UNLINKING SYMBOLS INSTANCES

[J4e8a16n]

hI,

I would like to unlink all symbols instances used in a file.

I have tried something that does not work. The script does not unlink because I am stuck at this step.

#target illustrator

var doc=activeDocument;

UnlinkAll(doc);
function UnlinkAll(doc){
     var SLen=doc.symbols.length-1;
     for (si=SLen;si>-1;si--){
   alert(doc.symbolItems.getByName(doc.symbols[si])) ;

     return true;
     }
}

JPD

[Muppet_Mark-QAl63s]

Is there a method for 'Unlinking' symbol instances?

[Larry G. Schneider]

Not that I can see.

[Muppet_Mark-QAl63s]

I even checked in the scripting docs for newer versions that what I have and nothing had changed… In the GUI you could remove the symbol from the palette but you would be prompted for how you wish to handle it… I have not tried this with script and dialogs off…

[Jongware]

The Scripting Help lists both Symbol and SymbolItem -- but neither of them has 'unlink', or something synonymous ...

[CarlosCanto]

not an "unlink" method but...

Illustrator.ActiveDocument.Symbols("SymbolName").Delete

will unlink all instances automatically

if you must preserve the symbol duplicate it first, save its name, then rename the duplicate

[J4e8a16n]

In fact the following script  seems to do the job. It  unlink the instan

ces while removing the symbols in the symbols palette. I could not make the Delete 'thing' work.

I dont know if it is possible to unlink and keep the symbols.

#target illustrator

var doc=activeDocument;

VectorizSymbols All(doc);
function VectorizSymbolAll(doc){
     var SLen=doc.symbols.length-1;
     for (si=SLen;si>-1;si--){
doc.symbols[si].remove();
}
     return true;
}

JPD

[CarlosCanto]

oh, sorry I should have mentioned the sample code is in VBA, the sintax is a little different. Let me try to do the delete "thing" in JS...

[CarlosCanto]

here it is

#target illustrator


var doc=activeDocument;

VectorizSymbolAll(doc);
function VectorizSymbolAll(doc){
     var SLen=doc.symbols.length-1;
     for (si=SLen;si>-1;si--){
         var symbolName = doc.symbols[si].name
         doc.symbols[si].duplicate(doc, ElementPlacement.PLACEATBEGINNING);
         doc.symbols[si].remove();
         doc.symbols[symbolName + " 1"].name = symbolName
}
     return true;
}