is there a tool to create SVG paths from an SVG file?
does anyone know of a tool that can take an SVG file, and convert it into an HTML 5 SVG path? you know, the d="M 0 0 L 20 134 L 233 24 Z" fill="#99dd79" part?
I head here: Use Adobe Illustrator to create SVG Path using "move to" commands
But not sure. Does this mean Illustrator can take any line drwaing and save it as an SVG path?
Note: Yes there is inkscape, but I'm looking for gradient and masking support, if that's possible. I'd like to be able to utilize .ai files and export them using illustrator or Acrobat or something... is there something out there? Or is it built in to Illustrator or Acrobat as an output format?
Open the SVG with you text editor. If you have some luck the file will contain something like:
<path d="M52.52,26.064c-1.612,0-3.149,0.336-4.544,0.939L43.179,15.89c-0.122-0.283-0.337-0.484-0.58-0.637 c-0.212-0.147-0.459-0.252-0.738-0.252h-8.897c-0.743,0-1.347,0.603-1.347,1.347c0,0.742,0.604,1.345,1.347,1.345h6.823 c0.331,0.018,1.022,0.139,1.319,0.825l0.54,1.247l0,0L41.747,20c0.099,0.291,0.139,0.749-0.604,0.749H22.428 c-0.857,0-1.262-0.451-1.434-0.732l-0.11-0.221v-0.003l-0.552-1.092c0,0,0,0,0-0.001l-0.006-0.011l-0.101-0.2l-0.012-0.002 l-0.225-0.405c-0.049-0.128-0.031-0.337,0.65-0.337h2.601c0,0,1.528,0.127,1.57-1.274c0.021-0.722-0.487-1.464-1.166-1.464 c-0.68,0-9.149,0-9.149,0s-1.464-0.17-1.549,1.369c0,0.688,0.571,1.369,1.379,1.369c0.295,0,0.7-0.003,1.091-0.007 c0.512,0.014,1.389,0.121,1.677,0.679l0,0l0.117,0.219c0.287,0.564,0.751,1.473,1.313,2.574c0.04,0.078,0.083,0.166,0.126,0.246 c0.107,0.285,0.188,0.807-0.208,1.483l-2.403,4.082c-1.397-0.606-2.937-0.947-4.559-0.947c-6.329,0-11.463,5.131-11.463,11.462 S5.15,48.999,11.479,48.999c5.565,0,10.201-3.968,11.243-9.227l5.767,0.478c0.235,0.02,0.453-0.04,0.654-0.127 c0.254-0.043,0.507-0.128,0.713-0.311l13.976-12.276c0.192-0.164,0.874-0.679,1.151-0.039l0.446,1.035 c-2.659,2.099-4.372,5.343-4.372,8.995c0,6.329,5.131,11.461,11.462,11.461c6.329,0,11.464-5.132,11.464-11.461 C63.983,31.196,58.849,26.064,52.52,26.064z M11.479,46.756c-4.893,0-8.861-3.968-8.861-8.861s3.969-8.859,8.861-8.859 c1.073,0,2.098,0.201,3.051,0.551l-4.178,7.098c-0.119,0.202-0.167,0.418-0.183,0.633c-0.003,0.022-0.015,0.036-0.016,0.054 c-0.007,0.091,0.02,0.172,0.03,0.258c0.008,0.054,0.004,0.105,0.018,0.158c0.132,0.559,0.592,1,1.193,1.05l8.782,0.727 C19.397,43.655,15.802,46.756,11.479,46.756z M15.169,36.423c-0.003-0.002-0.003-0.002-0.006-0.002 c-1.326-0.109-0.482-1.621-0.436-1.704l2.224-3.78c1.801,1.418,3.037,3.515,3.32,5.908L15.169,36.423z M25.607,37.285l-2.688-0.223 c-0.144-3.521-1.87-6.626-4.493-8.629l1.085-1.842c0.938-1.593,1.756,0.001,1.756,0.001l0,0c1.772,3.48,3.65,7.169,4.745,9.331 C26.012,35.924,26.746,37.379,25.607,37.285z M43.249,24.273L30.78,35.225c0,0.002,0,0.002,0,0.002 c-1.464,1.285-2.177-0.104-2.188-0.127l-5.297-10.517l0,0c-0.471-0.936,0.41-1.062,0.805-1.073h17.926c0,0,1.232-0.012,1.354,0.267 v0.002C43.458,23.961,43.473,24.077,43.249,24.273z M52.52,46.745c-4.891,0-8.86-3.968-8.86-8.858c0-2.625,1.146-4.976,2.962-6.599 l2.232,5.174c0.421,0.977,0.871,1.061,0.978,1.065h0.023h1.674c0.9,0,0.592-0.913,0.473-1.199l-2.862-6.631 c1.043-0.43,2.184-0.672,3.381-0.672c4.891,0,8.861,3.967,8.861,8.861C61.381,42.777,57.41,46.745,52.52,46.745z" fill="#241F20"/>
The d attribute is what you are looking for.
Open in inkscape
ctrl A (select all)
shift ctrl C (=Path/Object to paths)
ctrl s (save (choose as plain svg))
done
all rect/circle have been converted to path
Gimp can be used to convert SVGs with primitives (eg rects, circles, etc.) into a single path which can be used within HTML5.
.svg file with any tool of choice eg Illustrator. Don't worry if the SVG output is messy for now, Gimp will clean it up 
Check both the Import Paths and Merge imported paths options
<path d="copy this text here" />