First step to enter the script in Illustrator

[separation]

Hi

I'm Loay

I want to learn VBscript on Illustrator

But I do not know where to access

any one can help my Please.

[Muppet Mark]

You will need to download the appropriate info from the devnet…

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/illustrator/scripting.html

[separation]

Thank you

I download the "Adobe Illustrator CS5 Reference: VB Script (PDF, 2.0M)"

My question? did I use Microsoft VB to creat my script?

or there are a VB inside the Illustrator CS5, (like Corel Draw....)

Best Regards

[Muppet Mark]

Oh you will have to wait for someone else to answer that question… Sorry Im mac so 0 about VB

[CarlosCanto]

are you familiar with VB, VBA or VBS already? do you have MS Office?

[separation]

Hi

yes, in VB and VBA, and I have MS Office, and working VBA under CorelDraw X5, in Win7

I want to make Script under Illustrator CS5

Thank you for all

Best Regard

[CarlosCanto]

good, you can use any of them, not sure about Corel VBA, you could try and let us know

to use VBS, any text editor like Notepad would do, I use Notepad++. Code your hear away and save a file (myAiScript.vbs for example).

to use VB you could use VB express edition...same as above, save myAiScript.exe for example.

I prefer to use VBA, since I always have Excel open, I use its editor. To make a hello world script with excel VBA

- Open Excel

- hit Alt+F11, to bring up the editor

- in the Tools menu, click on References...

- add a reference to "Adobe Illustrator CS5 Type Library"

- in the Personal.xls (or in any other book) add a Module

- and type the following in that module

Sub helloWorld()
    Dim iapp As New Illustrator.Application
    Dim idoc As Illustrator.Document
    Dim iframe As Illustrator.TextFrame
    Set idoc = iapp.ActiveDocument
    Set iframe = idoc.TextFrames.Add
    iframe.Contents = "Hello World from Excel VBA!!"
    Set iframe = Nothing
    Set idoc = Nothing
    Set iapp = Nothing
End Sub

- open Illustrator and create a new document first

- to run, move the cursor anywhere inside the Sub and hit F5

[separation]

Thank you very much

its so easy

Best Regard

Loay

[separation]

Dear Carlos

How can I save the script?

Best regard

[CarlosCanto]

vba? you don't save it, you run it from Excel. I mean, you don't save it as a "stand alone" script, you save the workbook where you added the module.

[ThinkingThings]

Separation,

Just a side thought too -- not to steer you away from the guidance of Carlos and Muppet Mark -- these guys are incredibly talented and SOOO generous with their time to others it's amazing! But if you are comfortable with VB, you could also develop in VB if you use an IDE (like VS2010 I know works and probably most others), and save the project. While I've never compiled for distribution, you could probably do that too. The only thing is that you have to run the VB runtime concurrently with AI. I don't have a problem doing that. The nice thing about developing in VS is that you get the benefit of the full DOM and full code hinting -- great for not-so-smart guys like me.   Again - just a thought.

Best of luck,

TT

[separation]

Hi all

Thank you for your time

I have some problem

the "Adobe Illustrator CS5 Scripting Reference, and Guide" don't explain all command and method, and i search for vbscript in Illustration but I don't found it.

I'm not professional in VBS, commands, method

so I failed to get my Script

Please can you help my the solve this point.

Best Regard

[Muppet Mark]

You will need to provide a fuller explaination of what you were hoping to achieve? Just a list of steps I don't do VB but the object model is the same in all the laguages…

[ThinkingThings]

Here's a link that should provide most of the documentation you'll need:

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/illustrator/scripting.html

I think that the scripting reference files are also included in the installation files somewhere in your install directory, but I don't remember for sure, so the link will help you in case you don't find them. You will need the 1) Scripting Guide of the CS version that you have that gives you an overview  and 2) the Scripting Reference for the scripting language of choice.The Object model is mostly the same in all languages; there are some subtle differences in which one language has access to something that another does not, but that is the rare exception.

Hope this helps.

TT

[CarlosCanto]

ThinkingThings, thanks for your comments, to use a VB project or to distribute it to other users, it would need to be compiled into an exe program and double clicking on will launch it , or we could also place the exe file into the scrips folder and run it from the File->Scripts menu (I guess), and yes the users should have the runtime libraries, but these days I think all windows machines have them.

Separation, what happened? you said it was "easy" , kidding, as posted above, everything, and I mean everything is in the Documentation. If you have trouble finding and/or implementing what's in there, then ask a specific question and we'll try to help.

if possible, post your code, we might be able to spot the problem.

[ThinkingThings]

Hi Carlos,

Yeah, I thought that I would just offer that up as a possibility. I pretty much have VS open all day. SInce I just use my scripts for me, I typically just F5 to run a debug build in VS and it floats a Windows Form which I can minimize, so that when I am working in AI I can just bring the WinForm up and have a type of "control panel" complete with buttons, etc. which run different scripts. It's my way of not having to learn (yet at least) how to write extensions, I guess. So for me it's easier and more flexible.

Anyway... FWIW.

TT

[separation]

Good Morning every one

Thank you for your response, I'm not said, I'm "Enthusiastic"

Sir, before 1 year I used the VBA under CorelDraw X5, and it good in my job, we learn to write the code and Macros from the "CorelDraw X5 Macros Help" its easy, and I and my girl friend create good Macros with Excel data file and other applications.

When I used "Adobe Illustrator CS5", I found it toooooooo easy to make my job with excellent degree, so I'm try to find "Macros help" but no way yet, yes the Reference and Guide have a rich information, but I'm need "Macros Help" to make my a good basement. and go with us.

Best Regard

[CarlosCanto]

I'm not familiar with Corel, but if you're looking for Macros as in Excel Macros....there's no such thing for Illustrator. The closest thing to Macro Recording is called "Actions" but in the usual Illustrator fashion it is very limited, you don't get to modify what's recorded...you're only able to "play" the recorded steps.

so, in short, there are no Macros in Illustrator.

[separation]

OK

I'll be re read the Guild and Reference

But I want to used a "ArtboardRect", how can I identify the size and position for this command?

Thank you and Best Regard

[CarlosCanto]

Sub scaleArtboards()
    Dim iapp As New Illustrator.Application
    Dim idoc As Illustrator.Document
    Dim ab As Illustrator.Artboard
    Set idoc = iapp.ActiveDocument
    Set ab = idoc.Artboards(1)
    abW = ab.ArtboardRect(2) - ab.ArtboardRect(0)
    abH = ab.ArtboardRect(1) - ab.ArtboardRect(3)
    MsgBox "width = " & abW
    MsgBox "height = " & abH
    Set ab = Nothing
    Set idoc = Nothing
    Set iapp = Nothing
End Sub

[separation]

Dear Carlos

thank you

Sorry, but the code not work?

Best Regard

[CarlosCanto]

Hi, yes it will not work like that...we have been talking VBA since the begining, Notepad++ is used for stand alonde vbs.

follow my instructions in my first VBA sample and see if you're able to make it work.

or let me know if we forget the whole thing about VBA and start all over creating a working vbs sample.

[separation]

Dear All

That is right.

I'm still now confused and puzzled, which editor I'll be used, and did I use VBA or VBS or any....

Please can you show my the way to start from begening.

Best Regard

[CarlosCanto]

Hi Loay, if you're confused, read everything I've posted again, what is it you don't understand?

...I'll give it one more try....

this time open Notepad++ and paste the following VBS script, save it as lastChance.vbs, save it in your default script folder, restart illustrator and go to File->Scripts and click on your script

Set iapp = CreateObject("Illustrator.Application")  
Set idoc = iapp.ActiveDocument
Set ab = idoc.Artboards(1)
abRect = ab.ArtboardRect
abW = abRect(2)-abRect(0)
abH = abRect(1)-abRect(3)
MsgBox "width = " & abW
MsgBox "height = " & abH
Set ab = Nothing
Set idoc = Nothing
Set iapp = Nothing

[separation]

Hi Carlos

thank you for this code, then how can I create 2 Artboard size A3, landscape, 25mm between them?

Best Regard