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No matter what I do, when I select two paths in the layer window, and i use pathfinder to either unite them or merge them, they always turn into a group containing the same 2 paths i tried to merge. But want I want to to merge them into one path.
Why is it not working for me?
You can't combine paths with Pathfinder. It doesn't work that way. In fact, Pathfinder typically doesn't work well with open paths at all.
That being posted... Pathfinder does have an annoying tendency to create a group of the objects selected fro its operations. merely ungroup after the pathfinder operation if you don't want the group.
Object > Join will connect the end points of paths. You can't "combine" or "merge" paths in the middle of other paths. Again, that's not how Illustrator works.
Object> Expand) stroked paths to shapes and then Pathfinder will combine shapes. But future editing will require you to adjust shapes, not stroked paths.