How to Cut a shape inside objects

Question

I'm trying to design a pie chart, so I create circles (each one in a separate layer) then I change them to something like that:

Now I want it to look like that:

Of course I can create a small blank circle and put it in the middle, but I want it to be transparent (logically impossible) . I tried to use the path division operation between the two switched circles and it works, but I don't want to combine them (also they will have the same style).

I'm open to any other suggestions or alternatives.

Answer 1

1. Once you have finished creating the segments in different layers. Create a circle at the center.

2. Duplicate the circle. Now select path- division twice, selecting a circle & a segment each at a time. The resulting path looks like this image(segments are not combined retaining the assigned style intact)..

Answer 2

Please clarify What software do you use, if Illustrator add circle like this

select both objects then go to Window-->Pathfinder Click to "Minus Front"

It will come like this

You can apply the same method for the above(blue shape) object.

Answer 3

Put the pie slices on the same layer

Duplicate the objects then

Path -> Union

Use Path -> Exclusion

on the newly formed object with a circle to your liking

Path -> Break Apart

and discard the circle remnants

Select the pie slices and the new object making sure it's uppermost then

Object -> Clip -> Set

Though to be honest I would probably just either go with a circle matching the background colour. Doing the above ties you in to not changing the size of the slices ever or having to redo the above steps. It's a lot of extra faf and stuff you have to remember to keep an eye on for no real gain - it won't make the file smaller and resizing becomes way trickier than it needs to be.