Creating a new object from the fill of an object

Question

I have some shapes that have a white fill with a black 5pt stroke and I need to separate/create a new object that is the same size as the fill. Duplicating the objects and removing the stroke still leaves the objects 2.5pt too big.

A quick solution I have found is to export the objects into photoshop, select the fill by color-range and cutting to new layer, but this isn't really practical as I lose quality and I need to do this potentially hundreds of times.

I was wondering if there was an easier way to do this, preferably in illustrator? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

This assumes that strokes are a different color than fills and nothing is a gradient....

• Select Objects
• Edit > Copy
• Object > Hide > Selection (to hide the originals for a moment)
• Edit > Paste in Front
• Object > Expand and just click OK
• Pathfinder Panel -> click the Merge button
• Using the Direct Selection Tool (white arrow), select a stroke (which is now actually a shape)
• Select > Same > Fill Color
• Hit the Delete key

You then have objects which are the size of only the fills minus the stroke areas. And they will be in the exact same position as the original fills.

• Object > Show All to unhide the original objects