Can you program "New Artboard" to actions?

[KevinMByers]

Hey all,

I'm trying to set up an action set to copy and paste something to a new artboard, but it seems as if artboard creation, selection, and deletion are all exempt from actions?

Does anyone know if it's supposed to be this way?

If it is: is there a workaround?

Any insight is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

-K

[Kurt Gold]

Yes, there are or may be workarounds, depending on the specific steps you are going to do.

For example: Does your documents (initially) contain just one artboard or multiple artboards? Should the new artboard have the same dimensions (width/height) as the "previous" artboard? Etc.

Provide as much details as possible in order to get possible approaches.

[KevinMByers]

Document is initially one artboard.

I'm trying to develop shortcuts for screen print preparation.

Ideally the action would be as follows:

Select all
Expand Appearance
Unite
Make Compound Path
Copy
New Artboard (selected)
Paste In Place
Color

I'd like to be able to do this ten times on ten separate layers with one keystroke, locking and unlocking layers in the command line as well, but it would appear layer modifications don't record in actions either.

[Kurt Gold · Accepted solution]

Here you can download a sample action that shows one way to create a new artboard with an action:

Sample Action: New Artboard

To test:

- Open a blank document that contains one artboard (any size).

- Load the .aia file.

- Make sure that Align to Artboard is turned on in the Align palette (otherwise the action won't work).

- Play the action.

The other things you mentioned may also be automated with a modified action, but to check that I would have to take a look at one of your sample .ai files.

[KevinMByers]

That worked perfectly, Thank you.

Unfortuantely it looks like the set of actions I want to create won't be possible until Adobe makes it so layer and artboard selection/visibility can be recorded into actions.

Thank you again for that!

[Kurt Gold]

As already mentioned, there may be a way to make an action that does what you describe in post #2 (including layer selection), but I would have to check a sample .ai file from you in order to see what steps may be possible. You may keep in mind: Any Illustrator action that includes more than 10 steps is always a bumpy ride, always. But it may work ...

[tonyw95479852]

Thanks for this action made by you!

[Max Mugen]

Thank you !!! i was looking for new artbord macro / action / shortcut for years ! litterally 
passing by "convert to arboards" an object was a clever workaround 😄 

[Doug A Roberts]

Clever Workaround is Kurt's middle name(s).

[Courtney29640410jcya]

is it possible to edit this action to set artboad to art + like 6"

[Kurt Gold]

Assuming I understand what you are going to do, that may be possible.

[LenPreston]

I wish the action were in english so I could understand what its doing. I need an action that will create a new artboard based on a "Select All" command, and make the artboard an inch larger on all four sides from the selection boundaries. -Thanks

[Kurt Gold]

That would be possible with an action, but you may also take a look at this script, provided by Alexander Ladygin. It has to be modified a bit.

https://github.com/alexander-ladygin/illustrator-scripts#createartboardsfromtheselection

[saulpalv]

Seems there is no scripting way for the "New Artboard" from artboard panel, which is automaticaly placed, so as 2023 neither actions, neither scripting may allow it

[LenPreston]

I wish the action were in english so I could understand what its doing. I need an action that will create a new artborad based on a "Select All" command, and make the artboard an inch all the way around from the selection boundaries