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A
Amozza
Inspiring
November 8, 2022
Answered

ExtendScript help for adding expression to shape layer properties

  • November 8, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 1930 views

I'm brand new to ExtendScript, but know my way around expressions pretty well. I have a situation where I have mulitple AI vector layers in a comp that I want to convert to shape layers then add an expression to the stroke property of each. I've read some guides, posts, and the scripting reference, but am finding it hard getting any where.

 

The steps I would like to put in the script are:

  1.  Take the selected layer AI vector layer and create a shape layer from it (i.e. Create > Create paths from vector layer). I know I can use app.executeCommand(3973) for this.
  2.  Remove the " Outlines" text from the new layer name.
  3.  On the new shape layer, for all objects in all groups, add the following expression to the Stroke Width property:
       scaler = transform.scale[0];
       sWidth = thisComp.layer("control").effect("Stroke Width")("Slider").value;
       sWidth * (100/scaler);
     
    I'm hoping some smart scripters out there can get me started. 

 

Thanks!

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Dan Ebberts

I haven't tested this, but I'd try wrapping the stroke access in a try/catch and just skip that property (with continue) if there's an error:

myGroup = myContents.property(i);
try{
	myStrokeWidth = myGroup.property("ADBE Vectors Group").property("ADBE Vector Graphic - Stroke").property("ADBE Vector Stroke Width");
	myStrokeWidth.expression = myExpr;
}catch (err){
	continue;
}

1 reply

Dan Ebberts
Community Expert
Dan EbbertsCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 8, 2022

This may not be exactly right for your situation but it should get you headed in the right direction:

function test(){
	var myExpr = 'scaler = transform.scale[0];\r' +
		'sWidth = thisComp.layer("control").effect("Stroke Width")("Slider").value;\r' +
		'sWidth * (100/scaler);';
	var myComp = app.project.activeItem;
	var myLayers = myComp.selectedLayers;
	if (myLayers.length == 0){
		alert("No layer selected.");
		return;
	}
	var myLayer = myLayers[0];
	var oldName = myLayer.name;
	var oldIndex = myLayer.index;
	app.executeCommand(3973);
	var newLayer = myComp.layer(oldIndex);
	newLayer.name = oldName;
	var myContents = newLayer.property("ADBE Root Vectors Group");
	var myGroup;
	var myStrokeWidth;
	for (var i = 1; i <= myContents.numProperties; i++){
		myGroup = myContents.property(i);
		myStrokeWidth = myGroup.property("ADBE Vectors Group").property("ADBE Vector Graphic - Stroke").property("ADBE Vector Stroke Width");
		myStrokeWidth.expression = myExpr;
	}
}
test();
A
AmozzaAuthor
Inspiring
November 9, 2022

Thanks Dan. This works great and I was able to understand it well enough to make some minor modifications for my specific needs. I do have a couple of questions to clarify what's going on.

 

  1.  Is the following a correct correlation of the layer properties to the ExtendScript equivalent for a shape layer?
    • Contents = property("ADBE Root Vectors Group")
    • Group = property("ADBE Vectors Group")
    • Stroke = property("ADBE Vector Graphic - Stroke")
  2.  If I had multiple Strokes applied to a Group (Stroke 1, Stroke 2, Stroke 3, etc.), how would I target a specific one (say Stroke 2)? Would I use: 
    • property("ADBE Vector Graphic - Stroke"[2])
Dan Ebberts
Community Expert
Dan EbbertsCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 9, 2022

 

 

OK, so here's the same path to Stroke Width in both match name format:

layer("test.ai").property("ADBE Root Vectors Group").property("ADBE Vector Group").property("ADBE Vectors Group").property("ADBE Vector Graphic - Stroke").property("ADBE Vector Stroke Width")

and regular name format:

layer("test.ai").property("Contents").property("Group 1").property("Contents").property("Stroke 1").property("Stroke Width")

The problem with match names, is when you have multiples of the same element, they have the same name, so you might have to go to index numbers, so in this case, 

.property("ADBE Vector Graphic - Stroke")

would become:

.property(4)

or something like that. Or you could just use the regular names, which might be:

.property("Stroke 2")

 It's hard to be definitve because a lot depends on the structure of that particular shape layer--how many levels of contents, groups, etc.

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