Error 45: Object is invalid when using JS reading groups

[Harald Dev]

We have a .NET application which calls a Javascript function via COM in Adobe Illustrator 2024 V28.6.
Sometimes it works, but sometimes we get an error. Everything worked in the old Adobe Illustrator 2015.

Sometimes we get this error: Object is invalid
-> getTextFrames(group.textFrames, textFrames);

See last lines in the JS code below. The group object is invalid!

The script errors only occur when the script is called programmatically. When the script is called via the Illustrator interface or via the ExtentedScript Toolkit, the scripts run without any problems.

var defaultNumberDecimalSeperator = "##defaultNumberDecimalSeperator##";
var newSeparator = "##newSeparator##";
var layerName = "##layerName##";

var doc = app.activeDocument;
var myLayer = doc.layers.getByName(layerName);

replaceDecimalSeparator(myLayer, newSeparator)

function replaceDecimalSeparator(layer, newSeparator) {
    var textFrames = getAllTextFrames(layer);

    for (var i = 0; i < textFrames.length; i++) {
        var myTextFrame = textFrames[i];
        var myContent = myTextFrame.contents;
        var index;

        // Alle Dezimaltrenner im Textrahmen ersetzen
        do {
            index = myContent.indexOf(defaultNumberDecimalSeperator);
            if (index === -1) {
                break;
            }

            myTextFrame.characters[index].contents = newSeparator;
            myContent = myTextFrame.contents; // Inhalt nach der Änderung neu laden
        } while (index !== -1);
    }
}

// Rekursive Funktion zum Ermitteln aller TextFrames in der Ebene
function getAllTextFrames(myLayer) {
    var myTextFrames = [];
    getTextFrames(myLayer.textFrames, myTextFrames);
    getTextFramesInGroups(myLayer.groupItems, myTextFrames);
    return myTextFrames;
}

function getTextFrames(frames, myTextFrames) {
    for (var i = 0; i < frames.length; i++) {
        myTextFrames.push(frames[i]);
    }
}

function getTextFramesInGroups(groups, mytextFrames) {
    var myGroup;

    for (var i = 0; i < groups.length; i++) {
        myGroup = groups[i];

        getTextFrames(myGroup.textFrames, mytextFrames);
        getTextFramesInGroups(myGroup.groupItems, mytextFrames);
    }
}

We tested with sleep() and app.redraw. Unfortunately without success.

Best regards

Harald

[Harald Dev]

I have done further tests. Error 45 occurred in about 50% of all tests. In all other cases the script ran without errors. Why does the script not run stably in Illustrator version 2024? This bug was not present in the older Illustrator version 2015.

What kind of bug is this in Illustrator 2024? Sometimes the query goes to the groups, sometimes an error is thrown. Only try-catch helps. And I have tried this in various ways. Repeatedly with waiting times and with app.redraw(). Unfortunately, that didn't improve things either.

What can help to fix error 45 (object is invalid)? Does anyone have an idea?

[CarlosCanto]

@Harald Dev can you share a sample file where the script fails? save your ai file as pdf and upload it here, or save the ai in Google Drive, DropBox or similar and post the link here

[Larry G. Schneider]

Carlos, sounds like the indexs are getting mixed up. Should he be running the search in reverse?

[CarlosCanto]

Hi Larry, that's what I thought but he says it used to work ok.

[Harald Dev]

We have created a small C# project on Github (Program.cs). The script and AI file are also included. https://github.com/danielnierlin/IllustratorScriptExample

It was noticeable that if I just open the AI file ​​and run the script on the original layer "MD_2_BEMASSUNG", it always worked. The problem only occurs if I duplicate the layer first. We do this via COM with Duplicate().

Thank you very much for your help!

[CarlosCanto]

Hi @Harald Dev I finally got a chance to test, I do not do C# so I run the jsx from vbs and I did not get any errors.

you mentioned it works good the first time but after duplicating it doesn't. To test, should I duplicate the layer via vbs (c# in your case) then run the jsx on the duplicate? or what's the sequence?

[Harald Dev]

Thank you very much for your help! Yes, the file "replaceDecimalSeparator.js" runs without errors. The problem is the Duplicate() function. I think that's too many operations for COM automation.

In this loop, about 150 elements are copied into the new layer:

for (int i = 1; i <= source.GroupItems.Count; i++) {
   source.GroupItems[i].Duplicate(newLayer);}

It doesn't run into any errors here, but the AI ​​file seems to be corrupt after this operation. That's why the "replaceDecimalSeparator.js" runs into an error 45 later.

If I don't run the Duplicate() function, the program runs without errors. So I think the problem is in the Duplicate() function. How can I code the copying of a layer differently with COM? Or I can replace it with a JavaScript function. Is there a code snippet in JavaScript for copying a layer?

[Harald Dev]

Hello @CarlosCanto  I have done some more tests.

After running the Duplicate() function, the AI ​​file is in an unstable state. The elements are not always correctly transferred to the new layer. This is why error 45 sometimes occurs when accessing the elements later.

The Duplicate() function still worked in the old version of Illustrator 2015. Now the function only works with a probability of around 50%. It seems that access via COM automation is not stable.

[CarlosCanto]

oh, ok @Harald Dev  then it seems the indexes are getting jammed as you add more groups.

try start duplicating from the bottom up instead of top down, then move the duplicates below the last original group. That way the original number of groups is not messed up. The duplicate function takes a second argument "ElemenetPlacement" to dup and move the dup at the same time.

let me know if that works

[Harald Dev]

Hello @CarlosCanto I think the problem is not duplicating the groups.

I changed my code. I have same problems copying the PageItems:

        for (int i = 1; i <= source.PageItems.Count; i++)   {
            source.PageItems[i].Duplicate(newLayer); }

It doesn't run into any errors here, but the AI ​​file seems to be corrupt after this operation. That's why the "replaceDecimalSeparator.js" runs into an error 45 later.