Script for automatically changing path directions

[37449452]

I need a script for Illustrator that does the following:

1. First path follows clockwise direction
2. Second path inside the 1. Path follows a countclockwise direction
3. Third path inside the 2. path follows clockwise direction .... and this cycle repeats...

To Illustrate what I mean see the picture:

and this follows, depending on the amount of paths inside each other.

Does anyone knows how to solve this?

Thank you in advance!

[CarlosCanto]

Is doing it by hand an option?

- select all your circles

- grab the Shape Builder Tool

- puch holes with it

- apply PathFinder Unite

- ungroup

- release Compound Paths

Carlos

[37449452]

Hey Carlos,

doing by hand is not an option because I need to edit hundres of vector data and this would take me a lot of time to do everything manually.

[Kurt Gold]

Which version of Illustrator are you using?

Also, in cases like this one it is often recommendable to provide at least one meaningful sample Illustrator file (.ai) to demonstrate a representative situation. This way, it is much easier to brood about possible automated ways.

[37449452]

I am using the lastest Illustrator version.

I need an automated way of doing this since I am not editing one file specifically but figuring out how to edit hundreds of files.

Paths need to be organised this way I've described because it will be used for laser marking and the software for that reads the data this way for correct lasermarking.

[37449452]

https://we.tl/t-DQwWveLHb3

[femkeblanco]

var d1 = prompt("diameter (in points) of outer circle");
var n = prompt("number of circles");
var d = app.activeDocument.artboards[0].artboardRect;
var paths = app.activeDocument.pathItems;
var direction = false;
for (var i = 0; i < n; i++) {
    var d2 = (d1/n) * (n-i) ;
    direction = !direction;
    var circle1 = paths.ellipse(d[3]/2+d2/2, d[2]/2-d2/2, d2, d2, direction);
    circle1.stroked = true;
    circle1.filled = false;
}

[Kurt Gold]

Femkeblanco, do you think that your approach is a reliable way without checking a sample file?

I'm not sure.

[femkeblanco]

I agree.  It's a shot in the dark. 

[37449452]

Here is an example file 😄

https://we.tl/t-DQwWveLHb3

[Kurt Gold]

Clint Eastwood had some good shots in the dark some years ago.

But he was always careful and clear-sighted.

Nonetheless, your snippet is very good.

[37449452]

Hi Kurt, Like I said in the previous comments,

I will be editing hundreds of different vector files, and I need to be able to follow this "logic" I've described above.

Outer Path must follow clockwise. First inner paths must follow counterwise, and so on and on.

See an example 😄

[37449452]

https://we.tl/t-DQwWveLHb3v Here is the example file of what I described above

[Inventsable]

A shorthand to doing this is to rely on the native menu item via Object > Path > Reverse Path Direction:

(function() {
  var actionString =
    "/version 3 /name [ 11 7265766572736550617468 ] /isOpen 1 /actionCount 1 /action-1 { /name [ 11 7265766572736550617468 ] /keyIndex 0 /colorIndex 0 /isOpen 1 /eventCount 1 /event-1 { /useRulersIn1stQuadrant 0 /internalName (ai_plugin_reversePathDirection) /localizedName [ 22 	52657665727365205061746820446972656374696f6e ] /isOpen 0 /isOn 1 /hasDialog 0 /parameterCount 0 } }";
  function runActionFromString(actionName, actionSet, contents) {
    var tmp = File(Folder.desktop + "/reversePath.aia");
    tmp.open("w");
    tmp.write(contents);
    tmp.close();
    app.loadAction(tmp);
    app.doScript(actionName, actionSet, false);
    app.unloadAction(actionSet, "");
  }
  runActionFromString("reversePath", "reversePath", actionString);
})();

[CarlosCanto]

or 

app.executeMenuCommand("Reverse Path Direction");

[Inventsable]

I looked for that! But I didn't see it on this list so I assumed we had to do it via action. Where do you go to look for the canonical list of menu commands?

[femkeblanco]

This is the list I use, but it's not on this either:

https://ten-artai.com/illustrator-ccver-22-menu-commands-list/ 

Also, I don't think there any other ways to reverse the direction of an already-created path with scripting, are there?  

[CarlosCanto]

I didn't see it in the list either, so I just experimented a little, I got lucky with the menu name.

[pixxxelschubser]

Hi all,

just to play:

app.activeDocument.pathItems[0].polarity = (app.activeDocument.pathItems[0].polarity == PolarityValues.NEGATIVE)  ? PolarityValues.POSITIVE : PolarityValues.NEGATIVE;

[pixxxelschubser]

But honestly?
This is a job for the laser software (but not Illustrator)