2017

Working with clipping paths
A clipping path is a closed Bézier shape that indicates which parts of a picture should
be displayed and which parts should be treated as transparent. Clipping paths are
especially useful when you are attempting to isolate the picture's subject from its
surrounding background in the original picture file.
You can create clipping paths from scratch in QuarkXPress or QuarkCopyDesk, or you
can use embedded path or alpha channel information to create clipping paths. Clipping
paths created by QuarkXPress or QuarkCopyDesk are based on the picture file, and
are stored with the layout.
A clipping path lets you control which parts of a picture show and which parts are hidden.
Creating clipping paths
To create or assign a clipping path, choose Item > Clipping on Windows, and then
choose an option from the Type drop-down menu, or use the Clipping tab on the
Measurements palette on Mac OS X:
• Choose Item to crop an image to the box boundaries. Choosing Item does not
create a clipping path; it simply crops the picture to its box.
• Choose Embedded Path to clip a picture around a path already embedded in the
picture file. Choose a path from the Path drop-down menu if the picture file
contains more than one embedded path.
• Choose Alpha Channel to clip a picture around an alpha channel already
embedded in a picture file. Choose an alpha channel from the Alpha drop-down
menu if the picture file contains more than one embedded alpha channel. Note
that using a clipping path around an alpha channel will create a hard edge rather
than a blended effect. If you want a semi-opaque blend, use an alpha mask. (See
"Working with alpha masks.")
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