'Subtract' inside a shape using vector.. ?

[stinky666]

Hi all.
For the sake of explaining this, I will simply use a rectangle as an example. I have a more diverse shape that I am trying to do this with.


Ok so, lets say I have a rectangle that is 400px width by 200px height.
Now, I have used just the pen tool to create this. I have a stroke on it and a fill, both being the same colour.
What I want to do is add some random shape INSIDE the FILLED rectangle, but I want that to be transparent. Here's a simple example

rectex.png (5.99 KiB) Viewed 5642 times

The blue is the shape I would like to be able to create using a pen tool, and then subtract from inside the other shape.
I know that both Illustrator and Photoshop can do this quite simply, but I have no idea if PSP can. I have looked and can not see how to do it anywhere.


I really hope I make sense.
Thanks for reading.

[df]

For this simple thing try using the Magic Wand tool. You will need to be in the Edit workspace, not adjust or manage.
Select the blue area using RGB value (or whatever method works for the type of thing you're doing).
On the layers palette, click the mask icon (at the bottom) and choose Hide Selection.

This will give you a mask layer that hide the selection. You can now unselect everything and you will still be left with the mask layer.
To modify the mask, use the Air Brush tool (part of the Paint Brush tool) and paint the mask layer black or white, black showing the layer, white hiding it.
I believe masking is the same in Elements.

[stinky666]

For this simple thing try using the Magic Wand tool. You will need to be in the Edit workspace, not adjust or manage.
Select the blue area using RGB value (or whatever method works for the type of thing you're doing).
On the layers palette, click the mask icon (at the bottom) and choose Hide Selection.

This will give you a mask layer that hide the selection. You can now unselect everything and you will still be left with the mask layer.
To modify the mask, use the Air Brush tool (part of the Paint Brush tool) and paint the mask layer black or white, black showing the layer, white hiding it.
I believe masking is the same in Elements.

Hi df, thank you for your reply.
I was hoping to do it just using the pentool, so that I can then easily resize without losing any quality, and also without having to edit more.

I did eventually find this http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/paints ... bble05.htm
It's exactly what I want. However, it doesn't seem to be working properly for me, but I do know why.


My shape is one that I want symmetrical, so I designed the left side, duplicated it and then flipped it.
I have only 6 layers for it total (3 for the left, 3 for the right).
I would love to be able to merge each "section" together. For example, I have an "A" in there so I would like connect the left send node with the end node on the right and then merge those two (left + right) down to one single vector layer.
I have tried using Edit Mode > Edit > Merge. But that makes my vector vanish, but does not merge the layer at all.


If anyone could help me with this problem of merging + connecting specific vector layers - that would be fantastic, because then I am confident my original problem can be solved from the link i have posted.


Once again, thank you to anyone who is willing to help. It's greatly appreciated.

[LindaSue]

I can't help you with the center object, but I recently asked on another forum how to merge sections of a vector image that were created just as you described. Here's what I did using PSPX2:

CREATING VECTOR SHAPES IN SECTIONS

1. Trace the outline of one quarter of the shape with the Point to Point pen tool (Draw Point to Point - Bezier Curves/vector/no fill/Connect Segments checked/Show Nodes checked).

2. Switch to Edit Mode.

3. Go to Objects > Edit > Copy

4. Go to Objects > Edit > Paste

5. Go to Objects > Transform Selected Nodes > Mirror (or Flip)

6. Use the center handle to move the new shape (with the bounding box around it) so that the end node almost touches the opposite end node of the first shape (you can nudge it closer by holding down the ALT key while moving with the cursor keys). Leave a tiny gap between them so that you'll be able to click on each end node.

7. Click on one of the end nodes. Press and hold down the Shift key while clicking on the end node of the second shape. You should see a little circle in between them. Go to Objects > Edit > Join. This will merge the two sections into one single outline.

8. Repeat steps 3-7 to create the second half of the shape and connect the two together to form a complete shape outline.

9. Set the Fill color to black to make a solid shape.

[LeviFiction]

Those are very good steps for when you're initially creating your vector. But if you've already done all of the work it's a little hard to have to re-do it all just to do it right.

Luckily PSP has an option for you in its scripts. Go to the layers palette and select the objects that you wish to merge by Ctrl + clicking on each object. Keep in mind that the first object that you select will be the one that defines the stroke and fill settings.

Open up your script toolbar if it isn't already open (View->Toolbars->Script)

From the script drop-down select either "VectorMergeSelected" or "VectorMergeAndCutoutSelected" from the list.

These will read the contours of all selected vector objects and create only one vector out of all of them, deleting the originals. An important fact if you don't want to lose the originals. Vector Merge Selected will only put all of the contours into one single vector object. Vector Merge and Cutout will attempt to reverse the last contour to cut-a whole in the larger contour. Since I can't always trust the second one I tend to just use the first and reverse the contour myself.

EDIT: Coincidentally I was editing a video on this very subject, but added the cutout portion after reading this topic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5XHyeufDcM

[LindaSue]

Thanks for posting about that script, Levi. I never noticed that it was there and it's been there at least since PSP8. It's a bit of a pain in the neck to merge them manually.

[stinky666]

Thank you everyone for your replies. It truly is greatly appreciated.
Levi, thank you massively for the video. I think it was you who I saw the video for before that helped, concerning the "flip" issue.

You are truly fantastic.


One other question regarding vector, except this is text not pentool.
For some reason, no matter what settings I use with the text tool, it ALWAYS adds a space at the end, except you can't delete said space. This is just annoying because, when you go to Object > Align > Center (horizontal, or center in canvas) it doesn't properly center, it's off by X amount of pixels (X amount because it depends how big the font is).

Does anyone know why it does this? A work around? Or is it something simple that I have/haven't done?


Once again, thank you in advance.



Edit:
Actually, I have another question.. lol sorry.
This is not concerning vector at all. So if you think I should make a separate topic for it, let me know and I will.

I have the Navigation in Edit Mode, and when I try use the "search" option to find an image file, it doesn't do anything. If it does do anything, it doesn't seem like it is doing and never shows me any results.

[LeviFiction]

It's usually best to ask second questions or unrelated questions in another topic 1) to keep it separate so it doesn't get confusing and 2) because others searching for similar solutions will stumble across it easier.

I'll start with the vector: This is a known problem. We've been complaining about it since X3. Though oddly enough some people don't experience it (actually I only know of one person but still it's not completely consistent). I one had a script, I don't know what I did with it, that I would run to center my text. What it did was it first converted the text to a regular vector, then it centered the text and recorded the location. It would undo the change and then manually center the text for you.

Which is the current workaround, manually adjust or use a script.

As for the Navigation:

Do you have the organizer open as well or just the navigation pane? The Navigation pane searches and shows the results in the Organizer pane. So you need them both open in Edit mode to see the search results.