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tmmls
Inspiring
December 14, 2022
Answered

Issue modify symbol in a document using scripting

  • December 14, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 510 views

 

I need to modify a symbol in a document. Due to limitations in the DOM, I'm trying a workaround by putting it on a new layer, and trying the modify it. Then I would like to add it again as a new symbol.

 

But when breaking the symbol, the layer.pageItems array is empty. So I'm not able to loop the list of items.

How do i fix this?

 

var doc = app.activeDocument;

var tempLayer = doc.layers.add();
tempLayer.name = "TEMP";

var badSymbol = doc.symbols.getByName("BAD");
var badSymbolItem = tempLayer.symbolItems.add(badSymbol);

// Making it a regular page/layer object
badSymbolItem.breakLink();

app.redraw();

for ( var j = 0; j < tempLayer.pageItems.length; j++ ) {
    // EMPTY ?
};

// Add content of a layer as new Symbol in the document


tempLayer.remove();

 

 

 

 

 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Charu Rajput

Hi,

When you break link, the sublayers with the name of the symbol is created. So your TEMP layer will not have pagesItems, instead TEMP layer will have a sublayer with name 'BAD' and this BAD layer will have access to the pageItems. 

var doc = app.activeDocument;

var tempLayer = doc.layers.add();
tempLayer.name = "TEMP";

var badSymbol = doc.symbols.getByName("BAD");
var badSymbolItem = tempLayer.symbolItems.add(badSymbol);

// Making it a regular page/layer object
badSymbolItem.breakLink();

app.redraw();
var _badLayer = tempLayer.layers['BAD'];
alert(_badLayer.pageItems.length);

for (var j = 0; j < _badLayer.pageItems.length; j++) {
  // EMPTY ?
};

// Add content of a layer as new Symbol in the document


tempLayer.remove();

 

2 replies

Charu Rajput
Community Expert
Charu RajputCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
December 14, 2022

Hi,

When you break link, the sublayers with the name of the symbol is created. So your TEMP layer will not have pagesItems, instead TEMP layer will have a sublayer with name 'BAD' and this BAD layer will have access to the pageItems. 

var doc = app.activeDocument;

var tempLayer = doc.layers.add();
tempLayer.name = "TEMP";

var badSymbol = doc.symbols.getByName("BAD");
var badSymbolItem = tempLayer.symbolItems.add(badSymbol);

// Making it a regular page/layer object
badSymbolItem.breakLink();

app.redraw();
var _badLayer = tempLayer.layers['BAD'];
alert(_badLayer.pageItems.length);

for (var j = 0; j < _badLayer.pageItems.length; j++) {
  // EMPTY ?
};

// Add content of a layer as new Symbol in the document


tempLayer.remove();

 

Best regards
    femkeblanco
    femkeblanco
    Legend
    December 14, 2022

    What you seem to get when you break the link is items within a layer within tempLayer.  I.e.

    tempLayer.layers[0].pageItems

     

      T
      tmmlsAuthor
      Inspiring
      December 21, 2022

      Thank you Femke ... This was very useful  ...

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