Combining paths

The top section of the panel contains icons that you may have previously accessed by selecting Modify > Combine Paths, such as Join, Split, Union, Intersect, Punch, and Crop. When you roll your cursor over each icon in the Path panel, a tooltip displays the name of the corresponding function (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Tooltips display the name of each tool as you hover the cursor over each icon.

Additionally, new tools have been added to this section, which include the ability to Divide, Exclude, and Trim Paths.

Here's an example of each of the Combine Path operations:

Join paths

Select two or more shapes. Join creates a single shape and deletes overlapping areas (see Figure 3).

Figure 3. The original vectors (the top red ellipse overlapping the blue ellipse) are joined with the Join Paths option (resulting in the bottom blue composite path).

Split paths

Select a composite path before applying the Split Paths option. Split Paths converts the composite path back into its original separate shapes (see Figure 4).

Figure 4. The original (top composite path) is split back into separate shapes with the Split Paths option (resulting in the bottom set of overlapping vector shapes).

Union paths

Select two or more shapes before applying the Union Paths option. Union Paths creates a single shape from the selected shapes (see Figure 5).

Figure 5. The original (top overlapping red and blue ellipses) is unified into a single composite shape with the Union Paths option (resulting in the bottom blue vector shape).

Intersect paths

Select two or more overlapping vector shapes before applying the Intersect Paths option. Intersect Paths creates a single shape from the overlapping area of the shapes (see Figure 6).

Figure 6. The original (top overlapping red and blue ellipses) becomes a single vector shape with the Intersect Paths option (resulting in the bottom blue vector shape).

Punch paths

Select two or more overlapping vector shapes before applying the Punch Paths option. Punch Paths creates a single shape by cutting away the overlapping area of the top shape (see Figure 7).

Figure 7. The original (top overlapping red and blue ellipses) becomes a single vector shape with the Punch Paths option (resulting in the bottom blue vector shape).

Divide paths

Select two or more overlapping vector shapes before applying the Divide Paths option. Divide Paths separates each shape by separating vector points at the overlapping areas. The example below created three separate shapes (see Figure 8).

Figure 8. The original (top overlapping red and blue ellipses) becomes three separate vector shapes with the Divide Paths option (resulting in the bottom three vector shapes).

Exclude paths

Select two or more overlapping vector shapes before applying the Exclude Paths option. Exclude Paths creates a single shape by deleting any overlapping areas (see Figure 9).

Figure 9. The original (top overlapping red and blue ellipses) becomes two separate vector shapes with the Exclude Paths option (resulting in the bottom two vector shapes).

Trim paths

Select two or more overlapping vector shapes before applying the Trim Paths option. Trim Paths separates each shape by separating vector points at the overlapping areas, while also preserving the top shape. The example below created two separate vector shapes (see Figure 10).

Figure 10. The original (top overlapping red and blue ellipses) becomes two separate vector shapes with the Trim Paths option (resulting in the bottom two vector shapes).

Crop paths

Select two or more overlapping vector shapes before selecting the Crop Paths option. Crop creates a single shape by deleting areas that do not overlap with the other shapes (see Figure 11).

Figure 11. The original (top overlapping red and blue ellipses) becomes one vector shape with the Crop Paths option (resulting in the bottom vector shape).

Altering paths

This section of the Paths panel includes some items that were available in earlier versions of Fireworks, such as Simplify paths, Expand paths, and Convert Strokes to Fills. It also contains some new vector tools that aren't available in previous versions of Fireworks.

Alter paths

The alter paths section of the Path panel includes options that were (and still are) available by selecting Modify > Alter Path from the top menu (see Figure 12).

Figure 12. The Alter Paths section of the Path panel.

Some of the tools in the alter paths section include a JavaScript pop-up window that allows you to specify how the path will be altered before completing the operation.

Simplify paths

For example, if you choose simplify paths, a dialog box appears with settings to adjust how the operation will be performed. In the illustration below, the shape on top is the original path, and the lower one is the result after simplifying the path (see Figure 13).

Figure 13. Enter the value in the pop-up JavaScript window that appears.

Expand stroke

When you choose expand stroke, the dialog box prompts you to enter the width, miter, choice of end caps and corners. The resulting stroke becomes an outline of the original shape (see Figure 14).

Figure 14. Enter the values for expanding the stroke in the pop-up JavaScript window that appears.

Convert strokes to fills

This operation does not have a dialog box. Simply select one or more paths and then choose Convert Strokes to Fills. The paths become filled shapes (see Figure 15).

Figure 15. Strokes are converted into a filled vector shape, using the same proportions as the original stroke.

Inset/expand paths

While one or more paths are selected, choose the option to inset/expand paths to access the dialog box, where you can specify the direction, width, type of corners and miter limit (see Figure 16).

Figure 16. Open strokes are connected with new paths to alter the original vector shape, using the Inset/Expand Paths option.

Invert paths

While any open or closed path is selected, choose invert paths to generate the inverse shape. Since Fireworks uses geometry to create the inverse shape, the dialog box does not appear. This operation works well with closed paths, because the entire canvas becomes covered with the inverse fill. This can be especially useful for preparing clipping path masks (see Figure 17).

Figure 17. The Invert Paths option literally inverts the shape so that the empty areas become filled and the filled areas become empty.

Reverse gradient

This is another handy tool that does not include a dialog box. Select any object with a gradient fill, and then select the option to reverse gradients. Without editing the gradient, the colors will swap within the selected fill (see Figure 18).

Figure 18. The Reverse Gradient option literally inverts the colors of the gradient in the selected object's fill.

Open/close paths

This option allows you to close open paths and open closed paths. Select an open path to close it, as shown in Figure 19.

Figure 19. The Open/Close Paths option works differently depending on the selected path. If the original path is open it will close the path and if the original path is closed, it will open it.

The open/close path acts like a toggle, because as you click the icon it alternates between closing and opening the selected path. Once the path is closed you can add a fill to it. And of course you can also edit the individual points of the path as desired using the Subselection tool.

Reverse contours

Select any path and then choose the option to reverse contours. This operation reverses the node order of the selected path(s). You can reverse contours to get different effects when the fill mode is set to non-zero winding fills.

In the example below, the original shape was created by drawing two hollow ellipses with the Doughnut tool. Then the two objects were ungrouped. The set of two doughnuts (resembling an "8") were then duplicated. Using the Subselection tool, you can select just the inner circle of vector points. In the Path panel, set the fill mode to non-zero winding fills (see Figure 20).

Figure 20. Select the fill mode to Non-Zero Winding Fill Rule in the Path panel.

Then move the inner circle of points partially overlapping the outer circle shape to see how the curves are reversed. This creates a unique 3D effect (see Figure 21).

Figure 21. The original shapes (on the left) and the result of applying Reverse Contours (on the right).

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