Locate paths that do not have a specific appearance (roughen)

[Phil5C41]

Hi,

I have 100's of artboards in multiple documents, each artboard has complex illustrations made up of many elements all with varying colours of fill and stroke and each element requires a different 'roughen' effect being applied. I'm trying to locate (and/or select) all elements that do not have this roughen affect applied, but how? I have tried select same appearance, but due to the varying fills/strokes this isn't possible.

Thanks in advance!

[Monika Gause]

Maybe you can show something?

You might need to first find all that have the desired appearance and then hide them or lock them. Then find all to which the desired appearance cannot be applied, because you only need them filled. Then there will be objects left and then you can apply what you need to apply.

[Phil5C41]

Thanks, @Monika Gause, I was hoping for a speedier way to carry out that, as each element only selects a very small amount of similar 'appearance' objects, due possibly to the appearance roughen settings, perhaps? When I have the final items selected, they need a different rough effect being applied, however, these settings will vary.

[Met0 · Accepted solution]

There's the free Seelct Menu (https://rj-graffix.com/downloads/plugins/) which might help you...

[Monika Gause]

And in which way could it help here? 

[Phil5C41]

It appears to have extended selection options, however, I'm speaking with the supplier as to why I can't seem to get it to work as expected. I'll update here once I make progress 🙂 

[Monika Gause]

Yes, it can select more than native Illustrator. But it cannot select based on "Does not have"

[Phil5C41]

It has the option for selecting 'Unstyled art', hoping this will be what I'm after

[Monika Gause]

Unstyled art will select everything that opnly has the basic appearance: one stroke, one fill, no effects, no transparency, no brushes.

[Jacob Bugge]

Phil,

Reading this thread as it has been growing, I wonder whether one of these is what you wish:

A) Select all objects without a roughen effect (all roughened objects having the same specific effect which is to be left unchanged)?

B) Select all objects without a specific roughen effect (different specific roughen effects applied to the artwork, any or all with roughen effect(s) different to the one in question which is to be left unchanged)?

In either case, I presume you wish to apply the same specific roughen effect to all selected objects different to the one in question (and replacing the current roughen effect in case B)?

I believe it may be possible to do it by cunning scripting.

Any scripting friends?

[Phil5C41]

Hi Jacob,

It seems there was an issue with the select menu plugin first mentioned, this has been fixed in an unreleased beta version. It means a user is able to select: Basic Art Attributes > Unstyled Art – Which now correctly selects all objects without an effect. This will now allow me to apply the effect to the objects that don't have this applied (not great for objects that already had the effect and are now expanded though!)

[Jacob Bugge]

Phil,

I can see that guess 1) was right.

"(not great for objects that already had the effect and are now expanded though!)"

This is a(nother) reason for always keeping a backup of artwork that is about to be changed irreversibly, so you can fall back on it.

It may help if you have made backups for the other reasons so you are able to (re)insert those objects in the newest version.

[Phil5C41]

Completely agree, Jacob. However, the process was not put in place through a different department. Thanks for you help

[Jacob Bugge]

For my part you are welcome, Phil,

And thank you for sharing the solution.