Lenght of a path

[Ralf Steinert]

Hi all! I wonder if there is way of measuring the total lengt of path in Adobe InDesign - not the outer box dimensions nor the x/y-positions.
To make it clear: I was creating a new racetrack layout (true-to-scale) and now I have to know how many meters of barriers are needed to build it.
Many thanks in advance, Ralf

[Luke Jennings3 · Accepted solution]

I don't know if there is a way to get the exact length of a line, but you could create a dashed line, count the dashes and gaps and multiply by the scale factor of your drawing, which should give you a ballpark number.

[Ralf Steinert]

Hi Luke, that's a very clever work-around. Thank you very much!

[pixxxelschubser · Accepted solution]

A thought:

Why not do your drawing in Illustrator? There you have a lot more options for creating and editing.

If you don't want to design it entirely in Illustrator, you can find the length of the path there in a very simple way:

• copy your path in InDesign
• paste it in Illustrator (set the ruler to the wished unit)
• release the clipping mask and select only your path (or select your path directly with the Group Selection Tool)
• open the Attributes palette - Document Information tab (Options: Objects)

 

 

[Ralf Steinert]

Hi Pixxxelschubser, thanks a lot - it worked! 😉

[pixxxelschubser]

You are welcome.

One sidenote:
Supposed the path is your racetrack - your barriers are some distance from the track. Use in Illustrator the menu: Object -> Path -> Move Path (your distance in correct proportion) to create a second path with the correct distance. Find the length of this second path. This length will be much more accurate.

[Laubender]

Hi Ralf,

see this thread where the problem is discussed and solved with a script by Loic Aigon:

[CC 2018][JS] How to get length of path
tmmls, Jan 25, 2018

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/cc-2018-js-how-to-get-length-of-path/m-p/9637665?page=1#M856...

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[pixxxelschubser]

Hi Uwe,

a very good solution by @Loic.Aigon (as always)

But ufff … so much maths required …

Illustrator as Graphic Program does the same with a small two-line script (include a little error management):

#target Illustrator

// pathItem_get_length_of selected_path.jsx
// please select only one path item
// regards pixxxelschubser 16. Nov. 2020

var sel = app.activeDocument.selection;
alert ((sel.length != 0 && sel[0].typename == "PathItem") ? new UnitValue(sel[0].length, "pt").as("mm").toFixed(2) + " mm" : "wrong selection");

Otherwise this one-liner is sufficient.

alert(new UnitValue(app.activeDocument.selection[0].length, "pt").as("mm").toFixed(2) + " mm");

Have fun

😉

[Geоrge]

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/cc-2018-js-how-to-get-length-of-path/td-p/9637665?page=1

[pixxxelschubser]

Hi @Geоrge 

also a good answer (but this script/thread was already mentioned here by @Laubender in post #6)

[pixxxelschubser]

@Ralf Steinert wrote: "Hi Pixxxelschubser, thanks a lot - it worked! 😉"

It seems that the problem is solved - is it?