Loop through a certain named layer and all it's groups and sub groups

[glibshaft]

Hi,

I'm trying to write a loop to search through a specific layer name 'Artwork' (including all it's groups and sub groups) to identify any text below 6pt and if so, increase the size of the affected font up to 6pt.

I have set up a file where I have x3 pieces of text as follows (see screenshot):

1. 'Layer 2' text is in 'Layer 2'.

2. 'Top Level of 'Artork' layer' text is in the top level of the 'Artwork' layer.

3. 'Group ‘Artwork_Ref_2’ of ‘Main_Group’ of ‘Artwork layer' text is within a sub group of a group on the 'Artwork' layer.

I have managed to write a loop that will either change any text below 6pt on the entire document or just on the very top level of the 'Artwork' layer (see code example for the top level of the 'Artwork' layer), but can not get it to loop through all the groups and sub groups on the desired 'Artwork' layer. What am I doing wrong?

var idoc = app.activeDocument.layers["Artwork"];//Top level of 'Artwork' layer
for (i=0; i<idoc.textFrames.length; i++) {
  if (idoc.textFrames[i].textRange.characterAttributes.size < 6) {
    idoc.textFrames[i].textRange.characterAttributes.size = 6;
      }
}

Thanks in advance. 

[Charu Rajput]

Hi,

Try following snippet, it will change size of all textframes inside the layer 'Artwork'.

var idoc = app.activeDocument.layers["Artwork"];//Top level of 'Artwork' layer


function main(_pageItems) {
    for (i = 0; i < _pageItems.length; i++) {
        if (_pageItems[i].typename == 'TextFrame') {
            changeSize(_pageItems[i]);
        } else if (_pageItems[i].typename == 'GroupItem') {
            main(_pageItems[i].pageItems);
        }
    }
}

function changeSize(item) {
    if (item.textRange.characterAttributes.size < 6) {
        item.textRange.characterAttributes.size = 6;
    }
}

main(idoc.pageItems);

[glibshaft]

Thanks for the quick reply. I have just tried this and it doesn't change the size on the bottom text that is in a sub group. If I move the text out of the sub group to the top level of the first group, it does resize it. How would I amend the snippet you have provide to allow it to work on all objects in all groups and all sub groups of the 'Artwork' layer?

[glibshaft]

…to add to the above, I also moved it to the first subgroup ('Artwork_Ref_1') which sits above the 'Artwork_Ref_2' that holds the text and it seems to work from there. Does the loop not go deeper than the first sub group in the snippet you provided?

[Charu Rajput]

Could you please attach your ai file? It will be easy to debug all scenarios in one go.

[Charu Rajput]

Try following one

var idoc = app.activeDocument.layers["Artwork"];//Top level of 'Artwork' layer

function main(_pageItem) {
    if (_pageItem.typename == 'TextFrame') {
        changeSize(_pageItem);
    } else if (_pageItem.typename == 'GroupItem') {
        for (i = 0; i < _pageItem.pageItems.length; i++) {
            main(_pageItem.pageItems[i]);
        }
    }
}

function changeSize(item) {
    if (item.textRange.characterAttributes.size < 6) {
        item.textRange.characterAttributes.size = 6;
    }
}

for (var j = 0; j < idoc.pageItems.length; j++) {
    main(idoc.pageItems[j]);
}

[glibshaft]

Hi, thanks for all your help on this so far.

The above code does not seem to work either. I have attached the ai file to help you debug. What I need it to do is search all text in the 'Artwork' layer and see if it is below 6pt and size up if needed, but do not want it to touch any other items on the other layer in the document. Hope this makes sense.

[femkeblanco · Accepted solution]

var doc = app.activeDocument;
var targetLayer = doc.layers["Artwork"];
for (var i = 0; i < targetLayer.textFrames.length; i++) {
  if (targetLayer.textFrames[i].textRange.characterAttributes.size < 6) {
    targetLayer.textFrames[i].textRange.characterAttributes.size = 6;
  }
}
function accessSubitems(subitems) {
  for (var j = 0; j < subitems.length; j++) {
    if (subitems[j].typename == "TextFrame" && subitems[j].textRange.characterAttributes.size < 6) {
      subitems[j].textRange.characterAttributes.size = 6;
    }
    if (subitems[j].pageItems) {
      accessSubitems(subitems[j].pageItems);
    }
  }
}
for (var k = 0; k < doc.pageItems.length; k++) {
  if (doc.pageItems[k].parent == targetLayer && doc.pageItems[k].pageItems) {
    accessSubitems(doc.pageItems[k].pageItems);
  }
}

[Charu Rajput · Accepted solution]

Here you go,

var _artWorkLayer = app.activeDocument.layers["Artwork"];//Top level of 'Artwork' layer

function main(_pageItem) {
    for (var i = 0; i < _pageItem.length; i++) {
        if (_pageItem[i].typename == 'TextFrame') {
            changeSize(_pageItem[i]);
        } else if (_pageItem[i].typename == 'GroupItem') {
            main(_pageItem[i].pageItems);
        }
    }
}

function changeSize(item) {
    if (item.textRange.characterAttributes.size < 6) {
        item.textRange.characterAttributes.size = 6;
    }
}

for (var j = 0; j < _artWorkLayer.pageItems.length; j++) {
    if (_artWorkLayer.pageItems[j].typename == 'TextFrame')
        changeSize(_artWorkLayer.pageItems[j])
    else if (_artWorkLayer.pageItems[j].typename == 'GroupItem')
        main(_artWorkLayer.pageItems[j].pageItems);
}

[glibshaft]

Both these solutions work. Thank you both for your help and input on this.

Much appreciated.

[Charu Rajput]

Great!