Trying to assign a variable name to a masked object using a menu command in jsx

[Maple Stirrup]

But it doesn't seem to work, is there an easy way to make this work?  I want to manipulate the mask that's created, and it would be easier if it had a name.

var clippedL = app.executeMenuCommand('makeMask');

[femkeblanco]

A clipping mask is just a group with the "clipped" perperty set to true.  So you can create a group (either manually or through a script) and assign it to a variable and then create a clipping mask from that group. 

var mask = app.activeDocument.groupItems["your_group_name"];
mask.selected = true;
app.executeMenuCommand('makeMask');

[Maple Stirrup]

Ok here's where I'm still getting stuck.  This is probably ridiculously simple but I'm still pretty new and I'm not figuring it out.

My mask is a shape I have the script make, but the artwork that it clips is existing art. 

I guess I'm trying to just assign a variable name to the masked content, so I can better manipulate it, but I'm struggling with what seems like that easy task.

Like, if I rotate my mask shape, it's just the mask that rotates, and not the entirety of the contents.

[nearz]

If you have a reference to the shape that is drawn for the mask, you can use that reference after it is a mask to modify as need. You can also name the pathItem that is drawn for the mask and get it later on in your script with getByName({{'name'}}).

Here is an example. I have a circle in the document, a rectanlge is drawn, select all, then clip to the rectangle. The recatngle the script drew still has a variable name("rectClip") that can be referenced, with this variable name I can rotate the mask 90º. Of course this would need to be modified to fit your needs.

var rectClip = app.activeDocument.pathItems.rectangle(-200, 0, 612, 200)
rectClip.filled = false
rectClip.name = 'MyClip'
app.executeMenuCommand('selectall')
app.executeMenuCommand('makeMask')
rectClip.rotate(90, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, Transformation.CENTER)

[femkeblanco · Accepted solution]

Beginning with definitions (to void miscommunication): 

• The path doing the masking is called a "clipping path". 
• The path(s) being masked I will call "masked artwork". 
• When you create a clipping mask, the "clipping path" and the "masked artwork" become a group, called a "clipping set". 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you want to assign the "clipping set" to a variable, to be able to reference it.  Since a "clipping set" is a group, you can create a group and assign it to a variable before you create a clipping mask and reference the (same) group afterwards.  

So

(1) You have "masked artwork" in the background and you create a "clipping path". 

var paths = app.activeDocument.pathItems;
var maskedArtwork = paths["maskedArtwork"];
var clippingPath = paths.rectangle(-37.5*2.853, 37.5*2.853, 25*2.853, 25*2.853);
clippingPath.name = "clippingPath";
clippingPath.fillColor = app.activeDocument.swatches["CMYK Magenta"].color;

(2) You create a group, assign it to a variable and move "masked artwork" and the "clipping path" into it.  This will become the "clipping set" when you create a clipping mask. 

var clippingSet = app.activeDocument.groupItems.add();
clippingSet.name = "clippingSet";
maskedArtwork.moveToBeginning(clippingSet);
clippingPath.moveToBeginning(clippingSet);

(3) You create a clipping mask, either by selecting the group and using executeMenuCommand or by setting clipped to true. 

clippingSet.selected = true;
app.executeMenuCommand("makeMask");
// clippingSet.clipped = true;

(4) You can then reference the "clipping set" group by referencing the variable from step 2.  For example, you can rotate the whole group. 

clippingSet.rotate(45);

(5) Or you can individually reference the "clipping path" or "masked artwork" inside the "clipping set" group.  For example, you can rotate just the "clipping path" or just the "masked artwork". 

// clippingSet.pathItems["clippingPath"].rotate(45);
// clippingSet.pathItems["maskedArtwork"].rotate(45);

Easy peasy.

(By the way, I am a beginner too, but it's a steep learning curve.)

Reprise:

var paths = app.activeDocument.pathItems;
var maskedArtwork = paths["maskedArtwork"];
var clippingPath = paths.rectangle(-37.5*2.853, 37.5*2.853, 25*2.853, 25*2.853);
clippingPath.name = "clippingPath";
clippingPath.fillColor = app.activeDocument.swatches["CMYK Magenta"].color;
var clippingSet = app.activeDocument.groupItems.add();
clippingSet.name = "clippingSet";
maskedArtwork.moveToBeginning(clippingSet);
clippingPath.moveToBeginning(clippingSet);
clippingSet.selected = true;
app.executeMenuCommand("makeMask");
// clippingSet.clipped = true;
clippingSet.rotate(45);
// clippingSet.pathItems["clippingPath"].rotate(45);
// clippingSet.pathItems["maskedArtwork"].rotate(45);

[nearz]

Yup, I misread part of the second response from Maple_Stirrup. I thought the goal was to modify the clipping path indivdually and masked art would be static. This is the better example to go by.