Yes, I have been having similar issues. I have found that using the "a" and "v" keys have helped me. If you'd like to select a particular point or line segment simply goto your selection tool and click "a" on your keyboard. It will permit a line segment or point selection. Hope this helps. Marcrest ... View more

Thanks @Mike Sofa. I tried a bunch of things, which unbeknownst to me, were exactly what your point #3 says to do and it's been stable ever since. I'll be pushing this out to our group. Once again the Forums rock because of the people in them : ) ... View more

Well Mike, if nothing else, you have proved that this problem is reproducible. So we can eliminate my operating system/machine/applicable settings. Thank you for trying. I do hope that Adobe finds a solution to this problem reasonably quickly. I'm sure there are many operators out there who count on actions to speed up their workflow. Signed, frustrated that Adobe moves forward without fixing outstanding issues ... View more

No, strangely, the first save as command maintains its path, but the second does not. ... View more

to clarify these are actions ... View more

Winner, winner, chicken dinner. This "/^\s+/" along with" /\s+$/" was what I ended up with. It searches both the beginning of a text box in addition to the end of a text box, for blank spaces. Thank you @renél80416020 for leading me in the right direction : ) ... View more

Sorry for the untimely response, I got sidetracked with work : ) I uploaded a sample file for you, were you able to retrieve and examine it? ... View more

try this link Dropbox - example.ai ... View more

subieguy2 Thanks for looking into this. I'd like to upload an example file, but .ai and .zip files are forbidden in this forum. Am I missing something? ... View more

Good afternoon I'm looking to adapt this script to add, Spot colours AND a CMYK colours. Specifically White and Black. Are you able to assist? ... View more

@silly-v thank you for your speedy response. You're words about selling myself short are too kind. I do appreciate what you have scripted and what you have provided as a visual. Thank you. This script is intended for use in a variety of situations and I was vague in my original post regarding the percentage. I have done some testing on the visual effects of shifting the baseline within a range of type sizes which are most likely to be implemented. I have found through this testing that a baseline shift of -8.3% or (-10%) is optimal. I'm querying the baselineShift value of -1 in your script. What does it represent 1 pt, 1 mm, 1",  or is -1 representative of the value set within Preferences/Type/Baseline Shift within Illustrator? If different operators have this preference set differently it could present a problem during roll-out. If we could incorporate the math it would assuredly be more useful for implementation across multiple machines. Thank you Silly-V, the world of scripting is a better place with you in it ; ) ... View more

Qwertyfly...​Silly-V​ @moluapple I know I haven't posted in awhile and I wanted to provide an update and say "THANK YOU" to all who assisted me with the development of my original script. Originally, I had hoped to create this myself, but I had to give it up to an internal programmer within my office to make it more practical and efficient. He and I have worked together and completed our original v.1. He knew nothing about Illustrator's scripting abilities and I (we) have opened his eyes to a whole new world. Our script is now running on two team's machines (4 people) and we are enjoying a 98% time savings on the more tedious part of our task. That represents more than 1000 person hours with respect to the entire project. Your insights and support helped make this happen. Can't say enough about this community - YOU FOLKS ROCK! ... View more

moluapple​ we're in the final stretch. I have made terrific progress with so much, but these last four issues remain. #1 Using the regex quick start you provided a link to I was able to create the following (i.e. Do not use(?=  \•with any other fuel source additives). This is great as I needed to apply a bold style to "Do not use", but that statement appears elsewhere in the copy. Here's the thing – the regex quick start say that this should work for a backwards look around (i.e.(?<=Do not use  \•with any other fuel source )additives) should bold the "additives", but it doesn't find the reference? Again, the word additives elsewhere in the copy. What am I doing wrong? #2 These pesky "\t" are still not working… // Thick rules var search_string = /^\t\r/g;  var active_doc = app.activeDocument;  var stories = active_doc.stories;  var chart_layer = active_doc.layers.getByName('Chart');    for (var i = 0; i < stories.length; i++) {      var this_story = stories;      if (this_story.textFrames[0].parent == chart_layer) {          var match = search_string.exec('');          while (match = search_string.exec(this_story.textRange.contents)) {              var match_chars = this_story.textRange.characters[match.index]; // match_chars = "T"              match_chars.length = match[0].length; // now match_chars = "Title"              active_doc.paragraphStyles.getByName("Thick rule_FLX").applyTo(match_chars, true);          }      }  } What am I missing? #3 The square bullets which we figured out previously were never restricted to the Chart layer. This is what I have. See my code comments (//) // Square bullets – this includes the restriction to the chart layer but doesn't apply the character style to the 3rd character of the match var search_string = /  n)/g;  var active_doc = app.activeDocument;  var stories = active_doc.stories;  var chart_layer = active_doc.layers.getByName('Chart');    for (var i = 0; i < stories.length; i++) {      var this_story = stories;      if (this_story.textFrames[0].parent == chart_layer) {          var match = search_string.exec('');          while (match = search_string.exec(this_story.textRange.contents)) {              var match_chars = this_story.textRange.characters[match.index]; // match_chars = "T"              match_chars.length = match[0].length; // now match_chars = "Title"              active_doc.characterStyles.getByName("Square Bullet").applyTo(match_chars, true);          }      }  } // Square bullets - this does everything except restrict the search to the chart layer var search_string = / n/gi; // g for global search, remove i to make a case sensitive search   var active_doc = app.activeDocument;  var text_frames = active_doc.textFrames;      if (text_frames.length > 0) {      for (var i = 0; i < text_frames.length; i++) {          var this_text_frame = text_frames;          var match = search_string.exec('');          while (match = search_string.exec(this_text_frame.contents)) {              this_text_frame.characters[match.index + 1].contents = replace_string; // replace "▪" with " n"              active_doc.characterStyles.getByName("Square bullet")                  .applyTo(this_text_frame.characters[match.index + 2], true); // only apply to "n", leave space          }      }  } I obviously am having trouble with the "while" statement and how it works? #4 Related to the "\t" issue I have a commonly formatted string which has different information but appears over many lines within the copy deck. This common string references a product, then a weight reference, then the space tab space (filled with character) and then a price. Like this… Fuel additive 500 mg..................................$12.00 Oil supplement 300 mg................................$3.00 etc. I tried this regex line. "var search_string = / ˆ.+ mg \t .+$/g;" I thought it would select everything before the "mg" and after the "\t" and apply the paragraph style to it, on the line which it finds that information on, but it is applying the style to the entire text frame? Is there a way to limit it? I am so happy for the help you have provided so far. Down to the wire now. Cheers, Marcrest ... View more

Regarding #1. Sorry it is a rather complex idea. A good real world example would be a nutrition chart, where there are thick lines represented by a \t and thin lines represented by a \t\t and then there are the right aligned tabs represented by a \s\t\s's between the g weight and the % value.I'm not sure if you can understand this visual, but it's a try. Currently when I search \t and or any string which I thought would make each different tab unique, it applies one paragraph style to ALL of them. Here's an example of my "cleaned" script showing the \t's as », in purple. Sorry, I had to blur out the rest of the text for confidentiality. Hope this helps. ... View more

moluapple​ these scripts are working out almost perfectly. Thank you again. In response to the above… #1 worked great. #2 I didn't have had ExtendScript Toolkit set  to Illustrator and that's why it wasn't working : ) #3 worked perfectly. I now have a cleaning script which cleans my incoming copy perfectly. Unfortunately my formatting script is still a little wobbly. Here are my problems: #1 Within my chart I have sections, which are divided by lines [created by tabs (\t\r)]. Easy to search for and replace with a paragraph style, but the problem is each section has sub-sections within which are divided by more lines. I thought I could, in my cleaning script, identify these inner lines as (\t\t\r) which would make them unique. Search (\t\t\r) and apply a different paragraph style and voila. But the problem is my script is getting confused. It is only applying 1 paragraph style, the first one. Thoughts? This problem manifests itself again at another spot where I have two lines with \s\t\s. In the first instance it is to apply a paragraph style to a tab which has NO fill character and in the second instance it is to apply a second paragraph style which DOES have a fill character. #2 The previously provided scripts for the bullet searches aren't working with the larger more complete scripts. It's because those were developed prior to the Chart layer exclusivity. I know it's because they are searching for strings and now that the cleaning has been done, I just need it to search for characters. See below // Bullets – this doesn't work var search_character1 = "•";  var active_doc = app.activeDocument;  var stories = active_doc.stories;  var chart_layer = active_doc.layers.getByName('Chart');    for (var i = 0; i < stories.length; i++) {      var this_story = stories;      if (this_story.textFrames[0].parent == chart_layer) {          var match = search_string.exec('');          while (match = search_string.exec(this_text_frame.contents)) {             this_text_frame.characters.contents = searchCharacter1             active_doc.characterStyles.getByName("Bullet")                 .applyTo(characters, true);         }     } } #3 I need to search through the document for a specific word. Easy. The problem is there are multiple locations for that single word (6 in total). I need to apply a character style to the first instance and the fifth instance. This happens with a string as well, but it only finds the string twice. #4 Is there a way to search for a string and then apply a character style to only the first part of the string? (example: "wrench\s\t\sprice" or "screwdriver\s\t\ssize") If i wanted to apply a character style to the word "wrench" and "screwdriver" but not to everything that follows. Can I search the string "wrench\s\t\s" and then apply the character style to only what precedes the "\s\t\s"? I have been reviewing the regular Expressions Quick Start and another from Mozilla. Very cool that you can do all this stuff. A friend of mine has been doing web stuff for years and I never thought it applied to Illustrator. Cool. More questions tomorrow I'm sure, but I'm almost done. With these questions, I'll be 90%, maybe more. Thanks to all. ... View more

Also… Is there a way to search a variable number of characters? i.e.. within the client copy deck there are 2 lines which go like this: g................................P, but the number of dots changes. Sometimes it's 4, sometimes it's 10. Obviously this is someone who doesn't know how to use tabs. I need to replace this variable string with space tab space or \s\t\s. Any thoughts? If I can solve that I should be able to solve the space space space space space space issue where the number of spaces change. In that case I have to change to the same thing \s\t\s. ... View more

AAARRGG! This logic is escaping me. I thought I could copy and repeat the bullet script for other text strings, like this one: snippet C: searching the word "Title", applying a different character style to it, "Title". But instead of having it change only the bullet, or the character in the third position (2), I thought I should replace it with nothing (or all?), then I thought it should be 0, then I thought it should count all the letters of the word Title (4). Wrong again honey! // Title – this doesn't work var search_string = /Title/g; // g for global search, remove i to make a case sensitive search     var active_doc = app.activeDocument;  var stories = active_doc.stories;  var chart_layer = active_doc.layers.getByName('Chart');      for (var i = 0; i < stories.length; i++) {      var this_story = stories;      if (this_story.textFrames[0].parent == chart_layer) {          var match = search_string.exec('');          while (match = search_string.exec(this_story.textRange.contents)) {              active_doc.characterStyles.getByName("Title")                  .applyTo(this_story.textRange.characters[4], true); // only apply to "Title"          }      }  } snippet D: Again, I thought I could amend the bullet script to apply a paragraph style but I ran into a road block because I don't know how to define "all the text" in the text box? I guess the *.* thing didn't work. So much for my old DOS training. Yes I also trained on punch cards! // All text into paragraph style "body copy" – This doesn't work var search_string = /\*.\*/g; // g for global search, remove i to make a case sensitive search     var active_doc = app.activeDocument;  var stories = active_doc.stories;  var chart_layer = active_doc.layers.getByName('Chart');      for (var i = 0; i < stories.length; i++) {      var this_story = stories;      if (this_story.textFrames[0].parent == chart_layer) {          var match = search_string.exec('');          while (match = search_string.exec(this_story.textRange.contents)) {              active_doc.paragraphStyles.getByName("body copy")                  .applyTo(this_story.textRange.paragraphs[0], true); // apply to "all copy" in text_frame         }      }  } By the way, can you explain the search.string.exec(''); It's really the .exec part that I don't understand. Seriously we are so close. ... View more

@moluapple thank you again this has been really helpful. I have adjusted my current script to use stories instead. Your method regarding text boxes splitting the text made sense. I am however having a problem with executing the change from search strings to search stories. See below: snippet A: var search_string = /   \r/gi; // g for global search, remove i to make a case sensitive search  var replace_string = "  \r";  var text_frames = active_doc.textFrames;    if (text_frames.length > 0)  {      for (var i = 0 ; i < text_frames.length; i++)        {            var this_text_frame = text_frames;             var new_string = this_text_frame.contents.replace(search_string, replace_string);                          if (new_string != this_text_frame.contents)                 {                      this_text_frame.contents = new_string;                 }        }  } This code works but it isn't limited to my "chart" layer. I tried to convert your snippet, but for some reason it's not working. snippet B: // space space space hard return gets replaced with space space hard return var search_string = /   \r/gi; // g for global search, remove i to make a case sensitive search     var replace_string = "  \r";   var active_doc = app.activeDocument;  var text_frames = active_doc.textFrames;  var chart_layer = active_doc.layers.getByName('Chart');    if (text_frames.length > 0)  {     for (var i = 0; i < text_frames.length; i++) {          var this_text_frame = text_frames;          if (this_text_frame.textFrames[0].parent == Chart_layer) { // "Chart" layer only               var new_string = this_text_frame.textRange.contents.replace(search_string, replace_string);              if (new_string != this_text_frame.textRange.contents) {                  this_text_frame.textRange.contents = new_string;              }          }     } } It says undefined is not an object. I figured it was the \r characters which were throwing off the "stories" so I switched them out for "text_frames". What am I missing? Everything else worked perfectly in the Search and Replace… Now I just have to check the Search and Apply script : )  Thanks again everyone for your help with this. I think I can get it done : ) ... View more

moluapple this is great. Thank you. The problem is that for my current process I must to clean the incoming text and  then  apply the character style. I can't combine them. Let me explain – I receive a copy deck from my client. I clean the text in one document and then format it in another. I do this in two steps because executing it all in one script, although possible, is simply WAY beyond my capabilities. I have twelve unique paragraph styles and fourteen character styles which need to be applied to two languages in two different formats and while it would be truly incredible to create a script which handled everything. I'm just not sure, being the novice that I am, that I can create the script in the time frame which I have available (a week or so). Could I ask you to split your recent code into 2 pieces, one which searches and replaces and the other which applies the format. I tried splitting it into 2 pieces without success. I love the way you restricted the text to one text frame, but would prefer it run on a single layer, "Chart" instead. As I mentioned in my last post, my Chart layer will only have 2 text boxes on it (one english and one french). There may be more than 2 in the sense that there may be linked "children" boxes for each of the 2 parent boxes."Gees, I'm even starting to sound like I know this stuff – parent and children… ha". Qwertyfly...​ and Silly-V​ are listening – I finished my Lynda.com training. I created my own script yesterday, which did what I wanted it to do – YAY! AND I understood what each line did! – I am learning! To all who have helped me so far, I am truly thankful. I feel bad picking your brains and copying your code… Are any of you interested in assisting with the development of this "bigger" script. My understanding of JavaScript so far, tells me that one script is possible. And although I am making progress with my own learnings, I do recognize that this is beyond what I can do in my available timeframe. Financial consideration is not out of the question. ... View more

Sorry for the lengthy post. Your comments regarding the layers are great. Message received. Fortunately I have constructed my files with this type of functionality in mind. The element which I am creating works perfectly within these parameters. I have a layer which the element resides on… "Chart". Although there are multiple elements on that layer, there are on 2 which are text frames (although each text frame may have additional linked text frames, associated with them). Now I just need to to figure out how to add them to the codes I already have : ) Here's a screen capture. Hope it helps understand my issues. Thanks Silly-V. ... View more

Silly-V you are amazing. This will save me hours of work : ) I will try to read up on the AI scripting PDFs. I've already downloaded them. Honestly, this is new to me and although I'm a quick study, piecing these things together is a little perplexing. Here I am at 52 and thinking I need to go back to school ; ) Cheers to all who have helped. ... View more

Thank you Silly-V. It took me awhile to figure out what your script did. Unfortunately for your script to work, in this case, I would want it to change the font, not the color. However, your initial command "CharacterStyle.applyTo (textItem:any, clearingOverrides: Boolean )" intrigues me. I use another script which applies a character style to all cases of a bullet in a document. Unfortunately my current script does not clear the overrides. Is this possible? here is my current script: var main = function() {    var doc;    if ( app.documents.length > 0 && app.activeDocument.textFrames.length > 0 ) {    // Set the value of the character to look for    searchCharacter1 = "•";    // Iterate through all characters in the document    // and color the character that match searchWord    for ( i = 0; i < app.activeDocument.textFrames.length; i++ ) {    textArt = activeDocument.textFrames;    for ( j = 0; j < textArt.characters.length; j++) {    character = textArt.characters ;    if ( character.contents == searchCharacter1 ) {    // character.filled = true;    // character.fillColor = CharacterColor;    app.activeDocument.characterStyles.getByName ( "Bullet" ).applyTo ( character );    }    }    }    }    }      var u;  main(); Please remember, I am really trying to understand this scripting stuff and it's hard!? Please be gentle. ... View more

As an example of what I would like to do, consider this… For the sake of discussion, I have 5 character styles and 5 paragraph styles. They exist in a template. They are ultimately used to create a "standard" chart. All the styles resort to using a specific font (ie Helvetica Regular). Sometimes the "standard" chart doesn't fit and I am required to change it out for a "Condensed" chart. When I execute this change I have to change the fonts from Helvetica Regular to a Helvetica Condensed along with other technical differences. I recognize I could just change the font using find font and I recognize that I could go into each style and change the font there, but both of those options have complications (ie having to change 10 styles or when finding the font, Helvetica Regular may be used elsewhere in the document and we may not want change it there) and take time. My thought… If the "Standard" chart styles are named with "_Std" as a suffix, can we not load in the "_Cnd" styles, then merge the "_Std" styles into the "_Cnd" styles? I know I can merge graphic styles so I thought this might be possible. Thanks for your thoughts. Hoping someone can assist. ... View more