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I am using Illustrator CC 2018, trying to do the same explained in this tutorial.

enter image description here

In the step 3, I don't see the intersection label between the circle and the segment (but they do intersect, I don't know why).

That prevents me from deleting the inner part of the rect segment.

In any case, is there any quicker way to do this? I have like 100 wire intersections and going one by one can take a long time.

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4
  • Do you have Smart Guides switched on?
    – Billy Kerr
    Mar 14, 2018 at 10:20
  • I have just checked it and yes, Smart Guides is on
    – Daniel Viaño
    Mar 14, 2018 at 10:39
  • Make sure to check: Preferences > SmartGuides > Anchor/path labels. Now select the paths with Direct Selection Toll and it will show you the label.
    – LeoNas
    Mar 14, 2018 at 10:50
  • Sometimes if things are on very different layers illustratir does not snap stuff unless you hold ctrl down.
    – joojaa
    Mar 14, 2018 at 11:18

3 Answers 3

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13

I've never been a fan of the "delete this.. then line it up" method. I much prefer creating objects that can be intersected or combined without any manual alignment needed. You don't need any smart guides here....

enter image description here

  1. Align circle and line
  2. Use the Shape Builder Tool and while depressing the Option/Alt key, click-drag across the bottom of the circle.
  3. Use the Direct Selection Tool (white arrow) to click drag and select the line inside the remaining circle
  4. Hit the Delete key
  5. Still with the Direct Selection Tool, click-drag to select the anchors at one of the corners
  6. Choose Object > Path > Join or hit Command/Ctrl+Option/Alt+Shift+J for "average and Join"...
  7. Select the other corner's anchors and hit Command/Ctrl+Option/Alt+Shift+J again.

Done.

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8

Fast and Lazy method

Please go with scott's answer if you want something consistent but I'm going to share a lazy method that's a bit less accurate.

This is all done with the curvature tool. You have to double click on the points though to make it bend like I'm showing.

enter image description here

EDIT: With this tool it's actually easier to be more accurate in the latest version of Illustrator. The tool will snap to a center line making it a lot easier to line up. The only thing you have to eyball is the distance. It has issues but if you have to do this quick and it doesn't have to be 100% perfect than this is for you. NOTE: Making guides could help with this too.

How fast is it? Well here's an example where you can see the snapping effect.

enter image description here

More accurate but a little more slow? Okay try this method with a guide. enter image description here

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5
  • 1
    How fast? How ugly ... All of them have a different size. Not what you want in electronic schematics.
    – Thomas Weller
    Mar 14, 2018 at 23:32
  • @ThomasWeller Is that a rhetorical question? It's plainly stated to go with scott's answer if you want accuracy. If you absolutely needed to rush then this is perfect for personal use. It conveys the message of a crossed wire just fine.
    – LateralTerminal
    Mar 15, 2018 at 13:05
  • You also say "easier to be more accurate in the latest version", but the result below that paragraph is still not convincing.
    – Thomas Weller
    Mar 15, 2018 at 13:17
  • @ThomasWeller compare the two gifs. You can see the center dot is snapping to the center of the of the line. The previous version of illustrator did not have this feature. Therefore it's more accurate than the older version of Illustrator.
    – LateralTerminal
    Mar 15, 2018 at 13:21
  • 1
    @ThomasWeller I've updated to show the guides I mentioned earlier.
    – LateralTerminal
    Mar 15, 2018 at 13:59
5

Here's a slightly easier method.

  1. Make sure Smart Guides are on. Click and drag the circle onto the line, so that the centre of the circle intersects with the lines

  2. Select both the line and the circle, by holding down Shift as you click on them with the Selection Tool (V).

  3. Choose the Shaper Tool, draw a squiggly line over the lines you wish to delete

  4. Click Object > Expand, OK, Object > Ungroup (do this twice). Then click Object > Path > Join

I made a very quick video of the process here

Update:

Using Shortcuts could make this quicker:

  • Ungroup = Shift+CTRL+G

  • Join = CTRL+J

You could even record step 4 as an Action to speed things up.

enter image description here

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14
  • Seems to me that there is many unnessesery steps here. You can do all of this with the direct select tool (A), delete key and join (ctrl + j)
    – joojaa
    Mar 14, 2018 at 11:09
  • @joojaa I think that is what the OP has been trying to do in the tutorial - and it's fiddly in comparison to just using the Shaper Tool.
    – Billy Kerr
    Mar 14, 2018 at 11:11
  • I dont think its fiddly. But uf you want to do this fast then you can just use suitable arrowheads.
    – joojaa
    Mar 14, 2018 at 11:12
  • I agree @joojaa. After using the shape tool holding alt to subtract the segments, just use join (ctrl + J).
    – LeoNas
    Mar 14, 2018 at 11:12
  • @LeoNass shortcuts will definitely speed it up, plus step 4 could be recorded as an Action.
    – Billy Kerr
    Mar 14, 2018 at 11:14

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