Connecting 2 anchor points with straight line

[07930]

I have 2 seperate full circles. How do I create a straight line directly from an anchor point on one to an anchor point on the other, or can 2 paths never join like that?

Thanks.

 

[ChokingMyTrap]

Not too sure if this will do what you need, but give it a try.

Have your two solid circles, instead of connecting with a line, create a rectangle like your line and drop it ontop of the two circles. Or the alternative would be to draw your line how you want it to look, get the stroke right, Select your line then > Object > Expand

Then load up your Pathfinder window > Window > Pathfinder

Select all three of your objects

Then in the Pathfinder window Command click the first icon in Shape modes (Add to Shape Area), or on the PC Alt click it.

Now you have one solid shape


That kind of what your trying to do?

Cheers

 

[Triska]

07930:

Make your circles, then:

Turn on smart guides w/ Ctrl+U, this will give you feedback to know when the pen tool is snapping to an anchor.

P for pen tool, then click on anchor 1, then anchor 2.

Finally, make this a compound path by selecting the two circles and the connecting line hitting Ctrl+8 to make them a compound path.

To answer your second question, no, two paths cannot be *joined* like that, in the sense that the closed circles do not have an open anchor point to allow a join (Ctrl+J)with the connecting line, (by their nature of being closed.) However, if you cut the circles at your chosen anchors, you can then join the connecting line to them, but it is necessary to temporarily nudge 1 of the 2 resultant anchors some distance, otherwise your selection will encompass 3 points, and the join command (Ctrl+J) will fail.

All that said, it is not necessary to join them in your example (join is an Illustrator technical word,) but only to compound them, unless you are then (for example) going to OPEN up the circles somewhere along their length and apply a pattern stroke to the new contiguous path.

Sef.

It is alright to decorate construction, but never construct decoration. - Pugin, on Arch.

http://www.elucidesign.com

 

[07930]

That's great! I'm a first time user, could you tell me the significance of making them a comound path for the above? You may have to explain the nature of compound paths. I know they create holes whenever shapes overrlap (hence I ask why apply it to the above).
many thanks for you help.

Jugz