How-to print selected artboards via scripting

And if it may help someone and/or be useful to someone…

 

/***********************************************************

PRINT SELECTED ARTBOARDS - V2.1 DC
BY: Dimitri Castrique aka the.bend

ChangeLog:
- V2.0:
    REWORKED DETECTION: Replaced the manual checkbox dialog
    with artwork-based artboard detection, as suggested by
    an Adobe API expert. No dialog needed to pick artboards.
- V2.1:
    FIXED: Objects inside clipping masks were using their own
    (potentially overflowing) geometricBounds instead of the
    clipping mask's bounds. The script now walks up the parent
    chain to detect any clipping ancestor, and uses its bounds
    instead. This prevents false-positive artboard detection.

DESCRIPTION:

Instead of selecting artboards in the Artboards panel
(whose multi-selection state is NOT accessible via the API),
the user pre-selects objects/artwork on the artboards they
want to print, THEN runs this script.

The script then:
1. DETECTS: Loops through all selected objects and checks
   which artboard(s) each one belongs to, by comparing the
   object's center point against each artboard's artboardRect.
   If an object is inside a clipping mask, the mask's own
   bounds are used instead of the object's bounds.
2. DEDUPLICATES: Builds a clean, sorted list of matched
   artboard indices (1-based, for the Print Range field).
3. CONFIRMS: Shows a summary of detected artboards for
   the user to verify before printing.
4. PRINTS: Opens the native Print dialog with:
   · Preset "Canon_A3_R°" pre-loaded (Recto only, no duplex).
   · The artboard range pre-filled (e.g. "7-8" or "2,5,9").

USAGE:
Select any object(s) on the artboard(s) you want to print,
then run this script. Objects inside clipping masks are
handled automatically.

NOTE:
An object is considered to belong to an artboard if its
geometric center point falls within that artboard's bounds.
If an object straddles two artboards, the center point
determines which one it belongs to. Artboards with no
selected objects on them will not be detected.

***********************************************************/

#target Illustrator
#targetengine main


// ─── ENTRY POINT ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
function runPrintSelectedArtboards_DC() {

    // ─── GUARD: document open ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
    if (app.documents.length === 0) {
        alert("No document is open.", "Print Selected Artboards");
        return;
    }

    var doc_DC        = app.activeDocument;
    var artboards_DC  = doc_DC.artboards;
    var abCount_DC    = artboards_DC.length;
    var presetName_DC = "Canon_A3_R\u00b0"; // Canon_A3_R°

    // ─── GUARD: something selected ────────────────────────────────────────────
    if (app.selection.length === 0) {
        alert(
            "Nothing is selected.\n\n" +
            "Please select at least one object on each\n" +
            "artboard you want to print, then run this script.",
            "No Selection"
        );
        return;
    }


    // ─── FIND CLIPPING ANCESTOR ───────────────────────────────────────────────
    // If an item lives inside a clipping group, returns the topmost clipping
    // group ancestor, so we use the mask bounds instead of the (potentially
    // overflowing) child item bounds.
    // Returns null if no clipping ancestor exists.
    function findClippingAncestor_DC(item_DC) {
        var clippingAncestor_DC = null;
        var parent_DC = item_DC.parent;
        while (parent_DC) {
            if (parent_DC.typename === "GroupItem" && parent_DC.clipped) {
                // Keep climbing — there may be nested clipping groups.
                // We want the outermost one.
                clippingAncestor_DC = parent_DC;
            }
            if (parent_DC.typename === "Layer" ||
                parent_DC.typename === "Document") {
                break;
            }
            parent_DC = parent_DC.parent;
        }
        return clippingAncestor_DC;
    }


    // ─── GET EFFECTIVE BOUNDS OF AN ITEM ──────────────────────────────────────
    // If the item is inside a clipping mask, returns the clipping group's
    // geometricBounds (i.e. the mask shape bounds) instead of the item's own.
    // This prevents clipped content that bleeds beyond the mask from
    // triggering a false artboard match.
    function getEffectiveBounds_DC(item_DC) {
        var ancestor_DC = findClippingAncestor_DC(item_DC);
        if (ancestor_DC !== null) {
            return ancestor_DC.geometricBounds;
        }
        return item_DC.geometricBounds;
    }


    // ─── GET CENTER POINT FROM BOUNDS ─────────────────────────────────────────
    // bounds = [left, top, right, bottom] in document coordinates.
    // Returns {x, y} center of the bounding box.
    function getCenterPoint_DC(bounds_DC) {
        return {
            x: (bounds_DC[0] + bounds_DC[2]) / 2,
            y: (bounds_DC[1] + bounds_DC[3]) / 2
        };
    }


    // ─── CHECK IF A POINT FALLS WITHIN AN ARTBOARD RECT ──────────────────────
    // artboardRect = [left, top, right, bottom] in document coordinates.
    // In Illustrator: top > bottom (Y axis increases upward).
    function isPointInArtboard_DC(pt_DC, ab_DC) {
        var r_DC      = ab_DC.artboardRect;
        var left_DC   = r_DC[0];
        var top_DC    = r_DC[1];
        var right_DC  = r_DC[2];
        var bottom_DC = r_DC[3];
        return (
            pt_DC.x >= left_DC  &&
            pt_DC.x <= right_DC &&
            pt_DC.y <= top_DC   &&
            pt_DC.y >= bottom_DC
        );
    }


    // ─── FLATTEN SELECTION (recurse into groups) ──────────────────────────────
    // Recurses into GroupItems to reach individual leaf items.
    // Clipping groups are NOT recursed into — they are treated as a unit,
    // because findClippingAncestor_DC will handle them correctly when
    // their children are encountered via direct selection.
    function flattenSelection_DC(items_DC, result_DC) {
        for (var i_DC = 0; i_DC < items_DC.length; i_DC++) {
            var item_DC = items_DC[i_DC];
            if (item_DC.typename === "GroupItem" && !item_DC.clipped) {
                // Non-clipping group: recurse into children
                flattenSelection_DC(item_DC.pageItems, result_DC);
            } else {
                // Leaf item or clipping group: add as-is
                result_DC.push(item_DC);
            }
        }
        return result_DC;
    }


    // ─── DETECT ARTBOARDS FROM SELECTED OBJECTS ───────────────────────────────
    // Returns a sorted array of 1-based artboard indices that contain
    // at least one selected object's effective center point.
    function detectArtboardsFromSelection_DC() {
        var flatItems_DC = flattenSelection_DC(app.selection, []);
        var foundMap_DC  = {}; // used as a Set to avoid duplicates

        for (var i_DC = 0; i_DC < flatItems_DC.length; i_DC++) {
            var bounds_DC = getEffectiveBounds_DC(flatItems_DC[i_DC]);
            var pt_DC     = getCenterPoint_DC(bounds_DC);

            for (var j_DC = 0; j_DC < abCount_DC; j_DC++) {
                if (isPointInArtboard_DC(pt_DC, artboards_DC[j_DC])) {
                    foundMap_DC[j_DC + 1] = true; // 1-based key
                    break; // one item belongs to one artboard only
                }
            }
        }

        // Convert map keys to a sorted numeric array
        var indices_DC = [];
        for (var key_DC in foundMap_DC) {
            if (foundMap_DC.hasOwnProperty(key_DC)) {
                indices_DC.push(parseInt(key_DC, 10));
            }
        }
        indices_DC.sort(function (a_DC, b_DC) { return a_DC - b_DC; });
        return indices_DC;
    }


    // ─── BUILD COMPACT RANGE STRING ───────────────────────────────────────────
    // Converts [1,2,3,5,7,8] into "1-3,5,7-8".
    // Illustrator's Print dialog accepts both "1,2,3" and "1-3" formats.
    function buildRangeString_DC(indices_DC) {
        if (indices_DC.length === 0) return "";
        var parts_DC = [];
        var start_DC = indices_DC[0];
        var end_DC   = indices_DC[0];
        for (var i_DC = 1; i_DC < indices_DC.length; i_DC++) {
            if (indices_DC[i_DC] === end_DC + 1) {
                end_DC = indices_DC[i_DC];
            } else {
                parts_DC.push(
                    start_DC === end_DC
                        ? "" + start_DC
                        : start_DC + "-" + end_DC
                );
                start_DC = end_DC = indices_DC[i_DC];
            }
        }
        parts_DC.push(
            start_DC === end_DC
                ? "" + start_DC
                : start_DC + "-" + end_DC
        );
        return parts_DC.join(",");
    }


    // ─── BUILD HUMAN-READABLE ARTBOARD SUMMARY ────────────────────────────────
    // Lists detected artboards by index and name for the confirm dialog.
    function buildConfirmationSummary_DC(indices_DC) {
        var lines_DC = [];
        for (var i_DC = 0; i_DC < indices_DC.length; i_DC++) {
            var idx_DC  = indices_DC[i_DC]; // 1-based
            var name_DC = artboards_DC[idx_DC - 1].name;
            lines_DC.push("  " + idx_DC + "  \u2014  " + name_DC);
        }
        return lines_DC.join("\n");
    }


    // ─── FIRE PRINT DIALOG ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    // Applies the preset and range, then executes a SILENT print.
    function firePrintDialog_DC(rangeStr_DC) {
        var opts_DC = new PrintOptions();

        // 1. Try to apply preset
        try {
            opts_DC.printPreset = presetName_DC;
        } catch (e_DC) {
            alert(
                "Preset '" + presetName_DC + "' was not found.\n" +
                "The Print job will proceed with default settings.\n" +
                "Please check your printer presets.",
                "Preset Warning"
            );
        }

        // 2. Set Range
        opts_DC.artboardRange     = rangeStr_DC;
        opts_DC.printAllArtboards = false;

        // 3. Execute Silent Print
        try {
            doc_DC.print(opts_DC);
        } catch (printError_DC) {
            alert("Printing failed or was cancelled.\n\nError details: " + printError_DC.message, "Print Error");
        }
    }


    // ─── MAIN LOGIC ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    function main_DC() {
        var indices_DC = detectArtboardsFromSelection_DC();

        // ── Guard: no artboard matched
        if (indices_DC.length === 0) {
            alert(
                "No artboard could be matched to your selection.\n\n" +
                "Make sure the selected objects sit within\n" +
                "the bounds of at least one artboard.",
                "No Artboard Found"
            );
            return;
        }

        // ── Confirm with user before printing
        var rangeStr_DC = buildRangeString_DC(indices_DC);
        var summary_DC  = buildConfirmationSummary_DC(indices_DC);
        var confirmed_DC = confirm(
            "The following artboard(s) were detected:\n\n" +
            summary_DC + "\n\n" +
            "Range: " + rangeStr_DC + "\n" +
            "Preset: " + presetName_DC + "\n\n" +
            "Proceed to Print?",
            false,
            "Confirm Print"
        );

        if (!confirmed_DC) return;

        firePrintDialog_DC(rangeStr_DC);
    }


    // ─── KICK OFF ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    main_DC();

}

// ─── RUN ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
runPrintSelectedArtboards_DC();