CorelDraw: Combine Tool

[54warrior]

Hey folks. I am need of some guidance on what to do whenever the Combine tool freezes up the program because of combining large/detailed objects.

For example, I have some artwork that is 1190 objects . I want to combine them so that I can apply a radial transparency gradient to this one single object. The problem is that when I use the combine tool, it locks things up.

As a workaround, I exported the file to Illustrator, performed the Compound Mask tool there and it is one single selectable object, and then exported it as an .ai file.

When I import the .ai file into Corel, it comes in then as 3 objects. Try using the combine tool on that and get the same thing. Locked up.

UGH. any thoughts?

 

[neato]

It might be easier when that happens to just convert to a bitmap with a transparent background, then apply your gradient transparency. I can't think of too many scenarios where a bitmap wouldn't work just fine.

 

[Allensign]

Hey folks. I am need of some guidance on what to do whenever the Combine tool freezes up the program because of combining large/detailed objects.

For example, I have some artwork that is 1190 objects . I want to combine them so that I can apply a radial transparency gradient to this one single object. The problem is that when I use the combine tool, it locks things up.

As a workaround, I exported the file to Illustrator, performed the Compound Mask tool there and it is one single selectable object, and then exported it as an .ai file.

When I import the .ai file into Corel, it comes in then as 3 objects. Try using the combine tool on that and get the same thing. Locked up.

UGH. any thoughts?

Had same problem when we went to X6 suite in Corel. Had to delete X6 and reload it and the problem went away.

Good luck. ps. COREL is no help with the customer service. They don't speak english and then they want to blame everything on something else. Wish I had learned another graphics program years ago. Good luck

 

[54warrior]

Thank you I tried that and it worked great. Just have to remember not to blow away the original vector!!

 

[54warrior]

Had same problem when we went to X6 suite in Corel. Had to delete X6 and reload it and the problem went away.

Good luck. ps. COREL is no help with the customer service. They don't speak english and then they want to blame everything on something else. Wish I had learned another graphics program years ago. Good luck

Interesting. I am using X6 as well.

 

[decalman]

When I'm faced with such a problem I try all kinds of things. I will ungroup everything then weld, it then try converting to objects .

Or try breaking it up into three or four groups and then combining it.

 

[Jester1167]

Reducing nodes can help too.

 

[Bobby H]

It's not a good idea to make a compound path with more than 5000 nodes. Some printers and RIPs might disregard the object (not print it at all) or do some unpredictable stuff with it. There is a work around for making a gradient appear the same on multiple objects, as if they all have the same fill. Use the interactive fill tool to position the start, end and other parts of the gradient according to positions on the art board. Gradient fills will default to just spanning the edges of the object, not over-shooting or under-shooting the edges.

 

[myront]

Select the shapes you need then Object/Shaping/Boundary. Delete the original shapes.

 

[Santimus]

Like others said: create boundary tool or reduce nodes. Maybe both. I you really want to use the weld combine tool you can do a few shapes at a time instead of all of them at once.

 

[54warrior]

Select the shapes you need then Object/Shaping/Boundary. Delete the original shapes.

Boundary gets rid of all of the, what I'll call, "interior" features though (ex. the middle area of an A or an R or a B, or a window on a car... simple examples obviously).

 

[54warrior]

Like others said: create boundary tool or reduce nodes. Maybe both. I you really want to use the weld combine tool you can do a few shapes at a time instead of all of them at once.

I've tried that too. Same result of locking up. Converting to Bitmap has been the only method that has worked successfully in this instance, for me anyway.

I'm using X6, do any of the newer versions perform better at this?

Thanks all!

 

[Santimus]

I've tried that too. Same result of locking up. Converting to Bitmap has been the only method that has worked successfully in this instance, for me anyway.

I'm using X6, do any of the newer versions perform better at this?

Thanks all!

I use X5 so i wouldn't know about newer versions but this has been an issue on all of the previous versions I used too. Another trick is to work in wireframe mode so the GPU isn't working quite as hard! It might just be a limitation of the PC build you are using. I've also had luck copying the objects and pasting into a new file, change color to 1 solid color, closing all other open files and then welding them. Then copy and paste or import into the original. If copying freezes up you can select what you need and "Save As" a new file with "selected objects only" selected.

 

[Bobby H]

I don't remember which version introduced the interactive fill tool. But as I said earlier, it's really the only good solution to this problem. Rather than have one combined object with way too many nodes, you have have several separate objects filled with the same gradient and appear to be one single, very complex object. It's just all about positioning the gradient (very easy to do by setting up some separate reference objects and using snap to object functions).

The interactive fill tool in newer versions of CorelDRAW does more to mimic the gradient fill functions in Adobe Illustrator. IIRC version X8 was the first to add adjustable levels of transparency on gradient fills (which does more to copy and support Illustrator-style fills).