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Question

Using Spreadsheet Data to transform Illustrator objects

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
April 28, 2021
16 replies
7051 views

Hi All,

I am no programmer by any means nor am I a speadsheet guru but I have recently got some data on Google Sheets that I want to use to make life MUCH easier. I want to tell Illustrator to look at the spreadsheet know how many object to create, how far to move them and then how much to rotate them by on a given coordinate … but I don't know the first thing about how to tackle it.

I have been using Illustrator since I was 16 (I'm now 40!) and I have never touched Variable Data, importing spreadsheets data, or Actions (I used Actions in PShop years ago) … and I suspect I probably have to use one or a combination of these to get my desired result. Can any kind soul point me in the right direction?

My convivial thanks in advance!

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Kurt Gold

Community Expert

This may be no help at all, but I completely agree with pixxxelschubser at this point.

I cobbled together many bumpy actions in the past and although Illustrator actions are always bumpy, some of them may take a lot of time to make them and sometimes they can even be useful.

Some of the most complex actions unfortunately have sometimes been rated as "useless" ("does not work at all" or some similar comments), just because there were imprecise definitions of a specific task. And – of course – the lack of meaningful sample files.

S

Simon TemplarAuthor

Known Participant

I appreciate that but can't see how else I can clarify. Above is a spreadsheet with three columns of data. The first representing the number of the objects, the second giving a distance to which the object is to be moved and the third an angle to rotate the object around 0, 0.

pixxxelschubser

Community Expert

A sample file before and after is much clearer and clearer than 1000 words. I've already written a lot of scripts. Some of them were completely useless and unnecessary and not worth the time invested because the description was ambiguous or unclear. Or because the example file was structured completely differently than assumed. I don't do that anymore. I'm so sorry.

There are sure to be other helpers here.

S

Simon TemplarAuthor

Known Participant

No worries, I'm sure others can help. I can't provide a file of before (?) and after as I am trying to get help using the data to produce it in the first place. Chicken & Egg.

pixxxelschubser

Community Expert

Excuse me.

For me there is too little information and too many options, depending on the initial situation and the desired result. Unfortunately, I'm out.

S

Simon TemplarAuthor

Known Participant

Okay, but I thought I'd been succinct.
I want to move an object (any kind) from coordinates 0, 0 to X, Y

I then want to rotate that object around coordinate 0, 0.

There are many objects.

I have a spreadsheet that lists all objects positions and the rotations.

Don't know how to state it any clearer than that I'm afraid.

Thanks for your time.

pixxxelschubser

Community Expert

Circles are extremely unsuitable for this. Please show a meaningful example before and after.

S

Simon TemplarAuthor

Known Participant

I don't quite follow: I have outlined what I am trying to do, I currently have a circle—it could just as easily be a square. I'm wanting to know how to write a script of some kind that will move objects and rotate them, using spreadsheet data.

pixxxelschubser

Community Expert

Do you really want to rotate circles?

S

Simon TemplarAuthor

Known Participant

Hi pixelschubser,

Yes, it's just a proxy. The problem pertains o rotating large numbers of objects around a given point after offsetting them a certain distance.

CarlosCanto

Community Expert

going by your description, Variable Data won't help you. Variables are used to replace text as in Data Merge. You will need to write a script to read the data off the spreadsheet and use it to reposition objects.

If you post a specific example maybe we could give further advise.

S

Simon TemplarAuthor

Known Participant

Thank you CarlosCanto!

I will have a column numbered 1-1000 (I envisioned this being the identity number per object) a second column with an x coordinate and a third column with a rotational value. Objects will rotate around a predetermined coordinate other than their own centre, if that makes sense.

Obj. / Move / Rotate

1 / 1.2 / 270°

2 / 3.47 / 90°

3 / 2.64 / 45°

4 / 7.9 / 62°

… etc.

I aim to use Google Sheets, although I have Excel.

CarlosCanto

Community Expert

can you share your files? save your spreadsheet as csv please.

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