Create guides in Illustrator CS4 JS

[Yuliaart]

Hi, I need to create 4 guides in Illustrator page 3/16 inch from each edge of the artboard using javascript.

Could someone help me.

Thank you very much.

Yulia

[Muppet Mark · Accepted solution]

#target illustrator

var docRef = app.activeDocument;

with (docRef) {

var myGuides = pathItems.rectangle(height -13.5, 13.5, width -27, height -27, false);

myGuides.guides = true;

}

I only have CS2 so I don't know how this will work with your multi artboards!!!

[Yuliaart]

That great, Mark, thank you very much.

[Guest]

Hi,

Same way i have used some rectangle and square boxes. with selecting some few objects inside those i have to give -3 mm offset as guide. any script for this..

Pls make sure that i have to give -3 mm offset only for the selected objects.

Thankyou

Joe

[Muppet Mark]

Joe, I think that this should be pretty close to what you want. It looks for path items in the selection, then should check to see if its a rectangle if it is then inset guides 3mm. I think it needs a check for right & left direction control points but I have NOT the time at the mo.

#target illustrator

var docRef = app.activeDocument;

// Convert mm to points

var thisOffset = 3 * 2.834645;

with (docRef) {

// Get selected items Array

if (selection != '') {

for (var i = 0; i < selection.length; i++) {

// Check if its a path item

if (selection instanceof PathItem) {

// This might need a better test!!!

if (isRectangle(selection)) {

// Ignore any stroke values

var thisPath = selection.geometricBounds;

// Calculate guide box

var guideTop = thisPath[1] - thisOffset;

var guideLeft = thisPath[0] + thisOffset;

var guideWidth = (thisPath[2] - thisPath[0]) - (thisOffset * 2);

var guideHeight = (thisPath[1] - thisPath[3]) - (thisOffset * 2);

// Make new rectangle

var myGuides = pathItems.rectangle(guideTop, guideLeft, guideWidth, guideHeight, false);

// Make it guides

myGuides.guides = true;

} else {

alert('A Path Item was NOT a rectangle?');

}

} else {

alert('An object was NOT a Path Item?');

}

}

} else {

alert('You have NO selected objects?');

}

}

function isRectangle(pathObject) {

with (pathObject) {

if (pathPoints.length != 4)  return false;

if (pathPoints[0].anchor[0] != pathPoints[3].anchor[0]) return false;

if (pathPoints[1].anchor[0] != pathPoints[2].anchor[0]) return false;

if (pathPoints[0].anchor[1] != pathPoints[1].anchor[1]) return false;

if (pathPoints[2].anchor[1] != pathPoints[3].anchor[1]) return false;

return true;

}

}

[Guest]

Hi Mark,

Thank you This is really working good.. But this is working only for the rectangle objects not for ellipse or triangle. Ok instead of that is there possible to give all the shapes with close path items. (Like triangle, pentagonal shapes etc. path with so many sides)   PFA

[Muppet Mark]

Rectangles/Squares is pretty easy to deal with. Polygons require trigonometry that I have NOT used since school and that was some years ago (a few beers have rinsed my mind since then). Shapes with béziers to control curves would possibly wreck a weekend… I have been trying to use trig but have nothing sorted just yet…

[Guest]

Hi mark,

Its ok thank you so much