Closing paths

R
Posted By
ronviers
Dec 28, 2006
Views
380
Replies
2
Status
Closed
I read somewhere months ago that paths should be closed. I cannot remember where or in what context, maybe it is a printing issue or possibly scaling related, but something in the back of my minds keeps telling me to close the paths. Does anyone have any idea what I am talking about?

Thanks,
Ron
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DF
Derek Fountain
Dec 29, 2006
wrote:
I read somewhere months ago that paths should be closed. I cannot remember where or in what context, maybe it is a printing issue or possibly scaling related, but something in the back of my minds keeps telling me to close the paths. Does anyone have any idea what I am talking about?

Yes, but your recollection is rather fuzzy. :o)

A closed path is simply a single path (strictly speaking a ‘path component’) where the end points meet at a single anchor point. This makes the path into a loop. You create a closed path by producing a normal path, then attempting to add a final anchor at the same point as the first anchor. Photoshop spots this and the mouse pointer icon changes to have a little ‘o’ next to it while you hover over the first point in the path. Click there and your path will be closed.

Your path doesn’t *have* to be closed. If you’re drawing *round* something it most likely needs to be; if you’re just looking to stroke a wavy line it most likely won’t be.
—
Derek Fountain on the web at http://www.derekfountain.org/
R
ronviers
Dec 29, 2006
Hi Derek,

Derek Fountain wrote:
Yes, but your recollection is rather fuzzy. :o)

Nothing unusual for me.

Your path doesn’t *have* to be closed. If you’re drawing *round* something it most likely needs to be; if you’re just looking to stroke a wavy line it most likely won’t be.
—
Derek Fountain on the web at http://www.derekfountain.org/

I did a little more searching and found the description for a PS CS2 plugin from Adobe.com. Notice ‘function’ number six – Make Paths Closed.
When I originally read about the issue I remember telling myself that I would be sure to close my paths but now I don’t know. It is easy enough to do, even with a long complicated line, by copying and pasting a line on top then closing each end, but I do not want to spend any time doing this if there really is no reason but the implications of this plugin is that they should be closed.

Point Control CS2
Point Control adds nine point and path editing functions in one easy-to-use floating palette.
* Adjust Stroke % – Adds or subtracts a percentage of their current stroke weight to the weight of all selected paths. * Adjust Stroke Weight – Adds or subtracts a specified amount to each selected path.
* Align Vertically and Horizontally – Aligns selected points on any number of paths vertically or horizontally.
* Delete Selected Points – Deletes selected points on any number of paths without breaking the path.
* Make Points Curves or Corners – Converts selected points on any number of paths to corner or curve points but does not change current handle position.
* Make Paths Closed – Sets the open/closed state of all selected paths to closed.
* Pop Curve Handles – Increases the length of curve handles on all selected points by 50%.
* Retract Curve Handles – Removes curve handles from all selected points.
* Smooth Path – Removes extra points and smooths paths.

Thanks,
Ron

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