Crazy reveal objects over time script. I Really need help.

[_Michael_Grills_]

I really do not get this scripting thing.

I don't know if this script is hard or not but the concept is simple.

I want my file to be blank. Over time I want all the objects on a current layer to slowly reveal themselves. Starting with the bottom. All the way to the top.

There are over 3000 objects. Hence the need for a script.

Any help would be appreciated.

[try67]

How do you mean "slowly reveal themselves"? Are you talking about creating an animation, or what?

[_Michael_Grills_]

Well basically a I want to have every object hidden. Then have them show up one at a time like you would layers.

Currently I have the layers panel open and I do it by hand. But 3000 objects takes a 30 mins.

I record video while I do it. So essentially it is for animation purposes.

[try67]

I guess it's possible, possibly with the setTimeout() function, but I have never tried it so I can't testify whether it works or not.

[_Mark_Larsen_]

In AppleScript with a very basic test and no error trapping something like this may get you started.

tell application "Adobe Illustrator"
tell document 1
set Page_Item_List to every page item
set hidden of every page item to true
delay 3 -- Inital delay in seconds before the first item reveal
repeat with i from (count of Page_Item_List) to 1 by -1
set hidden of page item i to false
delay 1 -- Between reveals
end repeat
end tell
end tell

[_Michael_Grills_]

Thank you.

I guess I should have mentioned Im on a windows machine.

[_Mark_Larsen_]

Not a problem. AppleScript is Mac only you will need to have someone do the same thing in JavaScript (cross platform) or Visual Basic (PC) I do neither of these so can't help you there. Principle should be the same. Mentioning your platform does help as your request didn't take a minute it was neither here or there to post.

[MarkWalsh]

Thsi is a quick throw-together, it should work. If you want to change the delay, change the amount (milliseconds) in line 44 : pausecomp(1000)

#target illustrator

processObjects(app.documents, processDocument, noFiles);

function processObjects(theObjects, theMainFunction, theAlternateFunction) {
var returnValue = null;
if (theObjects == undefined) {
alert ('Undefined??')
returnValue = ''
} else {
if (theObjects.length ==0) {
if (!(theAlternateFunction == undefined) && !(theAlternateFunction == null) && !(theAlternateFunction == '')) {
returnValue = theAlternateFunction (theObjects.parent);
}
} else {
if (!(theMainFunction == undefined) && !(theMainFunction == null) && !(theMainFunction == '')) {
// returnValue = new Array;
for (var i = theObjects.length -1; i> -1; i--) {
returnValue += theMainFunction (theObjects, i);
}
}
}
}
return returnValue;
}

function processDocument(docRef, i) {
app.activeDocument = docRef
processObjects(docRef.layers, processLayer, null);
alert ('File "' + docRef.name + '" Completed.')
}

function processLayer(layertRef, i) {
// Check all groups on layer
processObjects(layertRef.pathItems, processGroup, null);
return 0
}

function processGroup(objectRef, i) {
objectRef.hidden = false
app.redraw()
pausecomp(1000)
return 0
}

function noFiles (objectRef) {
var userChoice = confirm ('No files open.\nSelect a file to process?')
// Allow selection of files?
if (userChoice) {
var theFilePath = File.openDialog ('Select a file:')
if (theFilePath != null) {
x = openFile (theFilePath)
if (x) {
processObjects(app.documents, processDocument, noFiles);
}
}
}
}

function pausecomp(millis)
{
var date = new Date();
var curDate = null;

do { curDate = new Date(); }
while(curDate-date < millis);
}

[_Michael_Grills_]

Wow thank you so much! I really really appreciate your help.

[_Michael_Grills_]

That script worked perfect.

Here is the video.

http://arthub.ca/2009/03/04/video-of-underpainting-in-adobe-illustrator/

[_Michael_Grills_]

Hey Mark Walsh,

Would you send me your email address. I would like to have you do some additions to the script for a possible art show.

I am willing to compensate you for your time to get a really good script done.

[MarkWalsh]

I'd rather not post my email address on a public forum (I get enough spam as it is already 😉 )

What is it that you need added?

[_Michael_Grills_]

I wanted to have the script be able to come to a long pause at the end of the file.

Be able to break the script without it causing illustrator to crash.

Be able to have the script ignore visible objects.

I would like to have it loop through a large number of files. so that when all the above works I can present it on a large screen. It would loop through the files in a directory, slowly revealing each picture. Close the file without save, then open the next and do it again.

Do you think this is possible?

[Mgrills]

I am willing to pay for the enhancements to this script. Is it possible to get this done?

[MarkWalsh]

Send me a private message with your email, and I'll see what I can do.