re: illustrator question

>  I've built a pictogram in illustrator 9 out of single paths (they're not
>closed shapes) and now I'd like to know how can I connect them into one big
>shape.

Dani,

Two possible answers come to mind, depending on whether your pictorgrams 
overlap or not

If you want to join separate pictograms by connecting their endpoints, then 
use the Direct Selection tool (keyboard shortcut "A") to select the 
endpoints of the two paths you want joined. Hold down the shift key when 
selecting the second endpoint. Once selected, go to the menu bar in 
Illustrator and click on Object -->Path--> Join (keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+J)

If your pictographs overlap, you could try using Illustrator's Pathfinder 
commands (Window -->Pathfinder or keyboard shortcut Shift+F9). Use the 
Selection tool (keyboard shortcut "V") to select the overlapping pictograms 
you want joined. In the Pathfinder window, click the "Unite" button, the 
first button in the "Combine" row.

Best wishes,

Mark Horvath  

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