Duplicate Invisible Paths in Illustrator Files

[Fred_Weiss@adobeforums.com]

We are a vinyl print and cut sign company as well as a developer of vectorized clipart. We also run a forum for signmakers where a number of members have mentioned having the same problems. The problem we are having has been increasing in the last couple of years in the AI and Illustrator EPS files we receive from others, as well as in what we ourselves occasionally create.

The problem is this:

We open an Illustrator file and, on close inspection, find that directly under the top layer of some shapes with normal fills and/or strokes there will be exact duplicate shapes with no fill or stroke assigned. When these get sent to a cutting plotter, it results in double cutting .... usually ruining the job.

This problem is not present in every file we receive.

So my questions are:

1. How and why are they there? Our experimentation in Illustrator 10 for Windows points to them being created when some or all Pathfinder functions are used and a compound shape or shapes is involved.

2. How can we easily detect that they are there? Right now we are selecting and test deleting some shapes to see if any remain.

3. Is there any procedure one can follow or setting that can be changed that will prevent these extra shapes from being created?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

We are using Illustrator 10.0.3 on a Pentium II running Windows 98SE.

[Kurt_Gold@adobeforums.com]

* Pathfinder Palette menu: Pathfinder options: Enable 'Divide and outline will remove unpainted artwork'
* Also check this option if you are working with Pathfinder Effects (Effect menu)

Easy ways to detect and delete these objects:

- Object > Path > Tidy up: Check 'Unfilled objects'
- Download Rick Johnsons 'Select':
-> <http://personalpages.tds.net/~graffix/software/plugins.html#SelectMenu>

- Take a look at this Javascript:

-> <http://digbig.com/4bmdh>

[Fred_Weiss@adobeforums.com]

Thank you Kurt.