[cs4] Extreme pathfinder confusion

hello,

 

i having extreme difficulty performing task took me 2 seconds in illustrator cs3. have group of paths want add , expand can convert guide, in cs3 simple me selecting objects > click add > expand (which gave me path, not group or compound path) > convert guides.

 

cs4 thinks do. life of me, can't seem find way make said objects expanded path, result either compound shape or group. tried following methods:

 

- select objects > expand appearance > add (result: turns group)

- select objects > expand appearance > alt + add > expand (result: turns compound path)

 

i cannot convert of these types guides.

 

could please explain me what's going on here? or better yet, why did adobe turned feature working fine into...this?

 

thanks

i'm not quite sure understand after, seems me want unite overlapping shapes 1 path , use guide? if that's correct, problem expanding shapes. make overlapping paths, select them , use "unite" option in pathfinder panel (first 1 of shape modes).

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