Corel powerclip issue

[Robert L Stewart]

I have not had any powerclip issues but this one stumps me. I am trying to powerclip the grey area with info. The clip file is actual size,
not an issue anyway. When I fill with the file it fills everything. Any ideas on how to do this? I can post the file if it helps.

Thanks, Robert378635

[Tony Lenkic]

Did you run trace to get image outline for applying fill area?

[John Lifer]

Did you run trace to get image outline for applying fill area?

The whole box fills? not just your white area? if so, you have a leak in the line. Check your nodes to insure they connect.. one isn't .

Put some lines across and maybe vertical also to fill and to find the culprit.

[Glen Monaghan]

You should have just the grey area as a single object, so it should be the grey rectangle minus the white shape in the middle. Then select the clip file and powerclip it into the grey object. You should have the clip file showing in what was the grey area, with that center shape missing. It won't work right if you have the grey area grouped with the white framing rectangle or if you haven't subtracted the white shape in the middle from the grey rectangle.

[Mike Null]

Tony has the right idea.

[Robert L Stewart]

Thanks guys for all your help,

Tony- I did not run trace, have never done that before. Must learn that trick.
John- Checked for leaks, none found as I can fill either box with out issues.
Glen- I understand what you are saying, the two areas were UN-grouped.

I worked it again last nite, the third time it worked and I'm not sure why.
Could be that I started from scratch deleting all layers as I did have a drawing in the white area.
The mysteries of Power Clipping!!

Thanks again,
Robert

[Kev Williams]

one last dumb question ;) -

Did you "combine" the 2 sections, which would make the inner section a hole?

[Robert L Stewart]

Kev- not dumb at all. I did not combine.

[Glen Monaghan]

If the grey area and the oddly shaped inner white area were two separate objects, that would be the problem. As I said earlier, "It won't work right [...] or if you haven't subtracted the white shape in the middle from the grey rectangle."

[Robert L Stewart]

Glen, cannot figure how to subtract the two areas. Can you explain or point me two a video?

Robert

[Mike Null]

Robert

Do a quick trace of the entire piece. Then ungroup the elements. Finally, select the text and choose "power clip", select the white space.

If you want the text in the gray area just select the gray area.

378917

[Glen Monaghan]

Hi Robert,

How to proceed depends on what you are starting with. If that grey box with the white area is a bitmap, select it and click Bitmaps/Outline Trace/Line Art, and okay. Unselect All and delete the bitmap, then delete everything but the grey curve with the cutout in its middle. That grey curve is what you want to use for powerclipping. Or you might already have a grey rectangle (or curve) and the white curve, which is fine. Since you can see both curves, the grey curve must be behind the white curve, so you want to subtract the white from the grey by selecting both curves and clicking Arrange/Shaping/Back Minus Front. You will be left with a single curve, grey with the white shape cut out from the middle. Select the other object (such as a picture) which you want to power clip, select Effects/Power Clip/Place Inside Frame, and then click on the new curve you created. You'll end up with your picture (or whatever object you powerclipped) filling the grey area, with a hole in the middle with that white shape you subtracted from the grey rectangle.

It just occurred to me that you could have the grey rectangle with the white curve in front and power clip directly into the grey area, to yield an effect that is similar in that your picture would be cropped to fit within the grey area and there would be a white "hole" in the middle. However, you wouldn't actually have a hole through which you are seeing the background. Try it both ways (subtracting the white from the grey and then powerclipping, and just powerclip into the grey without first subtracting the white) and put a red rectangle behind the two powerclip results. In the first instance, you will see the red color through the hole in the powerclip, while in the second instance you won't see the red color, just the white shape that is in front of the powerclip. Which way you decide to go depends on whether you really need the hole or just the appearance of a hole.

[Robert L Stewart]

Glen,
Thanks for your in-depth method. I will duplicate what you have outlined as an exercise. I rarely use bitmaps. What you are saying makes sense.

Robert