Illustrator path joining

[DrummerHead]

Ok, so; using the Pathfinder in Illustrator, you can merge two closed path forms. Like in this picture:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/19/01zj4.jpg



But is there a proper way or tool to join two paths that are not closed? I know one can play with closed forms to get the same result... but in some cases it is really tedious. I was wondering if there is a proper way, cause there must be one!

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9128/02uv4.jpg



This question started when I was retracing something that was really geometrical, and it was a lot easier to get the contour in independent paths to then be joined together.

So, what you say?

[Danger_Mouse]

Select both lines and use OUTLINE in pathfinder but it also cuts the lines so that you have four lines instead of two.

[DrummerHead]

It seems I didn't research enough that time. Thanks!