Illustrator script: all Artboard Elements to Symbol

[suez22]

Hi,

I have been trying to make a simple script that selects all elements on an artboard and makes a symbol with the name of the artboard. Unfortunately the symbols.add(selection) does not work. Can anyone give me a clue or solution. 

[femkeblanco]

One can't debug code that one can't see. Also, it would be helpful to show what you're trying to achieve with a screenshot. 

[Charu Rajput]

Hi,

You can try the following,

var doc = app.activeDocument;
var _activeAtboardName = doc.artboards[app.activeDocument.artboards.getActiveArtboardIndex()].name
doc.selectObjectsOnActiveArtboard();
app.executeMenuCommand('group');
var _symbol = doc.symbols.add(app.selection[0]);
_symbol.name = _activeAtboardName;
app.executeMenuCommand('ungroup');

app.selection, is an array, but symbols.add expect a single pageItem not an array, tehrefore, group all items before making symbol and after that ungroup it.

[rcraighead]

@Charu Rajput , 
Your code example creates a symbol but does not replace the selection with the symbol. How do I convert the selection to a symbol?

[Charu Rajput]

@rcraighead ,

I don't know direct way to convert but below is the workaround, where I am placing newly created symbol at the same position where selection exist.

var doc = app.activeDocument;
var _activeAtboardName = doc.artboards[app.activeDocument.artboards.getActiveArtboardIndex()].name;
doc.selectObjectsOnActiveArtboard();
app.executeMenuCommand('group');
var _selectedItem = app.selection[0];
var _symbol = doc.symbols.add(_selectedItem);
doc.symbolItems.add(_symbol).position = _selectedItem.position;
_selectedItem.remove();

[Charu Rajput]

@rcraighead 

Found another post. I have not tried myself what exactly script is doing but thought it could be useful.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/script-for-randomly-replacing-symbols/m-p/117...

[rcraighead]

@Charu Rajput 

Thanks for the link. I'll review it.

I've since realized I can turn on AI General pref: "Use Preview Bounds" to make boundin box expand to the outside of a stroked path. That was my reason for considering a "Symbol".