How do I put rectangles in a group (JavaScript)?

[_Bill_Wetzel_]

Hello,

I have a JavaScript script that draws several graphics rectangles on a page. I would like to put them in a group, the same as I would manually with a selection and ctrl-G.

I have tried many, many approaches but am unable to do it. I would be grateful if someone could either post a code fragment or sketch an outline of what I should do.

Thanks much,
Bill

[Peter Kahrel]

This groups all text frames on the first page of a document:

doc = app.activeDocument;
doc.pages[0].groups.add (doc.pages[0].textFrames);

Peter

[_Bill_Wetzel_]

Peter,

Thanks for your suggestion. I was able to get that far along in my work. However, I don't want to group ALL the rectangles on the page, only the ones that I create with my script. I obviously have the rectangle returned by rectangles.add() but I can't figure out how to go from that to a group.

Thanks,
Bill

[_Dave_Saunders_]

Hi Bill,

If you're labeling the rectangles as you create them, then this should work:

myGroup = myPage.groups.add(myPage.rectangles.item("GroupMe"));

Dave

[_Dave_Saunders_]

You can also use an array. For example, say you had a mix of items that met various criteria, you could do something like this:

myPage = app.documents[0].pages[0];

groupies = new Array();

myPIs = myPage.pageItems;

for (var j = myPIs.length - 1; j >= 0; j--) {

  if (myPIs.label == "GroupMe") {

    groupies.push(myPIs);

  }

}

myGroup = myPage.groups.add(groupies);

I've just used one criterion here, but you could have as many tests as you want within the loop.

Dave

[_Bill_Wetzel_]

Hi Dave,

Thanks, I'll give it a try.
Bill
> A new message was posted by Dave Saunders in
>
> *InDesign Scripting* --
> How do I put rectangles in a group (JavaScript)?
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> If you're labeling the rectangles as you create them, then this should
> work:
>
> myGroup = myPage.groups.add(myPage.rectangles.item("GroupMe"));
>
> Dave

[_Bill_Wetzel_]

Hi Dave,

Thanks much. Just one more thought... Is there some way to identify the index in pageItems or the specific pageItem of an newly created rectangle, that is, from the rectangle returned by rectangles.new()? I could then push that specific PI onto an array and after I make all the rectangles I could then make the group from the array of PIs as you did above.

Bill

[_Dave_Saunders_]

Sure:

myRect = myPage.rectangles.add();
myGroupies.push(myRect);

Dave

[_Bill_Wetzel_]

That was the first thing that I tried and I'm quite sure that it didn't work. myPage.rectangles.add() returns a rectangle, not a pageItem. groups.add() expects an array of pageItems and was displeased when I called it with a list of rectangles. I'll try it again in the event that I had something screwed up.

Bill

[_Dave_Saunders_]

Rectangles are page items.

Page item is a generic kind of object; rectangles are specific kinds.

It is, though, possible to create an array of rectangles (or any page items) that can't be grouped. For example, if oone (or more) of the rectangles is already in a group or is anchored to text. Or if the objects are on different spreads.

The syntactic correctness of a parameter doesn't assure success.

Dave

[_Bill_Wetzel_]

Aha! Now that makes a lot of things clearer. Thanks! I'll give the array of my newly created rectangles another try. There was probably something else at play during my first test.

[_Bill_Wetzel_]

Dave & others,

After an afternoon of some frustration, mostly due to noobie issues:

1) The distinction between "Selection" vs. "Direct Selection" pointers.
2) That a group cannot contain just one item

I was finally able to accomplish exactly what I wanted. I push each rectangle onto an array as I make it. I then page.groups.add() that array of rectangles and then select the group. Works perfect.

My sincere thanks for your help. I really appreciate it. Lots to learn.

Bill