Coloring map using data file (CSV)

[mdupras]

I'm seeking a scripting solution for using a data file (like Excel or CSV) to apply colors to a county map. I'm a scripting noob but usually understand enough to modify script I find for my purposes. And I have found a few scripts out there, including one here on this forum, but am struggling to apply it correctly.

The particulars of my project: I have a map of NY state, with each county an object on a separate sublayer of a layer group; the layer group represents a date. I want to color the counties by the number of cases of coronavirus on that date. Eventually there will be 40 more layer groups — one for each day since the outbreak started — and they'll be imported into Premiere to create a timeline video of the spread.

My CSV file has the name of the county and name of a color, which aligns to a color name in my palette. I also have the number of positives cases on that date and also want to pull that text into a text box on top of the county. I haven't gotten that far yet — still trying to solve for coloring the counties.

Here are a couple of screenshots that I hope explain what I'm trying to do. I appreciate any help the community can offer!

[CarlosCanto]

nice project, this should get you started. Use the script here, and post back with questions when you get stuck.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator/coloring-map-from-data-sheet-like-excel/td-p/8628353?page...

[mdupras]

Thanks, Carlos — I did attempt that script but kept running into an error message. I posted about it at the bottom of the thread.

[renél80416020]

Bonjour,

Si je peux me permettre et si j'ai bien compris:

#target illustrator
function test(){
var layerName = "March 2";
layerName = prompt(" layerName ?",layerName);
function readSemicolonCSV(filePath){
var f = File(filePath);
if(!f.exists){
alert(f + " is not found.");
return false;
}
var str = "";
f.open("r");
str = f.read();
f.close();
return str;
}
function getCells(str){
var rows = str.split(/[\n\r]/g);
for(var i=0; i<rows.length; i++){
rows[i] = rows[i].split(/;/g);
};
return rows;
}
function applyColorSettingsRow(layerName,regionName, colorName){
var doc = app.activeDocument, thisRegionShape, thisColor;
try{
thisRegionShape = doc.layers[layerName].pathItems.getByName(regionName);
thisColor = doc.swatches.getByName(colorName);
thisRegionShape.fillColor = thisColor.color;
} catch(e) {
alert("Region: " + regionName + "\tColor: " + colorName + "\r" + e + "\n\n");
}
}
if(app.documents.length == 0){
alert("No open documents detected.");
return;
}
var csvFile = File.openDialog("Open CSV File", "*.csv");
if(!csvFile){
alert("No file chosen");
return;
}
var data = getCells(readSemicolonCSV(csvFile));
var doc = app.activeDocument;
for(var i=1; i<data.length; i++){
applyColorSettingsRow(layerName,data[i][0], data[i][1]);
};
};
test();

[mdupras]

Thank you, René! This is working almost perfectly. I'm running into one problem I'm not able to resolve. There are 62 counties in my list. For 25 of them, I get an error message: "No such element." It's the same 25 counties each time, but I can't figure out what is problematic with those particular rows in my CSV file. I've double-checked the spelling several times, and even tried renaming all the counties in the sublayers to numbers. I still get the error on the same counties every time.

Any ideas on what could be causing this? I'm happy to send you files if that would help. I greatly appreciate your time and help!

[renél80416020]

Rebonjour,

Je veux bien contribuer à trouver la source d'erreur, mais il me faut un fichier ai pour la version CS6

impérativement et bien sur le fichier texte csv.

René

[renél80416020]

Je pense que certains objets sont soit des groupes soit des tracés transparents

Modifie le script comme suit:

ligne 27 remplace pathItems par pageItems et ajoute la ligne qui suit tu sera fixé.

thisRegionShape = doc.layers[layerName].pageItems.getByName(regionName);
if (thisRegionShape.typename != "PathItem") alert(regionName+" est de type "+thisRegionShape.typename)

Cordialement René

[mdupras]

Thank you again, René! We are getting closer. Your script confirmed what I thought might be the problem — some of the counties are compound paths. I found script here that appears to fill compound path items, but I'm unsure how I would incorporate it into your original script: https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator/setting-fill-color-for-a-compound-path-via-script/td-p/10...

Again, many thanks for your assitance!

[renél80416020 · Accepted solution]

Bonjour,

Je n'ai pas besoin de modèle, voilà la fonction applyColorSettingsRow complète à remplacer:
//-----------------------------

function applyColorSettingsRow(layerName,regionName, colorName){
var doc = app.activeDocument, thisRegionShape, thisColor;
try{
thisRegionShape = doc.layers[layerName].pageItems.getByName(regionName);
thisColor = doc.swatches.getByName(colorName);
if (thisRegionShape.typename == "CompoundPathItem") {
thisRegionShape.pathItems[0].fillColor = thisColor.color;
}
else {
thisRegionShape.fillColor = thisColor.color;
}
} catch(e) {
alert("Region: " + regionName + "\tColor: " + colorName + "\r" + e + "\n\n");
}
}

//----------------------

Pour la suite donne une copie d'écran pour préciser ce que tu veux faire...

René

[mdupras]

YES!! This worked beautifully ... thank you so much for your time, René!

I also want to populate text boxes on the regions with the count of cases, but I believe that can be done with Variable Data, and so I will attempt to solve that myself.

Again, many thanks!