Is it possible to create a path from a stroke?

[abstruseOni]

Here's what i'm trying to do...

I have the word "UP" with an arrow behind it. I want to use the pathfinder to subtract the "UP" from the arrow. I put a stroke around the UP because i want it to be thicker and because of the design. but when i subtract the text, it only subtracts the path, not the stroke...so i lose the thickness. ...i hope that makes sense..

If it's possible to make a path out of the stroke, then i could subtract that as well. Expanding the appearance looks like it makes the stroke a separate path, but when i subtract the group, it still only uses the text's path.

does anyone know what i can do? ..or what i'm talking about? lol

 

[Matzki]

From the menu bar: Object > Path > Outline Stroke

 

[Matzki]

Forgot to mention you need to oultine your text first: Type > Create Outlines

 

[abstruseOni]

well, that sounded like it would work, but unfortunately, it didn't...i got the same results. I've included a few screenshots to better explain the problem i'm having.

If you look at screenshot A, that is almost my desired result...notice the black stroke on the arrow doesn't seem to go all the way around. that's because the UP text over it has a blue stroke that blends with the BG. esentially i want that stroke removed from the arrow so that the BG shows through it.

In screenshot B i changed the blue stroke to green so you can see it better.

Screenshot C shows the result of subtracting the UP text from the arrow (i duplicated the text and put it behind the arrow so you can see that the strokes don't get removed from the arrow...only the text's path.

i need to create a path that goes around the outside of the stroke...and i still hope there's a way to convert that stroke to a path so i don't have manually do it every time...but now i'm loosing hope =/

 

[abstruseOni]

Hey Guys, I finally figured something out that works!!

it doesn't convert your stroke to a path, but it scales your text's path JUST like a stroke would.

Object > Path > Offset Path



I'm sure most of you already know about that, but it's been a while since i've used illustrator and it took me almost 24 hours to find that, so this is a small victory for me ^_^

thanks for your help Matzki