Illustrator Actions/Scripts

[camerond22500170]

Hi there,

We are wanting to set up an action to copy contents of one file and place them into another file with extra properties like size of copied element etc. I have tried the actions but it doesn't quite record everything I need it to do so this leads me to believe we need to write a script which I don't think I will be very good at. 

Here's an exmaple, we have files we call Visuals, which are completed before files we call Jobsheets. We would like to copy some particular layers out of here to place into jobsheet which in result saves us much time doing the transfer of these layers manually. What this action/script would include is the following: unlocking layers, making selections of layers in the layers panel, copying layer, pasting layer into another document, resizing layer using percentage, moving layers to appropriate position. This "other document" so to speak is already templated ready to go and whether or not this template file gets copied into the same directory as original file before script is run is easilya achieved.

Can someone please help and advise what they think would be the best way to achieve this?

Thanks in advance!

Cam

[Kurt Gold]

Which version of Illustrator are you using?

Also, it would help if you can provide a couple of sample .ai files with precise instructions.

[camerond22500170]

Thanks for your reply Kurt! Files in link below. We mainly have them as PDF. Will this be an issue?

We are using latest Illustrator 2020.

Thanks again Kurt!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9i5yyvgztl9h4lb/AADsc-vk8m-HlZcQjSX2hrNZa?dl=0 

[Kurt Gold]

Thanks for the sample files and the elaborate instructions, Cameron.

I would think there might be some chances to at least partially automate it with actions if we were talking about well-structured Illustrator files (.ai format).

But since you are mainly using .pdf files (without a separate .ai portion), I'd say that this is rather impossible by using actions and I doubt that there may be an easy way to do it with a script.

As always, when opening pure .pdf files in Illustrator you get a cluster of nested clipping groups that are gathered in one main clipping group. A certain number of them would first have to be released/ungrouped in order to reasonably process them with actions, but it would be almost impossible to automatically detect unique object attributes to make the required selections.

Unfortunately, at the moment I cannot provide a useful automated solution in this case.

[CarlosCanto]

Kurt, I was able to open the pdf files without issues with cc2020. All layers are intact, no clipping masks.

the whole process can be scripted, but it would take some work to put a solution together.

[Kurt Gold]

You are right, Carlos. By carelessness I opened the files in AI CC 2019 and missed the usual warning message. Of course, I then got only the .pdf portion of the files.

Thanks for the cue. Now I can think about a way to do it with actions as well.

[camerond22500170]

Really appreciate you two having a look into this for me. It tells me that it isn't possible from Illustrtors normal actions or potentially even a plugin found online and is out of my depth. Would be really cool to see illustrators actions work like photoshops at some stage.

Let me know how you get on Kurt. Did you want to discuss outside of forum?

Thanks team!

Cam 

[Kurt Gold · Accepted solution]

Good evening, Cameron.

Well, I wouldn't claim that it is not possible to do it with actions, but it may be a very bumpy ride to go that way.

Carlos foretold that he can probably make a script that will do what you are looking for. I'd recommend to ask him and check possible conditions.