"Warp" question

[Greg_Maletic@adobeforums.com]

I'm using Illustrator 10 for Mac. I've got an object that I've warped using the "Arc" option. The result of using the "Arc" option is that your original object stays intact--yet becomes invisible--and what you end up seeing onscreen is the warped object.

Though I can certainly imagine this being an advantage in particular situations, it's driving me nuts. Is there a way for me to irrevocably "transform" the object into the warped object? (I thought maybe hitting the "Expand" button would do it, but it doesn't.)

Thanks very much.

[Larry_G._Schneider@adobeforums.com]

Greg,

Expand Appearance but if it's text, it becomes outlines and you loose editability.

Larry

[Greg_Maletic@adobeforums.com]

Yes, "Expand Appearance" under the Object menu worked...thank you!

[Greg_Maletic@adobeforums.com]

Okay, now I have another stupid question. Assuming you -haven't- applied the "Expand Appearance" command, how do you "un-apply" the warp effect?

[diane_reichert@adobeforums.com]

object>envelope distort>release.

[Larry_G._Schneider@adobeforums.com]

Or in the appearance palette, highlight the layer with the effect and trash it. Get real friendly with the appearance palette. You can do some amazing things by mixing the stacking order of effects.

Larry

[Paul_Seymour@adobeforums.com]

I've got the same question as Greg, and the posts by Diane and Larry didn't answer it. (Thanks though...) If you've got an effect on an object, how can you irrevokably modify the object so that it's no longer effected but just IS that way?

For example, say I've got an object rotated (Effect > 3D > Rotate...). Now I want that rotation to become permanent. Object > Envelope Distort > Release is greyed out. Trashing the layer with the effect from the Appearance palette simply reverts my object back to its un-rotated state.

What is the answer? Because this is so hard to discover, I've avoided using Effects since they first appeared in Illustrator.

[Larry_G._Schneider@adobeforums.com]

Paul,

Have you tried flatten transparency?

Larry

[Teri Pettit]

To clarify the last two messages, the method you use to remove an Arc parallels the method that you used to apply it.

If you applied the Arc using Envelope Distort>Make from Warp on the Object menu, then you remove it using Object>Envelope Distort>Release.

If you applied the Arc using Effects>Warp>Arc, then you remove it using the Appearance palette. To remove all effects, click on the "Basic Appearance" button at the bottom of the Appearance palette. To remove a single effect while leaving others intact, do as Larry suggested: highlight the name of that effect in the Appearance list, and either drag it to the Trash button at the bottom of the Appearance palette, or click that button.

The difference between Envelope Distort>Make from Warp and Effects>Warp is that the Envelope Distort method uses the options only to construct an initial warp shape, and thereafter you can manually adjust the shape of the envelope using the mesh tools. By default the object is in the mode where you edit the envelope shape, although from the menu you can set it to edit the contents instead.

The Warp live effect, on the other hand, determines the shape of the warp entirely from the effect parameters, and the only way to change the shape of the Warp is by editing those parameters. It is in effect always in "Edit Contents" mode. The main reason there are two versions is that Envelope Distort is more flexible, but you can't save a particular hand-tuned envelope shape in a live effect and remember it as a style, because a live effect has to be able to be recorded in a way that is independent of which objects it gets applied to.

[Paul_Seymour@adobeforums.com]

Hi Larry.

No, I haven't tried Flatten Transparency. A quick search through Illustrator Help didn't uncover that at all. What is it and where would I find it?

[Larry_G._Schneider@adobeforums.com]

Paul,

Object/Flatten Transparency

Larry

[Paul_Seymour@adobeforums.com]

Teri...

The technique you describe simply removes the effect. Rather, I believe Greg and I are trying to make the effect permanent. That would mean that when you select the effected object, you don't see the outlined selection of the uneffected object. The object would be effected permanently. The Appearance pallete would just list it as an uneffected object. Is this possible?

[Paul_Seymour@adobeforums.com]

Brilliant!! Flatten Transparency! That did it.

(An odd name for a command that has no effect on how transparent an object is, but never mind...)

Thanks, Larry.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

Why would you not Expand Appearance instead of using Flatten Transparency?

[Paul_Seymour@adobeforums.com]

Expand Appearance. That sounds more like what I'm looking for. Thanks!

[Gary_Newman@adobeforums.com]

Expand Appearance is the one you should use, especially if your art includes any transparency.

[Teri Pettit]

Paul,

I was responding not to Greg's original post, but to his question in reply #3 "Assuming you -haven't- applied the "Expand Appearance" command, how do you "un-apply" the warp effect?"

So in his first post, he wanted to know how to make the warp permanent, and in his followup question, he wanted to know how to restore the object to its original unwarped shape.