Please help- spliting and joining paths

[AmericanWarriorDecals 25]

I have been trying for the last 2 hours searching for tutorials and more. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to fix the problem I'm having.  I was able to take a myriad of paths and merge it into the one image you see.  However, the area surrounding the trigger guard and trigger were never touching.  I'm trying to transfer it over to SCALP 3 and that program is useless for doing what I need to do.

 

I'm trying to split the area below the trigger and join the paths together to form one solid piece (Split it into 2 open paths and then rejoin the top and bottom nodes to make one), but I keep getting line segment and path errors.  Does anyone know how to do this or can help?

 

I can email you the .ai if needed to look at it.  Thank you!

[slice&dice 2,450]

You could export the graphic as .eps v.8  and bring it into (File Menu-- IMPORT) SignBlazer Elements (free download) which I find to have really easy and versatile node editing functions (right-clicking brings up a myriad of options, including adding nodes of several types -- corners, curves, etc.).

 

http://support.uscutter.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/GetAttachment/190/24198

[Wildgoose 4,200]

Don't use Merge unless you absolutely have to. It creates objects within the objects most of the time. In other words you may have uncolored fills in all the open spots within that graphic. If you aren't paying attention and catch that your cutter will cut the holes twice. Use the Unite tool in the Pathfinder menu to "weld" things, you will usually have better luck. 

 

PM me and I'll send my email to you if you want.

 

I see several issues. I understand that you are not used to AI so don't feel bad. It's a mother to learn. You are currently drawing with stroke on your lines and objects. I would turn that of so you are just working with solid fills. Your cutter won't see the strokes and your appearance will be different than you thought when you created it. You can go to the View menu and select Outlines and see what the cutter will see. It has been a while back but I wrote a fw lengthy tutorials for AI in this section. You'd have to do some heavy reading because they are all words no pics or video. There are several things that you can do to make AI more friendly. 

[Cal 393]

Goose, can you provide link(s) or some search terms I might use to find your tutorials?  You either:

1.  Wrote them before I joined, or

2.  Wrote them before I even knew enough to ask a question about AI

 

I have a few notches in my belt with AI now, and would like to go through and look for other techniques and such.

I searched a few terms, even looked at the whole AI forum without finding them,

Cal

[Wildgoose 4,200]

I just went and looked but couldn't find them either. I wasn't the originator of the post I am thinking of and it must not have been in the AI section because it's not there. Weird. I'll start an original post in the instructional contributions section sometime this afternoon or tomorrow. 

[Cal 393]

[Wildgoose 4,200]

here is a link. I decided to post it within the Illustrator section. (and pinned it so it doesn't get buried) 

 

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?/topic/51897-adobe-illustrator-guide-for-vinyl-cutting/

[bbekbekk 6]

Hey did you get this solved? I can make you a tutorial using snapshots with your own image if you'd like. It's an easy fix but it seems as though you want to know HOW to fix it yourself for any future instances that come up, instead of just having it fixed, right? I'll PM you my email address if you want to send the .ai file.

[Primal Decals 621]

when i need to do that , i just use the eraser and delete what i need and then move and or re join as needed.

[GraphxNMore 282]

Can you not just delete all those nodes, redraw the trigger area, then B-F?