all I want is for these two simple shapes to be joined into one to cut as one outline shape. I have made all the strokes paths, but no combination of combine or union seems to do the trick. there is still lines in the middle. It will glue them together, but not meld them. I know this is the simplest thing, and I’ve done this kind of thing successfully 50 times, but I just don’t understand what I’m doing wrong here and why it won’t work. I don’t get how sometimes it does it beautifully and then Im trying to do something this simple and I can’t make it happen. I must be missing something so simple but I don’t know what. call me frustrated, and you will be underestimating my current angst.
you don’t mention what software you’re using. It is pretty simple in AI, you can just select the 2 objects, grab the Shape Builder tool and join them easily.
first I used the rectangle tool and it wouldn’t work… then I traced it with the bezier tool to see if that would work, and I think that is what is in the file I sent you. but I tried both ways, and neither worked.
This comes up regularly on the forum, especially when dealing with text. Remember when you do object to path on text in inkscape that it makes a group of letter outlines. Boolean operations on converted text usually involves an ungrouping. (or entering the group, but this is a weird concept that many people don’t really need to know)