: What's the most flexible way to create a "wrap around" banner with an offset stroke? So here's the graphic I'm working on (don't hate me, I didn't come up with this one). I'm in Illy 15.1.0.

@Nimeshi706

Can't be done as one object with effects.

Or at least I can't find a method which does not involve a separate path. It's easy enough with an additional path, but effects don't offer enough flexibility with the offset path.

The primary issue with the effects is that you always get a closed path. There's simply no way around that for any effect which alters a stroke. You can try covering a portion of the stroke with a fill, and in many cases that works. However, with the stacking of multiple objects, even using a fill to cover things doesn't work. In addition, if you want the transparent gap between the object and stroke, you can't use a fill to "fake" a missing portion of a stroke. It would never be transparent.

Thinking about this further. Rather than a Graphic Style, why not a Symbol?

If you draw the 3 objects.... (corners aren't all smooth, I did it quickly)



Then drag the composite to the Symbol Panel to create a Symbol, ensuring the Enable Guides for 9-Slice Scaling option is checked.



You can then alter the length (or height) of the banner and retain the corners and placement of the end caps easily.


(Using Free Transform Tool to adjust length of banner symbol.)

You may need a library of symbols for various colors. And you may want to also create Graphic Styles to add things like the drop shadow in your original image. But this may work better than attempting to maintain a proper library of banners in pieces. Simply "use Symbol B and apply Graphic Style C" would make passing files off easier. At the vary least you could place and size the symbol, break the link to the symbol, then apply a Graphic Style for Color and effects. This would ensure the construction of the banner is identical in all uses.

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