[Help] Run Illustrator actions directly from AHK(AutoHotKey) script

[Mohkhasa]

Hello,

I am trying to run Illustrator actions directly from AHK(AutoHotKey) script,  just like the below but for Illustrator.

z::
if WinActive("ahk_class Photoshop")
{
	psApp := ComObjActive("Photoshop.Application")
	psApp.DoAction("action name", "action set name")
}
return

I tried multiple versions, like the following: but it didn't work

z::
if WinActive("ahk_class illustrator")
{
	aiApp := ComObjActive("illustrator.Application")
	aiApp.DoAction("action name", "action set name")
}
return

How can I adjust this command for Illustrator?

Thank you

[CarlosCanto · Accepted solution]

use DoScript instead of DoAction

[Mohkhasa]

Thank you CarlosCanto, 

Do you know any good resources to learn more about this? so I can adjust the below for Illustrator

6::
;ExportJPG
    app := ComObjActive("Photoshop.Application")
    doc := app.activeDocument
    options := ComObjCreate("Photoshop.ExportOptionsSaveForWeb")
    options.Quality := 90
    options.Format := 6 ; 6=jpeg 13=png 17=tif
    options.Optimized := ComObj(0xB, -1) ; 0xB = VT_Bool || -1 = true, 0 = false

    ;inputBox, filename, file name, file name(no extension)
    filename := app.activeDocument

    WinActivate, ahk_class Photoshop
    doc.export(doc.path . filename.name . ".jpg",SAVEFORWEB:=2,options)
    ;this works, but it does
    ;thumb-atx-12-vo.psd.jpg
    ;instead of
    ;thumb atx 12 vo.jpg
return

[CarlosCanto · Accepted solution]

Illustrator's Object Model is different than photoshop's, so scripts for one app won't work on the other.

You can start with the official guides adobe provides

check this post for links and resources

https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/javascript-reference-for-adobe-illustrator/m-...

[Mohkhasa]

Super useful, thanks alot! 

[Aflashman]

Hi, 

I tried  DoScript in Autohotkey to trigger Illustrator to call an action named (Split) inside the action set called (Flashman)
my code :

=============

^+x::
if WinActive("ahk_class illustrator")
{
app := ComObjActive("Illustrator.Application")
app.DoScript("Split", "Flashman")
}
return

============

I also tried this code but no luck

^+D::

app := ComObjActive("Illustrator.Application")
doc := app.activeDocument
ie := ComObjCreate("Illustrator.Actions")


ie.DoAction("Split", "Flashman")
return

Could you guide me to make it happen, please?
Thanks a lot.

[CarlosCanto]

this code works fine

^+x::
if WinActive("ahk_class illustrator")
{
app := ComObjActive("Illustrator.Application")
app.DoScript("Split", "Flashman")
}
return

what keys are you pressing? can you spell them out?

[Aflashman]

Thanks for replying
I press ( Control + Shift + X)
It gives me this Error:

------------------------------------
Error: Ox800401F3 - Invalid class string
Line*
COI: Return
003: app ComObjActiveClllustrator.Application•)
004: app.DoScriptCSplit•, •Flashman•)
Return
007: Exit
008: Exit
008: Exit
Continue running the script?

-------------------------------------

In Photoshop this code works fine:

^+x::
if WinActive("ahk_class Photoshop")
{
	mvar := ComObjActive("Photoshop.Application")
	mvar.DoAction("Motion", "Fn")
}
return

I have Illustrator 2021 and Autohotkey V.2 

Thanks for your help

[Aflashman]

I think it's an Invalid class string because of this ("illustrator.Application")
I tested it in Microsoft Word as ("Word.Application") and it works 

app := ComObjActive("Word.Application")
if !app
    MsgBox "Word isn't open."
else
    MsgBox Word.ActiveDocument.FullName

[Mohkhasa]

Double check the action and folder name, the below code is working fine for me:

    #q::
        app := ComObjActive("illustrator.Application")
        app.DoScript("vertical dist space","Mohkhasa")
    return

[Aflashman]

Thanks a lot, CarlosCanto 

, and thanks to you too  Mohkhasa 

I confirm it works fine after I install Illustrator 2023.

Still not working V.2021
Thanks for your time.

[CarlosCanto]

Great! Thanks for sharing your findings