Script for rasterize effect at text/ rectangle in illsutrator

[rikoc40685425]

Dear All, I have tried to make an script for create the effect rasterize in illustrator, I tried this command "rasterizeOptions", is that true? If u have any idea, so please help me.. Thank you

[Silly-V]

The Rasterize effect is a very powerful Illustrator feature indeed. You could save a graphic style featuring this effect and easily apply it via script, but that requires some document to be saved in a pre-determined place which has that graphic style inside applied to some shape you can copy and paste between documents so as to bring in the graphic style.
Otherwise, please take a look at this thread which elucidates some on the Apply Effect XML scripting method that can add live effects to things: https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator/pageitem-applyeffect-liveeffectxml/m-p/7315221?page=1

If you perform experimentations with the live effect XML, we would like to know your findings so please post them here if you go that route!

[m1b]

Hi Silly-V, I was very interested to read the thread you linked, but when I try it (in CC2021) it appears that the applyEffect(xml) method is missing! Is this just me? - Mark

[Silly-V]

It worked for me just now in Ai 2021 Windows!

[m1b]

Interesting! I am on a Mac, so could be that, but maybe my code is wrong. Here's what I'm using:

// apply offset path live effect to selected path
var path = app.activeDocument.selection[0];
xmlstring = '<LiveEffect name="Adobe Offset Path"><Dict data="R mlim 4 R ofst 20 I jntp 2 "/></LiveEffect>';
path.applyEffect(xmlstring);

I get this: Runtime Error: Error Code# 24: path.applyEffect is not a function.

[Silly-V]

Hmm, are you able to verify that your path is a selected path? This is not very likely, but you could have a cursor inside a text frame and Illustrator will be treating the .selection object as a text selection.

Otherwise, let's see if anyone else can do a Mac test, hopefully a solution will come.

[m1b]

Yes it seems to be normal object and selected. Just drew a rectangle and ran the code with it selected.

Edit: removed call for help, as my issue was solved by Carlos. 🙂

- Mark

[CarlosCanto]

hi Mark, the problem is your variable name, it should not resemble reserved words (object name in this case)

do

var path2 instead

[m1b]

Ah! Yes that was my problem. Thank you Carlos! I've been warned before about doing that before (@femkeblanco!) and I didn't see it this time. I've been using other languages were the idiom is to use the property name as a local variable. I must remember that ExtendScript has very lax variable scoping.

- Mark

[CarlosCanto]

it happens, I used to have the same problem but couldn't understand why some variable names raised errors. My solution? I named all my variables in Spanish Lol.

[m1b]

Ha ha! 

var problema = 'solved!';

[CarlosCanto]

jajaja (hahaha in Spanish)

[m1b]

Hey Carlos and Silly-V, I have done a few hours of experimenting with this new witchcraft and I'd like to share it. Would it be best to post here or should I make a new topic? I have made a script to help parse the effect markup from a raw .ai document and made a video of the technique. Also a bunch of xml snippets for various live effects. What do you think? I've never really made this kind of contribution before.

 - Mark

[femkeblanco]

Hi @m1b .  Please do share.  I think if you make a new topic it might be more easily seen/found.  

[Silly-V]

Yes, this will be extremely useful for everyone, thanks!

[CarlosCanto]

Hi Mark, I agree, it will be useful for everyone. It might be best to start a new thread.

[m1b]

Thanks, I started a new thread here: Scripting Live Effects. If you get a chance have a look and tell me what errors to fix! - Mark

[m1b]

Hi rikoc40685425, thanks to heaps of help from Silly-V and Carlos, I've just been introduced to the applyEffect method and I've put together a quick script that might do what you need. Let me know if it works for you. - Mark

// select an object and this will apply the rasterize live effect

var dpi = 30;
var antialiasing = false;
var typeOptimizedAntialiasing = false; // if false, will use 'art optimized'
var transparentBackground = true;
var paddingAroundInPts = 0;
var colrIndex = 1;  // 0 = RGB, 1 = CMYK, 2 = Grayscale, 3 = Bitmap
var clipMask = false;

var rasterizeXML = '<LiveEffect name="Adobe Rasterize"><Dict data="I colr #colr# B alis #alis# I dpi. #dpi# B mask #mask# R padd #padd# I optn #optn# "/></LiveEffect>';

rasterizeXML = rasterizeXML
    .replace(/#colr#/, colrIndex + (transparentBackground ? 4 : 0))
    .replace(/#alis#/, antialiasing ? 1 : 0)
    .replace(/#dpi#/, Math.round(dpi))
    .replace(/#mask#/, clipMask ? 1 : 0)
    .replace(/#padd#/, paddingAroundInPts)
    .replace(/#optn#/, typeOptimizedAntialiasing ? 16 : 0);

var item = app.activeDocument.selection[0];
item.applyEffect(rasterizeXML);

Edit: added other colour models.

[rikoc40685425]

Hi m1b, CarlosCanto & Silly-V, ..

Im sorry for late reply..

I've seens ur new thread also.. Its very useful, very good..

For AI CC2015 its work perfectly,

But, actually I use AI CS2014 and its not working, the problem same like ur first reply, the variable name its not a function.. I have tried to use the unique name, like path2 also, but still not working..

My conclution, live effect is not working for cs4, could u help me once again, to solve this problem..

 Appreciated ur creation, thanks..

[femkeblanco]

applyEffect() only works from CS6 onwards.  

[rikoc40685425]

Hi femkeblanco,

U r correct, below attached image for reference that I got from this thread "Rasterize .pngs in document and move to specific layer", solve by Silly-V..

Thanks everyone..

 

[m1b]

Oh! I see you are happy with the document.rasterize() method. I was on the wrong track because I read "the effect rasterize" in your question and assumed you needed a live effect version. Oops.

Glad you sorted it out. 🙂