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Known Participant
January 19, 2022
Question

Batch export PDF/PNG with custom file names (csv variable library)

  • January 19, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 10407 views

Hi there,
I'm still fairly new to Illustrator, so hope someone can help me out.


What I want to achieve:

I want to automate some tasks and thus, be able to import a .csv spreadsheet as a variable library that creates x no. of datasets with different headlines, images and a source/text.

I want to be able to batch export these as both pdf and png (png = zoom 300%, clipped to arboard) as individual files (2 for each dataset) with a custom name for each dataset based on some variable. See the example below where I have imported the variable library. If I can export as pdf and png with name = HeadlineVariable (object name) for each dataset - that would be ideal:

All exports can go to the same folder. It is fine if this is the same folder each time, say called "export" in some specific path. However, ideally I would want 2 subfolders in "export" called "pdf" and "png" - but not necessary.

 

Where I am currently:

I can import my csv sheet and see my different datasets which are all showing correctly as I cycle through them.

However, I do not know how to batch export these with a custom name for each. Seems like it will only let me name them as the dataset name, or filename + number, etc.

Normally I would achieve something like this using recorded actions, however, I don't know how to do this using datasets with a custom name for each as explained above:

Not sure if I need a script. If so, I have never used scripts before and would like some help setting this up.

 

Thanks,
Rasmus

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1 reply

Met1
Brainiac
January 19, 2022

Use actions, take a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW70hB_WeWM

Known Participant
January 19, 2022

I just had a quick look.
She is just doing a batch export (using actions as I'm also able to do) and naming the png files as 'filename + data set'.

What I want to accomplish is to give each exported data set a custom name.

 

In the video she has got 4 variables (imported). 2 text variables and 2 image variables. If I can give each file (pdf & png) a name that matches one of my text variables - that would be perfect. However, options are very limited:

Variable 1 ('HeadlineVariable' in my case) is unique for each imported dataset. This is my desired filename for each of the exported pdf's and png's.

If i can somehow change Data Set names so it always matches one of my variables (unique) for each file - that would work.

 

Silly-V
Brainiac
January 19, 2022