the halftone screen ruling).)

    Keep the following in mind when splitting paths:

    • 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.
    • 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.

To split a stroked path:

    Split the path with the Scissors tool 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 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.