How to "punch out" multiple objects in AI

[M***@adobeforums.com]

I'm using AI CS3.

Someone has sent me a logo in which there are white shapes used to block out parts of other shapes. (I hate when this happens!!) I need to use this logo on a tinted background, so I have to get rid of those white shapes.

So what I need to do is what was called "punch" in FreeHand. Select the white shape and the colored shape it overlaps, and punch out the white shape from the colored shape.

I experimented with the compound shapes options, but so far I haven't solved the riddle. What might be complicating the issue is that I have three colored objects and two white shapes -- each white shape overlaps the central colored object plus one of the additional colored objects on either side of it.

I seem to only be able to do the compound shapes thing on two objects, so I tried adding layers and duplicating the objects and doing the compound shapes thing multiple times, but I'm ending up with a mess -- the objects turn into one big shape that's transparent, with color only where they intersect.

How can I fix this logo?

TIA,

Marlene

[J***@adobeforums.com]

Marlene,

What happens if you group whatever needs to be punched out, select that and the overlapping white ghosts, sorry shapes, and Pathfinder>Subtract from shape area?

[M***@adobeforums.com]

Jacob,

I tried it and two the colored shapes became transparent, and the two white shapes stayed white. :(

Marlene

[J***@adobeforums.com]

Marlene,

What happens if you group the white shapes, too?

Can you post a screenshot, including the relevant part of the Layers palette?

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<a href="http://www.yourdomain.topdomain/folder1/folder2/.../imagename.extension"><img src="http://www.yourdomain.topdomain/folder1/folder2/.../imagename.extension" alt="" border="0"></a>

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[M***@adobeforums.com]

Jacob,

I decided to take one more stab at the logo before uploading it, and I finally figured it out.

I selected one white shape and one colored shape. In the pathfinder panel, I clicked on the second pathfinder icon -- TRIM. That "cut out" the part of the colored shape that I needed cut out, and it grouped the two items (white and colored shapes).

I ungrouped the items, then selected the white shape again and the other colored shape. Did this for each shape I needed cut out and now Bob's my uncle.

Not sure why this didn't work for me before -- I was either selecting the wrong pathfinder icon, or failing to ungroup the shapes after trimming them (before re-selecting the same white shape).

I've written down the procedure so I can remember how to do it next time!

Thanks,

Marlene

[J***@adobeforums.com]

You are welcome, Marlene.