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How to export paths to AI in action / batch

New Here ,
Apr 14, 2020 Apr 14, 2020

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Hi,

 

Ive recorded an action to export paths from adobe photoshop to Illustrator (ai files). It is working pretty well, but the action is exporting always to the exactly same filename. So if I use the action in batch mode for many files, I only get one ai file in the end because it is always overwriting the same file.

 

How can I set a dynamic filename for the export paths to illustrator function?

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks alot!

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Community Expert , Apr 14, 2020 Apr 14, 2020

Try this script. It can be recorded as an action step and then used in File > Automate > Batch command. Files must be saved, exported files will be saved in the same folder as the original file using the same variable document name with suffix of "_Paths" and the ".ai" filename extension.

 

Such as:

Original Image Name.psd

Original Image Name_Paths.ai

(this suffix is easy to remove from the script if you don't like it)

 

Downloading and Installing Adobe Scripts

 

 

 

// Export All Paths to Illu
...

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Community Expert ,
Apr 14, 2020 Apr 14, 2020

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If you have a problem with an action you want help with  you need to post the Action's  ActionSet.atn file so we can see exactly how he action has been created.  

 

It sound like you are using a save as step and have recorded a file name into the action step.  You should not record a name you should just let Photoshop default to the current  document's name.

JJMack

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Community Expert ,
Apr 15, 2020 Apr 15, 2020

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Unlike saving a file, exporting the paths always seems to hard-code the same document name:

 

path-export.png

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Community Expert ,
Apr 14, 2020 Apr 14, 2020

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This is due to how the action records the export, I don't believe that you have any control over this with an action. 

 

It is probably scriptable using exportDocument with ExportOptionsIllustrator and appropriate properties, variables etc.

 

I'll see if I have time to come up with something later.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 14, 2020 Apr 14, 2020

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Try this script. It can be recorded as an action step and then used in File > Automate > Batch command. Files must be saved, exported files will be saved in the same folder as the original file using the same variable document name with suffix of "_Paths" and the ".ai" filename extension.

 

Such as:

Original Image Name.psd

Original Image Name_Paths.ai

(this suffix is easy to remove from the script if you don't like it)

 

Downloading and Installing Adobe Scripts

 

 

 

// Export All Paths to Illustrator Using Variable Document Name.jsx

#target photoshop

/*
Export all paths to Illustrator format using the current document name
This script is suitable for use in the File > Automate > Batch command
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/how-to-export-paths-to-ai-in-action-batch/m-p/11049923 
How to export paths to AI in action / batch
*/

/* Start Unsaved Document Error Check - Part A: Try */
unSaved();

function unSaved() {
    try {
        activeDocument.path;
        /* Finish Unsaved Document Error Check - Part A: Try */

        /* Main Code Start */

        /* Based on the following topic thread:
        https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/exporting-all-paths-to-illustrator-error/m-p/8796143 */

        var doc = app.activeDocument;
        var docPath = doc.path;
        var docName = doc.name.replace(/\.[^\.]+$/, '');
        var newFile = File(docPath + '/' + docName + '_Paths' + '.ai');
        var expOptions = new ExportOptionsIllustrator;
        expOptions.path = IllustratorPathType.ALLPATHS;
        doc.exportDocument(newFile, ExportType.ILLUSTRATORPATHS, expOptions);
        // alert('All Photoshop paths have been exported as a single Illustrator file in:' + '\r' + docPath);

        /* Main Code Finish */

        /* Start Unsaved Document Error Check - Part B: Catch */
    } catch (err) {
        alert('An image must be both open and/or saved before running this script!')
    }
}
/* Finish Unsaved Document Error Check - Part B : Catch */

 

 

 

atn-batch.png

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New Here ,
Apr 15, 2020 Apr 15, 2020

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Hey Stephen,

 

your script was exactly what I was looking for and is working like a charm 🙂

 

Thanks a lot!

 

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Community Expert ,
Apr 15, 2020 Apr 15, 2020

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Glad to be of help and thank you for the courtesy of the reply, like and correct answer!

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Explorer ,
Jun 16, 2021 Jun 16, 2021

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I am struggling to get this to work. Simply paste into TextEdit, save as a .JS file ... then place file into Scripts folder. But nothing shows up and the script doesn't run. Using Apple Script Editor, the code breaks right away. What am I doing wrong?!

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Community Expert ,
Jun 17, 2021 Jun 17, 2021

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You are assuming that this is AppleScript, when it is JavaScript. EDIT: Also ensure that you are saving as TXT and not RTF.

 

Downloading and Installing Adobe Scripts

 

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Explorer ,
Jun 17, 2021 Jun 17, 2021

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I’m just a silly graphic designer, not a coder or programmer. Not trying to assume anything, just that this “walkthrough” is not easy to follow.

I copied the code into both TextEdit and Apple Script and … then am lost. Anyone have a video showing step by step?

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Community Expert ,
Jun 17, 2021 Jun 17, 2021

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Don't sell yourself short!

 

I don't know of a video, it is really not that hard.

 

(1) Copy the code text to the clipboard

(2) Open a new blank file in a plain-text editor (not word processor)

(3) Paste the code in

(4) Save the text file as .txt

(5) Rename the text .txt to .jsx

(6) Install or browse to the .jsx file to run

(7) If these simple instructions are too abbreviated, you may need to read in more detail the full instructions:

Downloading and Installing Adobe Scripts

 

Forget about AppleScript, the code is JavaScript.

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Explorer ,
Jul 08, 2021 Jul 08, 2021

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Hmmm...

followed your directions, also looked at the provided link

 

Question: I've got the .JSX file created

I go into File > Scripts > Script Events Manager

I then Select Enable Events To Run Scripts/Actions.

 

which Event would you recommend choosing/creating?

This is the problematic area it appears.  Please suggest the right Event.  I'll add an event, and I'll use the Event Codes  "Export expr"

I then select Script, and then choose the script (your .JXS file) to run when the about export event occurs.

I then click ADD

 

I then run my Action (which has the export to illlustrator paths in the ATN action)

It keeps rewriting over the initial file name

 

I can understand the previous authors frustration.
Can you check your .JXS code to see if it's correct?

Could you write out all the appropriate Script Events Manager steps?

 

many thanks

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Community Expert ,
Jul 08, 2021 Jul 08, 2021

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It sounds like you are a little confused...

 

quote

Hmmm...

followed your directions, also looked at the provided link

 

Question: I've got the .JSX file created

I go into File > Scripts > Script Events Manager

I then Select Enable Events To Run Scripts/Actions.

 

which Event would you recommend choosing/creating?

This is the problematic area it appears.  Please suggest the right Event.  I'll add an event, and I'll use the Event Codes  "Export expr"

I then select Script, and then choose the script (your .JXS file) to run when the about export event occurs.

I then click ADD

 

I then run my Action (which has the export to illlustrator paths in the ATN action)

It keeps rewriting over the initial file name

 

I can understand the previous authors frustration.
Can you check your .JXS code to see if it's correct?

Could you write out all the appropriate Script Events Manager steps?

 

many thanks


By @nycprinter

 

Where did I mention using the Scripts Events Manager for this script in this topic thread? I believe that you are the one that brought this up.

 

My original instruction was to record this script into an action. Then use the batch command to play hte action on selected files.

 

Did you pehaps post in the wrong forum topic?

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Community Expert ,
Jul 08, 2021 Jul 08, 2021

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I just tested and everything works fine.

 

I created/saved two different PSD file. Both had different file names and multiple different path names in each file.

 

Running the JavaScript manually on each open document created a new single .AI per single .PSD, each .AI file had all of the paths that were in the .PSD in the .AI file. Each .AI file had the same name as the source .PSD file with the suffix addition of _Paths added.

 

I then recorded the use of this script into an action.

 

I then ran a batch using the action that referenced this script.

 

2 output .AI files were produced from the 2 input .PSD files.

 

I didn't use Script Events Manager.

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Explorer ,
Jul 08, 2021 Jul 08, 2021

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Hi Stephen,

Thanks for helping out, it has been very frustrating

 

Ok, I guess I didn't comprehend that part on making the .JXS file into a action step. 

I read up on how to manual run a JXS script  (file->scripts-> jxs)

 

I realize I needed to have my action record this critical step... just ran the action , and yes, you are correct. Everything worked perfectly.  Sorry for my confusion and thanks for the clarity!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Community Expert ,
Jul 08, 2021 Jul 08, 2021

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No worries, the script could be altered so that it can perform the batch operation itself, without the hack of recording the script into an action and then batching the action... I just used that hack as it is flexible and quick, without having to write and test more code for the batch processing.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 10, 2021 Dec 10, 2021

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I'm using Illustrator 2020 and there is no File > Automate > Batch menu. instead I try File > Scripts > Other Script and import your code (saved as .jsx file). Then I get a msgbox alert "An image must be both open and/or saved before running this script!" (which I have opened my ai files already.)

 

I run the same file in Apple Script Editor using javascript and get the same result. what did I do wrong?

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Community Expert ,
Dec 10, 2021 Dec 10, 2021

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This is not an Illustrator script, it is a JavaScript for Photoshop. The clue is here:

 

#target photoshop

 

By itself, the script will save the vector paths of the file open in Photoshop . It can also be run on a batch of raster files to save out the vector paths for multiple files (if the script is recorded into an action and run as a batch action). 

 

So what you are doing wrong is using it in Illustrator, which does not have the same menus, nor does it use the same DOM code as the script is for Photoshop.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 10, 2021 Dec 10, 2021

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I forgot to mention, I need to export .ai into .png inside Adobe Illustrator 2020. I guess if there is a script setting in PS then there might be the same setting existed in AI too.

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Community Expert ,
Dec 10, 2021 Dec 10, 2021

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You are in the wrong forum, should post in the Adobe Illustrator forum:

 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator/ct-p/ct-illustrator

 

 

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 11, 2021 Dec 11, 2021

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will do. thanks!

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