Adobe InDesign CS3 - Manual (Page 331)

INDESIGN CS3
User Guide
324
Create compound shapes
You create compound shapes using the Pathfinder panel (Window > Object & Layout > Pathfinder). Compound
shapes can be made up of simple or compound paths, text frames, text outlines, or other shapes. The appearance of
the compound shape depends on which Pathfinder button you choose.
Pathfinder panel
A. Original objects B. Add C. Subtract D. Intersect E. Exclude Overlap F. Minus Back
Add Traces the outline of all objects to create a single shape.
Subtract Objects in the front “punch holes” in the backmost object.
Intersect Creates a shape from overlapping areas.
Exclude Overlap Creates a shape from areas that do not overlap.
Minus Back Objects in the back “punch holes” in the frontmost object.
In most cases, the resulting shape adopts the attributes (fill, stroke, transparency, layer, and so on) of the frontmost
object. When you subtract shapes, however, objects in the front are deleted. The resulting shape takes on the
attributes of the backmost object instead.
When you include a text frame in a compound shape, the shape of the text frame changes, but the text itself stays the
same. To alter the text itself, create a compound path using text outlines.
Compound shape used as a text frame (left) compared to one created from a text outline (right)
See also
“Create paths from text outlines” on page 325
“About compound paths” on page 321
“Selecting objects” on page 358
B C D E F
A B C
D E F