Segment Removal Live Effect

Segment Removal is an Astute Graphics live effect that removes segments from the paths in the artwork to which it is applied, based on criteria such as their length, handle status, or index. When segments are removed, the path is split into multiple paths (unless the segments are contiguous in a closed path, in which case the path becomes an open path).

As with most live effects, Segment Removal appears in the main menu, under Effect > AG Utilities. It can also be applied directly from the Appearance panel using the “Add New Effect” button at the bottom of the panel.

Segment Removal Parameters Dialog

After applying the live effect using the menu item (or when clicking on the existing effect in the Appearance panel to edit it), the parameters dialog will appear:

AG Utilities Live Effects - Segment Removal Parameters Dialog

1. Criteria Popup

By default, segments will be removed only if they match all of the enabled options (the first four checkboxes below). However you can change this to When They Match Any Enabled Options, Unless They Match All Enabled Options, or Unless They Match Any Enabled Options.

2. Length

Segments match when they have a length (as measured along the path) from the minimum to the maximum values specified.

3. At Least One Handle

When set to Yes, segments match if they have one or two handles; when set to No, segments match if they have no handles (thus are straight).

4. Index

Segments match if their index matches the specified indices. Segments are assigned indices starting at zero, increasing in the order in which they are encountered within the live effect across multiple paths or subpaths. The default type of index match is Odd, i.e. 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. Other options are First, Last, First or Last, Even, and Pattern. Pattern type creates a repeating pattern of matching indices based on the three subsequent parameters.

5. Initial Skip

For Pattern index matching, the initial number of indices to skip over.

6. Match

For Pattern index matching, the number of indices to match after skipping some.

7. Skip

For Pattern index matching, the number of indices to skip over after matching some.

AG Utilities Live Effects - Segment Removal Pattern

8. Randomize

Allows randomization of the removal.

9. Seed

Each random seed number leads to a different sequence of random values. Clicking the button picks a new seed, thereby changing the look of the artwork. To view or specify the seed number directly, Option/Alt-click the button. This lets you recreate a previously-generated look.

10. Retention Probability

The probability that a segment that would normally be removed under the previous criteria will instead be retained.

11. Keep Same Geometry Paths Together

When the Segment Removal effect is positioned under an artwork’s strokes and fills in the Appearance panel, the stroked and filled paths are passed to it separately, and their segments would therefore normally be randomly affected independently, leading to some paths having different segments removed when Randomize is enabled. Sometimes this can be solved by simply moving the Segment Removal effect above them in the Appearance panel, but depending on the other effects that are present, this may not always be possible. In that case, enabling this setting allows paths with the exact same underlying geometry (such as fills and strokes of the same path) have the same segments removed or retained.

12. Preview

As with all live effects, when enabled, changing a parameter will immediately update the artwork while the dialog is still open.