erase problem illustrator

[Hummingbird]

i've allways used photoshop for most of my work,and used to all the tools
and know what they do "well most of the time" but now i'm starting to use
cs2 illustrator more and i'm learning new things,and catching on to things
quite quick,if i don't know how to do a certain thing in illustrator then i take
the image into photoshop and try and do it there
i'm having problems using the erase tool in illustrator,this is causing me problems as i cannot seem to erase the backgrounds from a image i have imported from photoshop,their ain't no magic eraser that i know of,unlike photoshop which i use so much.

i erase the background of a image e.g take the white background away from the black of the image,then import it into illustrator,but the background come's back up again,when i try to use the erase pencil i draw around what i what to erase but then nothing happens,it's most likely something so easy.
any help would be good

[Jacorre]

I don't think you can use the Erase Pencil tool on an image. If you're working with vector shapes then you can use it. When you're working in Photoshop on the image what format are you exporting as? Do you save it as a psd and then open it in Illustrator?

[Hummingbird]

thanks jacorre

i've been using jpg's when i have been importing them
i'll try psd
one more thing when i live trace something the image is vectored but you can't use the erase tool do you know anything about that

nice one andy

[Jolt]

Illustrator has had no erase tool for versions 1 through 12 (CS2). Illustrator CS3 has just now introduced a vector eraser. I'm not certain what you are referring to Hummingbird about erase in Illustrator. Generally you select something and hit the Delete key.

[Castlerog]

There is an erase tool in CS2 grouped together with Pencil tool and Smooth tool. It lets you erase portions of a path when drawing over it.