AI - how to replace two anchor points with one?

Question

I have a problem that I might best explain by describing these four screenshots.

In the first picture there is a compound path originated from the expanded font (I typed one letter with the type tool and expanded it to be editable) and the line weight is 0.25 pt.

In the second picture I increased the line weight to 1 pt. As you can see, there still is a gap connecting the inner circles.

In the third picture there is my reconstruction of the same compound path with the line weight of 0.25 pt. I made the gaps by drawing the rectangles and using Pathfinder > Unite on circles + rectangles. The result is similar to what can be seen in the picture #01, however this time there are two anchor points forming the gap-corners and not just one point as in the first picture.

In the fourth picture I increased the line weight to 1 pt but now there isn't a gap between the circles anymore (as it is in the picture #02). I am assuming this is due to there are two points instead of just one at the gap-corners but don't know what could be done to achieve the same behavior as in the picture #02 (line weight = 1 pt and there still is a gap between the inner circles).

In other words, the problem is I don't know what I can do to prevent the line to close the gap between inner circles when the line weight increases.

I am aware the gap would eventually be closed even in the first case (expanded font) but I would like to make the compound path which behaves just the same as the original template I was drawing upon.

Answer 1

The model you provide it have two cases, one is the corners where your circles meet over each other anchor, the other case that you want to fix is the two circles are apart and they meet in two anchors.

Here is my solution, with precaution!!

To make two points appears as one overlapped anchor, First select the two anchors with the white arrow then go to Object > Path > Average in the dialogue box select both and press ok

This solution will make the two anchors over each other exactly, and any segments between them will be 0 length, and maybe you will notice no problem with that.

This Solution have disadvantage:

1. the Circles will loss its "consistency" because the curve segments are deforming to get close to the other anchor. like the image below

2. two anchors overlapped over each other will cause some problem when it comes with some "Pathfinder operations"
3. if the intermediate segment is not connected that's mean it will be exist with 0 length and it may cause some deformation if you attend to do any operation over the final shape. (be your illustration clean).

So if you are asking for my opinion please follow those steps (a better solution):

1. Break the segment between the two anchors you want to join. by selecting the two anchors and in the property bar click Cut path at selected anchor points
2. Or, with the white arrow select the segment in between and click DEL

3. At this point you can do the Average command by going to Object > Path > Average but I would prefer moving the Circle(s) to snap over each other.

4. Now select the overlapped anchor with the white arrow and from the properties bar select connect selected end points

So my advice, don't use Average command when you care about geometric shapes. but no problem using it when it comes with organic and hand drawing sketches.

That's it