Combining and Breaking Apart

Terminology that applications use can sometimes be confusing and misleading especially when it is

in conflict with our usual appreciation of the same terminology. In the case of Corel DRAW a curve

for example may consist of only straight lines. It may also be comprised of several seemingly separate entities. This can often be a difficult concept to grasp because the tendency is to think of these entities as a group.

Individual components can be combined into a single curve. This provides very useful properties

regarding fills and editing capability. The process of separating them is called breaking apart. A

number of com mands we apply to our work automatically combine curves and it may be necessary

to break these curves apart before we can continue editing them.

A simple way of understanding this is to think of text characters. The letter A for example comprises

an outline shape with a triangle inside. The fill surrounds the triangle but the triangle itself is not

filled.

Try the following. Draw the letter A using the text tool. It may help if you enlarge it to a size you

can see clearly. Convert this to curves (Arrange Convert to Curves). With the object selected look

at the status bar at the bottom of the screen. It will tell you it is a curve. Now break the curve apart

(Arrange Break Curve Apart) and notice what happens to the fill and what the status bar tells you.

We now have 2 objects. Because the triangle s a curve in its own right now it has its own fill. Now

combine them again (Arrange Combine) i and you will see the letter A as before.