Introduction
Compound path consists of two or more paths that interact with each other. Compound paths act as grouped objects and appear as <Compound Path> items in the Layers panel. Use the Direct Selection tool or the Group Selection tool to select part of a compound path. You can manipulate the shape of individual components of a compound path, but you can’t change appearance attributes, graphic styles, or effects for individual components.
Below figure shows a compound path.
Create Compound Path
To create compound path:
- Selecting two or multiple overlapping objects
- Go to Object > Compound Path > Make in top tool bar menu
If you try to select separate paths that make up the compound with Selection tool the whole compound path will be selected. However, you can select and move component paths with Group Selection tool and edit paths with Direct Selection tool. To edit path (i.e. change size, shape, position), select the center of the shapes using the Direct Selection Tool and then adjusting as required.
Compound paths act as grouped objects and appear as <Compound Path> items in the Layers panel. Attributes were inherited from the path at the very bottom of the group.
Release Compound Path
To release compound path:
- Selecting a compound path
- Go to Object > Compound Path > Release in top tool bar menu
Now release object will changed to path, same can be conformed in the Layer Panel.
Application
The original paths with their own attributes after combining into compound path became one object with uniform appearance. Attributes were inherited from the path at the very bottom of the group. In below figure, two individual circles are placed on top of each other. Then the these two circles are converted to compound path leading to hole in intersection region.
