Save As Script - Path definition and naming

[Dimitris Xydas]

Hello all!

I'm new to scripting and my coding knowledge is quite limited. I'm trying to:

1. Locate Parent folder (02 FINALS), then EPS folder and save there a new .ai file with the same name as the original + "outlined" at the end.

2. The new file must be cs6 with these first 4 options checked:

 

Here is my so far code:

function exportFileToAI() {
if (app.documents.length > 0) {

var ai6Doc = app.activeDocument.path;

var saveOptions = new IllustratorSaveOptions();

saveOptions.compatibility = Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR6;

saveOptions.pdfCompatible = true;
saveOptions.embedLinkedFiles = true;
saveOptions.embedICCProfile = true;
saveOptions.compressed = true;

app.activeDocument.saveAs(ai6Doc, saveOptions);
}
}

...and I am stuck.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[Doug A Roberts]

I can't help you with the rest, but I should just point out that this:

saveOptions.compatibility = Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR6;

gives compatibility with Illustrator version 6 (1996). Illustrator CS6 is version 16.

[Dimitris Xydas]

oh, didn't know that. Thank you very much 🙂

[Manan Joshi]

Hi Doug, shouldn't it be Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR16 instead of Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR6

As you mentioned CS6 is version 16 and even the API documentation describes the values from Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR8 onwards.

-Manan

[Manan Joshi · Accepted solution]

Try the following

function exportFileToAI() {
	if (app.documents.length > 0) {

		var ai6Doc = app.activeDocument.path;
		var parentPath = ai6Doc.parent
		var epsFolder = parentPath + "/EPS/"
		var newFPath = new File(epsFolder + app.activeDocument.name.split(".")[0] + "outlined.ai")
		var saveOptions = new IllustratorSaveOptions();
		saveOptions.compatibility = Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR16;
		saveOptions.pdfCompatible = true;
		saveOptions.embedLinkedFiles = true;
		saveOptions.embedICCProfile = true;
		saveOptions.compressed = true;
		app.activeDocument.saveAs(newFPath, saveOptions);
	}
}

-Manan

[Dimitris Xydas]

Hey, thank you very much. It seems that i stumbled upon another problem. Every time i run the script nothing happens. I have no feedback from the system meaning something like "alert error in line 25 etc...". Nothing happens, no new file, no nothing. First time i run it i assumed it worked bcz of the lack of feedback. And i assume the code is correct but still... any tips?

[Inventsable]

Are you running it on an untitled file that you haven't saved anywhere yet?

[Manan Joshi]

I hope you did add the method call statement to the code i have, i.e. the following

exportFileToAi()

If not then add it as the last line of the script. If it still does not work, then can you send a video of the whole process on your end.

-Manan

[Dimitris Xydas]

Woops...

ok I did add it and i got this

[Inventsable]

Your "Ai" in the function name at the bottom is not capitalized, ha. It should be "AI". Happens to all of us, but that's an advantage to using an editor like VSCode instead of plaintext

[Dimitris Xydas]

Ok thank you... it worked!

[Inventsable]

Try this:

function exportFileToAI() {
  if (app.documents.length > 0) {
    var path =
      app.activeDocument.path.length > 0
        ? app.activeDocument.path.parent
        : Folder.desktop;
    var folder = Folder((path += "/EPS/"));

    if (!folder.exists) folder.create();

    path +=
      app.activeDocument.name.replace(/\.[^(\\|\/)]*$/, "") + "outlined.ai";
    
    var newFPath = File(path);

    var saveOptions = new IllustratorSaveOptions();
    saveOptions.compatibility = Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR16;
    saveOptions.pdfCompatible = true;
    saveOptions.embedLinkedFiles = true;
    saveOptions.embedICCProfile = true;
    saveOptions.compressed = true;
    app.activeDocument.saveAs(newFPath, saveOptions);
  }
}

I think this should work even if you haven't saved the file before or a path resolution error happens when the folder doesn't exist.