Removing One Part Of A Stroke On A Rectangle In Illustrator CS5?

Question

Is it possible to remove on side of a stroke on a rectangle?Let's say you have a rectangle with a stroke all the way around it and I want one end of the rectangle to be 'open' and take the stroke off. I've tried searching but there doesn't seem to be a concise explanation if it can actually be done. I know I can make clipping masks and minus front and all that but I was wondering if there's a simple solution. Let me know if you need more details.Thanks.

Answer 1

You can use the Scissor Tool (keystroke C). Click at the start and and the end of the stroke segment you would like to remove from the shape. This will separate the segment from the rest of the shape, creating a new selection. By hitting delete, you will remove that segment from the shape, which in turn will become an open path.

Answer 2

Use the scissors tool on the two corners. The stroke on the side between those corners can then be set differently or removed, but the path will remain. Group it with the other three sides to keep everything together. You could also remove it, the rectangle's fill will remain even with one side missing.