Apply random colour from swatch group to letters individually

Question

Hi there,

I'm working on a range of typographic designs where each letter is individually coloured from a swatch group of 6 colours. What I'd like to do is have illustrator (or indesign) automatically work through the text applying one of those 6 colours, chosen at random to each letter, one by one. It would save me hours of laborious clicking and picking.

Does anyone have a script which might do this already? Or any pointers on how I might do this please?

Many thanks!

evanc34113742 · Accepted Answer

OK. I don't know that much about swatches, so someone might know an easier way. But since you're adding swatches to the end of the panel, I've targeted the collection backwards. So try this: (This will target the last six swatches.)

var min = app.activeDocument.swatches.length - 6;
var max = app.activeDocument.swatches.length - 1;
var letters = app.activeDocument.textFrames[0].textRange.characters;
for (var i = 0; i < letters.length; i++) {
  var x = Math.floor(Math.random() * (max - min + 1)) + min;
  letters[i].fillColor = app.activeDocument.swatches[x].color;
}

Yay!! That works perfectly!! Thank you so much. Hugely grateful to you.

femkeblanco · Answer

Assuming one textFrame and six swatches, try this:

var letters = app.activeDocument.textFrames[0].textRange.characters;
for (var i = 0; i < letters.length; i++) {
  var x = Math.floor(Math.random() * (7 - 1)) + 1;
  letters[i].fillColor = app.activeDocument.swatches[x].color;
}

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