Issue while using force line break

[SA8888]

Hi, I have an issue while using force line break in illustrator the forced line break content is created as a new paragraph instead of a line break I have used \n in my script to break the line

[SA8888]

I need this symbol to represent in code  instead of 

[m1b]

Try using the Unicode in your string. If you're using extendscript, "\u000A" for linefeed.

- Mark

[SA8888]

Thank you for the Unicode suggestion, Mark.  I have used "\u0003" instead of "\u000A". There is another issue with illustrator when I use the Unicode in my script the length of the paragraph shows two, it should be one, not two.

The script is:

                    var doc = app.activeDocument;

                    var object = doc.textFrames.add();

                    object.contents = 'Line \u0003 break'

                    alert("length::"+object.paragraphs.length)

                      The alert message shows :

                      length::2

The correct answer is One if I use a force line break.

Is there any other script so I can get the paragraph length as One.

[CarlosCanto]

inserting a forced line break manually also counts as two paragraphs, how do you know it should be one?

[SA8888]

In Indesign, when we apply forced line break manually the paragraph count gives one.

[SA8888]

If inserting a forced line break manually also counts as two paragraphs, then what is the use of using a forced line break. 

[CarlosCanto]

oh I see, InDesign is different than Illustrator.

I don't know what the use is, but as as workaround you could probably count the force line breaks and deduct them from the paragraph count if that is important for your workflow.

[SA8888]

Thank you, Carlos Can you brief this in detail may be through a script if you can

[CarlosCanto]

sure

// count Forced Line Breaks
// https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/issue-while-using-force-line-break/m-p/12992472#M324491

// select a text frame before running
var str = selection[0].contents;
var flb = 0;

var match = str.match(/\u0003/g); // get forced line break characters

if (match) {
    flb = match.length;
}

alert ("Selection Paragraphs: " + (selection[0].paragraphs.length - flb));

[SA8888]

Thank you for the script, Carlos 

[m1b]

Wow, I just double-checked on my machine and you are exactly right. I didn't realise (until now!) that Illustrator uses \u0003 (End of text) character for linefeeds instead of an actual linefeed \u000A. Or that paragraph count in Illustrator is messed up by it's own linefeeds. Weird.

[SA8888]

Thank you for the script on Force Line Break.

I've got another issue in my code. I have used the script given by you. I'm getting the paragraph length correctly.  While I'm trying to save my code, I cannot assign the value of (selection [0].paragraphs.length-flb); to a particular variable if I set the value, the output of my script changes.

Ex:

object.contents = 'Line \u0003 break' The paragraph length will be one, and the output I will get is only Line. Please guide me through the script in this regard.

[CarlosCanto]

please let me see the whole script you're using

[SA8888]

var str = selection[0].contents;
var flb = 0;

var match = str.match(/\u0003/g); // get forced line break characters

if (match) {
    flb = match.length;
}

alert ("Selection Paragraphs: " + (selection[0].paragraphs.length - flb));

var para = selection[0]. paragraphs.length - flb

for(i=0; i<para; i++)

{}

[m1b]

I tested your code and it works as expected. What result do you get? - Mark

[SA8888]

The issue I'm facing is while saving the script

The script I've used is 

var str = selection[0].contents;
var flb = 0;

var match = str.match(/\u0003/g); // get forced line break characters

if (match) {
    flb = match.length;
}

alert ("Selection Paragraphs: " + (selection[0].paragraphs.length - flb));

var para = selection[0]. paragraphs.length - flb

for(i=0; i<para; i++)

{}

If I use the above script the output will be

1st paragraph with line break

still technically first paragraph

Okay this is second paragraph

And the last two lines will not be displayed

[m1b]

Yes they won't be displayed because selection[0].paragraphs.length - flb == 3, so you are only looping over the "visible" paragraphs, which exist only in our minds. As far as Illustrator is concerned there are 5 paragraphs in that sample text, so you need to loop over all 5, not the first 3.

Also your loop condition is i < para which will stop at i==1 when para == 2, giving you only the first 2 paragraphs (index 0 and index 1). Try using i <= para.

- Mark

[m1b]

So I am thinking that this might be the sort of thing you need:

// get the whole text contents
var str = selection[0].contents;
// replace EOT chars with single space, including surrounding spaces
// then split at CR chars
var paraContents = str.replace(/\s*\u0003\s*/g, ' ').split('\u000D');
// now see what you've got
for (i = 0; i < paraContents.length; i++) {
    alert('paragraph 1 text:\n' + paraContents[i]);
}

It doesn't use Paragraph objects, just the contents string. If you need actual Paragraph objects, you'll need a different approach.

- Mark

[SA8888]

I need the paragraph objects, and while saving the script I should have only 3 paragraphs not 5 paragraphs. I'm getting 5 paragraphs while saving the script. 

[m1b]

What you are asking for doesn't sound possible on the face of it because, by Illustrator's definition, a paragraph with a linefeed is two Paragraph objects. By definition. Yes it's weird, but that's how it is. There is probably a solution, but we'd need to know what you intend to do with the Paragraph objects to propose a way forward. How are you going to use the paragraphs? For example, which properties of Paragraph object will you need?

- Mark

[SA8888]

I'm trying to get the Paragraph objects as a TextRange instead of a string, is it possible  to convert it as TextRange using script.

[m1b]

Okay a TextRange instead of Paragraphs, but the same issue exists. What do you want to do with the TextRange? Answering that might point in the direction of a solution.

- Mark

[SA8888]

Hey Mark, Can you help with the script for Paragraph objects and also allow us to take only 3 paragraphs in a text frame instead of 5 paragraphs.

[CarlosCanto]

what do you mean by "saving the script"? please elaborate, it's not clear what you're trying to do