Need Help Duplicate Lines

[velocitygraphix]

Hello, I posted a similar thread in Flexi forum but this may be a better place since it deals with AI. When I download an AI file from somewhere online, sometimes it is masked has several layers and I turn off what I can include the solid colors. There are still several lines that overlap and I am wondering I remove the overlapping lines/objects to make the design a solid line art vector that will cut properly without overlapping cuts. Seems like on complex objects, it would take a forever to manually click the overlaps or duplicates and it delete; is there a shortcut or another software that would find and get auto-join the lines? I appreciate any help or tips. I tried to attached a file but it said it was too large.

 

[shoresigns]

The Unite button in the Pathfinder panel is what you're looking for. It'll merge all the selected paths together into one, which effectively eliminates double lines, which are usually caused by two paths butting up against each other.

 

[velocitygraphix]

Hello, I tried the unite function but it removes all the inner parts and leaves the outline. Like the weld function in Flexi. I need to be able to combine all the lines and have the vector "vinyl ready" or have it be ready to raster without overlapping or duplicate lines.

Screen Shot 2020-07-21 At 11.38.50 AM

• velocitygraphix
• Jul 21, 2020

Screen Shot 2020-07-21 At 11.39.07 AM

• velocitygraphix
• Jul 21, 2020

 

[The Vector Doctor]

this is probably happening because many of those inner shapes are not closed. They are just a stroke line with no fill. The only way to fix this is to convert all strokes to shapes. It is called object>path>outline stroke. You will also have to get rid of any fills otherwise the unite function will end up combining both the fills and the converted strokes into one. Even after doing this it may not work. You have to work on one shape at a time getting rid of strokes, overlaps, hidden shapes, etc.

I do work like this on a daily basis and the foolproof way takes too much explanation to type out. This motorcycle could easily require up to an hour of work fixing all the issues and getting the result you want. The unite function won't work on open overlapping shapes

 

[Caw]

If you use control-Y to show outlines and it looks like a pile of random squares all over the screen I wouldn't dig too much. I deal with a lot of files from overseas that aren't actually created in Illustrator but they save it out as an AI..and spent hours fixing them so I can actually navigate the files. I would just lock the Ai down and trace it for the cut. It seems like a lot of work, but nothing compared to digging through and getting all the gradients and colors to not be masked squares.

 

[HaleYeah]

The file itself will need to be gone through spending an hour or so with selecting the individual elements and uniting / welding them together with one another to get what you're trying to achieve. For a fast and easy fix, just rasterize the file at a decent quality size then just auto trace the raster image. This will work great for an easy fix to a file that doesn't have a whole lot of blends or gradients. But you might lose a bit of the quality.

 

[velocitygraphix]

If you use control-Y to show outlines and it looks like a pile of random squares all over the screen I wouldn't dig too much. I deal with a lot of files from overseas that aren't actually created in Illustrator but they save it out as an AI..and spent hours fixing them so I can actually navigate the files. I would just lock the Ai down and trace it for the cut. It seems like a lot of work, but nothing compared to digging through and getting all the gradients and colors to not be masked squares.

Thanks! How do I lock AI so I can use the file to trace?

 

[Caw]

Thanks! How do I lock AI so I can use the file to trace?

I would put it on its own layer and click the box next to the "eyeball" in the layers panel. Should turn on a little "lock" symbol. Trace over top in a separate layer.

 

[velocitygraphix]

I would put it on its own layer and click the box next to the "eyeball" in the layers panel. Should turn on a little "lock" symbol. Trace over top in a separate layer.

Ahhh! Thanks!!