Path Operations

Path operations—which is what we call the commands represented by buttons on the Pathfinder panel—create paths from other paths, or change the shape of paths in some predefined way. The first row of buttons in the Pathfinder panel make it easy to create complex shapes by combining simple geometric shapes, and to create shapes that would be very difficult to draw using the Pen tool.

The Convert Shape operations provide a number of “utility” functions for working with paths. Why did they end up in the same panel with the Pathfinder path operations they have little or nothing in common with? Think carefully before you answer. Do you really want another panel?

The Pathfinder path operations work with the area(s) of intersection between objects. Path operations can merge objects, or create new objects, or remove the area of one object from another object.