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R
RigRutgers
Participant
September 10, 2012
Question

Is there a script available for arranging elements for optimal use of the printable area?

  • September 10, 2012
  • 2 replies
  • 8574 views

I'm starting a sticker printing business using Illustrator as my main layout and illustration too. I was wondering if there's a script available for automatically arranging a set of elements on a page so that they optimally take up the available space. I figured this would save me some on material costs.

If I were to create a script from scratch, can someone give me pointers? I'm a casual AI user but I have Javascript experience.

Thanks.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

R
RigRutgersAuthor
Participant
September 10, 2012

Thanks everyone. Yeah, I was afraid it would involve math-instensive stuff. I guess for now I will do it all manually.

W
W_J_T
Inspiring
September 20, 2012

@ RigRutgers , Larry G. Schneider, Muppet Mark, CarlosCanto,

Hello everyone,

I would like to kindly ask if someone would post a screen capture or two demonstrating a few examples, using just basic outlines of shapes (I presume manually assembled), for a common simple example and a more involved complex intense example of this principle and what the "would be" code should accomplish as an outcome, thus showing the outcome in the screenshot.

Many thanks everyone!

CarlosCanto
Community Expert
CarlosCantoCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 20, 2012

something like this, the image below is the desired end result. The idea is to accommodate all pieces as tight as possible to save on fabric.

    Larry G. Schneider
    Community Expert
    Larry G. SchneiderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 10, 2012

    Look for a Packing script but don't get your hopes up.

      M
      Muppet Mark
      Inspiring
      September 10, 2012

      I would agree with Larry this is intensive math work… and you will very lucky to find anything that doesn't require payment for… I would also expect this to be done with plug-in over script unless you only need to pack basic shapes… Jongware may have pointers it would be way over my head… Don't know of anything already about sorry…

      CarlosCanto
      Community Expert
      CarlosCantoCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      September 10, 2012

      this is the holly grail of optimization, in the garment industry there are similar requirements for laying out the jeans pattern pieces to save on fabric, and  big companies have developed automated systems for it...but word says it is never as good as a human...but it works wonders for making pillows.

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