Confused with merging 2 items together into a compound shape.

[DXPOHIHIHI]

So I need a little bit of help as to why this is happening. I searched into YouTube how to use the geometry tools like add, subtract, etc.

My problem is this:

 

When you click the add geometry it turns into this:

 

I don't know why the cog disappears, I turned it into a curve but it still disappears when I add it even with non destructible.

[Komatös]

Hi, @DXPOHIHIHIand welcome to the forums.

Would you like a result that looks similar to mine?

If so, select the objects you want to merge into one and navigate to Layer -> Geometry -> Merge Layers in the menu bar.

[Pšenda]

2 hours ago, DXPOHIHIHI said:

When you click the add geometry

 

2 hours ago, DXPOHIHIHI said:

I don't know why the cog disappears

If you "add" anything inside the circle to this circle, then of course this circle will be created again. I don't understand what else you would expect from the add function.

If you need to subtract the cog from the outer circle, you must use the subtraction function.

P.S. Even if you do not have a fill set for the outer circle, it is still a circle with a surface inside - boolean operations therefore work not only with the circumference of the circle, but also with its inside, from which you must subtract the cog.

[R C-R]

In addition to what has already been said, since you mentioned "compound shape" in the title of your topic, you can create a compound shape by holding down the alt/option key when using one of the boolean geometry options.

So for example, in this compound shape.afdesign file, I created a compound with the cog set to subtract from the ellipse:

You can click on the subtract icon to get a popup with the other boolean options, or hide either shape, so this is a non-destructive process.

[user_0815]

Sometimes these are also a bit confusing. However, the way it works (I think) is that you can only "add" outside a curve (but not on top) regardless color or transparency. In your case, use a donut for the outer ring and it will work. An ellipsis is considered an entire (closed) area, even if you only use/see the outline and also after it is converted to a curve. In opposite, the inner part of a donut is not considered as part of the shape/curve. When using an ellipsis, there is also a button to "convert to donut". 

[NotMyFault]

13 hours ago, DXPOHIHIHI said:

I don't know why the cog disappears, I turned it into a curve but it still disappears when I add it even with non destructible.

It disappears because you try to add curves with stroke.

to use geometry>add, you would need to start with closed filled shapes. In Designer, you could use expand stroke to get them.

To say it simple: geometry add works on “filled” shape, not on “strokes”.

 

[DXPOHIHIHI]

15 hours ago, NotMyFault said:

It disappears because you try to add curves with stroke.

to use geometry>add, you would need to start with closed filled shapes. In Designer, you could use expand stroke to get them.

To say it simple: geometry add works on “filled” shape, not on “strokes”.

 

Yes this is the answer I needed, I was trying to have an outline and a cog combine but it was only disappearing, expanding stroke of the circle outline etc.