Illustrator, how to create / cut text with a stroke effect ?

[bubber]

I apologize for the very newbie question, especially it being my first :)

I am using FlexiSTARTER edition that came with my plotter for cutting the art work; but I am using ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR 10 for the design. What I am trying to do seems rather simple.

A) I have basic font TEXT.
B) I am trying to create a stroke effect around the letters.
C) I am trying to cut this text where as the text inside will be cut out and the actual stroke effect will create the outlines of the letters.

This is where I am running into problems. I can only get the plotter to cut the letters but not the actual stroke effect. I realize that I need to convert something to outlines - but I can't figure out the exact process step by step.

Can someone please help?

Thanks,
Mike

[Fred Weiss]

Set your stroke as you want it to be and then


Select text and Type Menu > Create Outlines (Control +Shift + O)
Object Menu > Path > Outline Stroke

[Bobby H]

I skipped Illustrator 10. Does it not have the "expand" options under the Object menu? That's what I use for converting outline strokes into editable paths within IllustratorCS2, even though the Outline Stroke command is still there.

[Fred Weiss]

Yes it's there. I just tend to work with individual steps rather than multi-step features like Expand.