AICS path offset in narrow peninsular polygons results in no stroke?

[envelope_the_frontcat@adobeforums.com]

I found a great solution to my needs here at

auguste raffael "minmax function in illustrator?" 1/23/04 3:36pm </cgi-bin/webx?14@@.2ccf8a9c/7>

and

Wade Zimmerman "Inline strokes illustrator CS" 11/20/03 5:58am </cgi-bin/webx?13@@.2cce7e8d/0>

but I notice that when I have shapes with very long, narrow peninsulas, the offset stroke doesn't continue contiguously but stops and starts arbitrarily.

So for instance, I'll have an object like the Italian peninsula (sort of, not exactly it, but anyway) and give the outline vector a black stroke of 10 points. Then apply the effect > path offset > filter and offset it minus 5 points so that the stroke is inside the shape. In places where the opposite sides of the shape outline vector are within 5 points of each other (say like in the boot or Sicily), I get whitespace instead of a black stroke.

I've tried different mitre values and different cap types. Sometimes that changes the nature of the irregularity, but it never goes away. I want a continuous line even where the opposite sides overlap each other.

Any ideas how to get around this?

thanks!

e

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

In the Appearance palette either move the stroke to the top or add a new stroke and make sure that is above the fill as well.

Also make sure all the points of the path are selected.

[envelope_the_frontcat@adobeforums.com]

Yes, all strokes are above the fill in the appearance palette.

Sometimes it actually appears to me to be an artifact of when a bezier point has a strange curve to it. Other times it seems to be the result of the stroke overlapping itself.

e

[envelope_the_frontcat@adobeforums.com]

Actually let me clarify. The artifact problem is distinct from the overlap problem. What happens when a bezier has a couple real whacked out handles (i.e. pointing way out when they should be parallel to the direction of the line) is the negative inset stroke appears outside the object. I can deal with this problem, it's just a matter of getting the whacky bezier handles under control. A simplify path at 100% usually fixes it.

The overlapping inset problem I have no idea how to tame. And perhaps the title gives the wrong impression but I can't describe 1000 details in that short of a space. The inset stroke actually is fine for the entire closed object up until the narrow area. I wish I could post a picture of it here. The alternative is to spend an hour building an extremely complex compound path using pathfinder and about 25% of the time AI crashes when I push the pathfinder ops a little too hard (or maybe it's because half the time a certain set of pathfinder ops don't do what I want and so I'm UNDOing a long sequence of many complex ops. I posted a note several months ago about AI crashing when I undo many steps, and no one believed me, but it sure as heck happens). So I don't really want to go down that path.

e

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

Post it!

[envelope_the_frontcat@adobeforums.com]

How do you append an image here without owning a webserver?

e

[Phosphor@adobeforums.com]

E.T.F....

What ISP are you using and do they provide you with some free server space along with your subscription to their service? If you don't know, call them or hit their homepage to find out. Or read your contract.

Most providers do...

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

It will usually say something like create your own home page.
We just showed Dee how to do this and she is up and running in no time at all like an old pro.

[Dee Holmes]

Check out this link, it might help.

Dee Holmes "Need steps on how to post a file on the forum" 5/3/04 8:24pm </cgi-bin/webx?13@@.3bb3c3a9/43>

[envelope_the_frontcat@adobeforums.com]

OK, here's a demo showing what happens to my inset stroke with this polygon:

View AI image <http://www.fotolog.net/sempervirens/?photo_id=7827797>

My prime issue is that the stroke stops in places. Note the weird spray effect in the lower right corner. That's not my main problem; just the result of some whacked out bezier handles which need to be tamed.

So if I want a true minmax effect as described in the base note by the other person, what else do I need to do besides just the effect->offset path? I want the red stroke to follow along the inside of the black line continuously, never going outside of it, and never turning into a miserable failure (white gap) like it does in this picture?

thanks!

e

[Dee Holmes]

envelope - good job on the post! Now we can see what you're talking about.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

OK the only way I can accomplish what you want is to make the original path with a stroke of 30 pts. Copy the path sand paste in front change the stroke color of that path to white and give it an Effect>offset Path of plus 15pts.

[Dee Holmes]

O.K. It might be totally different, since I'm at home on PC AI9.

I tried the effect/offset path and get different results than choosing object/offset path.

Can you try that? Or has AICS changed that part?

[envelope_the_frontcat@adobeforums.com]

Wade -- actually I found a demo of a pathfinder effect by Teri P. which does the same thing. I just tried it right now and it works great; called pathfinder_strokes_9. I'm a little superstitious about pathfinder, but I'm going to drop it into my gonzo project as the acid test.

Dee -- actually I didn't try that before. Yes, I get different results with Object -> Path --> Offset path in AICS. I get what I want, which is a completely filled entity and no gaps. I was hoping to just have one outline for the whole enchilada, but if the effect never works out, I'll have to go with two objects (one for the red inset, one for the black line).

So does this difference prove that there's an issue?

etp

[envelope_the_frontcat@adobeforums.com]

Well Teri's demo file works great, but applying it to 100 closed paths in my document really broke down. Half of them worked, but the other half failed miserably. Pretty much my experience with pathfinder -- there's something about this kind of recipe which is very sensitive and I don't understand what the variable is that it is sensitive to. But the other problem is there's so many effects going on that it takes a minute to apply them to all those objects. That's just too slow.

So, back to square one. The offset effect is simple enough not to be slow, now if I could just get it to work.

e

[Dee Holmes]

If going through the Object menue works..... then why not do that?

Why do you only want one path? Or are you just trying to figure out the effect feature?

[envelope_the_frontcat@adobeforums.com]

One path -- simplifies my life greatly, rather than having to keep multiple clone layers and always remember when I add something to one layer, I have to add it to the clones.

However in the interest of expediency I will once again stop using a cool new feature and just do it whatever way works.

e

[jonf@adobeforums.com]

You might try this workaround.

Create a custom Art brush consisting of two parallel strokes offset from each other by your desired amount. I think in your example they would need to be 10 points apart, since they'll draw 5 pts to the inside and outside of a center line. If you apply that stroke to your line it will draw both lines. You can then expand the object and delete the outside line.

This gives you a complete, unbroken line with overlap intact, but there may be some odd things happening at tight corners because of the overlap.