Angle Cap Considerations

Angle Cap: Inside, Outside, and Variable Width Strokes

Because these types of strokes are actually converted to closed, filled paths inside the live effect mechanism, Angle Cap cannot be used with them.

Angle Cap: Dashed Strokes

When Aligned dashes are used, the dashes at the start and end of the path are generally converted to separate open paths inside the live effect mechanism, and thus will receive angle caps of their own, producing unexpected results. To put angle caps on each dash, use the Astute Graphics Dashify live effect instead of a dashed stroke. 

Angle Cap with Dashes

Angle Cap: Strokes with Gradients

A plugin cannot actually change a stroke’s caps in Illustrator, so the Angle Cap live effect simulates them by placing an appropriately-shaped polygon at the end(s) of the path. This may be seen by expanding the live effect: 

Angle Cap Expanded View

If the stroke has a gradient applied (the normal, “within the stroke” type — gradients along or across the stroke are converted to meshes inside the live effect mechanism and will not work with Angle Cap), Illustrator’s method of auto-positioning gradients will typically result in the caps visually not being seamless with the stroke. One way to remedy this is by placing the Angle Cap effect within the stroke and adding (directly above it) a native Pathfinder Add effect and an Astute Graphics Segment Removal effect (to change the path, which becomes a closed path after the Add effect, back to open).

Angle Cap with Gradients

Note that with this method, because the native Add effect can change the starting point of the path, it may be necessary to adjust the Pattern/Initial Skip value in the Segment Removal effect to target the correct segment to remove: 

Angle Cap with Gradient - Segment Removal Example

Angle Cap: Strokes with Round or Projecting Caps

Angle Cap handles these types of existing caps by simply extending the cap polygon(s) to cover them.

Angle Cap with Round Caps