Since its founding in 1982, Adobe has stood out for its web editing tools. Today, it offers its users a wide range of programs, among which Photoshop, Acrobat and Illustrator stand out. In this way, it has brought its users, the Adobe InDesign tool.
The InDesign presentation
On the other hand, neither Illustrator nor Photoshop (with capabilities such as installing fonts and fonts) offered the necessary tools for the development and enhancement of graphic design. Several were the tests that were carried out, until, in 1999, Adobe InDesign appeared.
This new program was presented under the premise of: the new standard of professional layout for the next millennium. Since then, after each update, it incorporates increasingly new and important tools for creating multimedia files for both web pages and mobiles.
Adobe InDesign tools
The creation of covers of books, newspapers or magazines, interactive PDF, editorial design. This program has extraordinary tools. Being the creation of paths and compounds shapes one of them.
What are compound strokes?
Compound strokes are nothing more than the combination of several forms to make one.
Creation process
Once you have inserted the shapes you want to combine, you will proceed to select them to begin the combination process. To do this, follow these steps:
- Go to the “Object” tab on the InDesign ribbon.
- Select the “Path” option.
- Click on «Create compound path».
Inverted selection
The combination of shapes takes place when there are 2 or more shapes, so if you want to act on a specific shape, you must comply with these instructions:
- Use the direct selection tool in the options bar located on the left of your screen.
- Select the object on which you want to perform an action.
- Go back to the “Object, path” tab and select the inverted selection option.
In this way, there will be a gap inside the shape you have selected and you can start with the edition you want to make in it.
Object Separation
If you don’t feel too confident about the shape you’ve created, that’s fine. The particularity that this program presents is that it allows you to separate them and test the new idea you have had. There is a simple method for this:
- Select the compound path with the InDesign selection tool.
- Go to the “Object” tab.
- Enter the section “Traces”.
- Click on “Free compound path”.
Pathfinder Tool
Another very interesting option that InDesign offers is the pathfinder. In case you don’t have it visible in your program, you can activate it in the following way:
- Click on the “Window” option.
- Go to the “Objects and layout” section.
- Click on “Pathfinder.”
Pathfinder Menu
This tool, unlike the one that allows the creation, combination and separation of various objects, does is provide other types of alternatives to weld and unify elements. Within the pathfinder menu, you have these options:
- Add or join: Take the outlines of all objects to make it one piece. So, for example, if there are several objects, of several colors, this option removes the lines and turns it into a shape without strokes and unicolor. A solid object.
- Delete objects: When there is a main object and a secondary one, this option deletes the object that is ahead. Basically, you subtract one option from the layout and leave the object (s) in the background.
- Intercept: Eliminate larger portions within the design and leave only the interceptions that the team had.
- Exclude Overlay: Contrary to the previous option, this tool removes the intercepts and leaves the rest of the object.
- Eliminate background: The shape of the pieces that are in front is eliminated and leaves a small portion of the combination.
Compound Path and Pathfinder
It should be noted that the difference between the pathfinder option and the compound path option is that the objects cannot be separated in the former.
That is why during the process of using the trace finder tool, the term weld is used, since, once an action is carried out, it cannot be undone. Also, if you also need to insert text on a curved path, it is also possible with the help of Adobe InDesign.