How do you apply or bake a clipping mask?

[JackofDiamonds]

I'm looking for a way to make a clipping mask permanent. What I mean is to have the clipping shape cut the selected lines and shapes and discard all that falls outside of the shape. You could look at it as using Intersect on each element, rather than Intersect the way it currently works, applying each shape to every other. Also, it needs to be sure to properly clip straight line segments, rather than ignore and discard them.

 

Any way to do that?

[reminous]

Hi JackofDiamonds,

 

There is a way, but I guess it won't be practical for complex objects... The trick is to expand the strokes, then select all the objects and and divide them.

 

In my tests  notice that all the opacities are lost in the process, maybe it should be a good review for the developers. 

 

If somebody in the community have a better idea I'd love to learn it...

 

More details in the follow link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0l3G3IVExUWYzU1ZFhwdGN5eVU

 

Reminous

[JackofDiamonds]

I should add that the end result will be used in a laser engraver. The vector paths must remain intact.

[reminous]

I should add that the end result will be used in a laser engraver. The vector paths must remain intact.

 

As I mentioned this method may not work for all cases... The only solution I can think of then is trimming the objects one by one since we don't have a knife tool yet.

[ios]

Hi JachofDiamonds,

 

am I right, you dont want to clip or discard the outer objects and path finally? You just want them not to be seen any more? If this is the case you just have to push all the objects into the layer of the outline object you want to use as your "clipping mask" and after having done this you have to remove the color of the outline.