A path object is one that you made with the path tool, and have not applied any filters to that would convert it automatically to an image object.  You may recognize the term vector object better. There are several things you cannot do to a path object.

• You cannot use the quick color commands to adjust the colors.
• You cannot edit them with any of the retouch tools, the paint tools the clone tools, the eraser tools or the fill tools.
• You cannot fill the item with an image copied to the clipboard.

If you try to do either of the first two things to a path object, you will be presented with an error message. In order to do any of these things to a path object, you must first click object/convert object type/from path to image. Be sure to do all the editing you wish to do to the object with the path tool's material box or the presets in the easy palette before you do this however, because you cannot change the object using the material box or presets after it is converted to a path object.

Here is a list of what you can do to a path object without converting to an image object.

• You can apply any presets from the material gallery of the easy palette to them.
• You can edit them with any of the commands in the path tool's attribute bar, or click the material icon in the attribute bar, and change the color, fill with a file saved on the  your hard drive, change the bevel lighting, shading.  etc.
• If you have downloaded presets from a fellow pi user you can apply those presets to a path object also.
• You can fill the path object with any of the natural or magic textures in the fill gallery, but not with a magic gradient fill. If you do so, it will be converted to an image object and lose its 3d quality if you had applied one.
• You can use the fill command under edit to apply a color, natural texture, or gradient.  However, you will not have the option of filling a path object with a magic gradient, just a two color gradient or a multicolor gradient.

Editing a path object in any of the above ways will not change a path object to an image object. However, there are editing functions you can apply to a path object that will automatically convert them to image objects allowing no further editing as a path object.These include:

• Under format are several commands dealing with color.
• Any of the galleries in the easy palette not mentioned above.
• Any of the effects found in the menu under effect.

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What is a Text Object?

A text object is also a vector object. You make a text object with the text tool.

The editing of a text object is the same as the editing of a path object. Please see the information under path object for the list of things you can and cannot do with a path object.

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What is an Image Object?

An image object is any object such as part of a photo or art work that has been selected in one way or another and converted to an object. It could also be an object created with the paint tool with mode active. It is a regular non-vector object that has no special powers.

Editing an image object: You are not so limited in what you can and cannot do with an image object. The only thing you cannot do with an image object is edit it with any of the path tool commands.

This includes any commands in the path tool attribute bar as well as material presets in the easy palette.