illy actions
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- spifflink
So I haven't really ever used actions much in illustrator, mostly just batch saving for web and lame stuff like that. What I have now though is 800+ ai files that are templates for packaging that all need to have their approval/signature boxes replaced with a new version. Is there a way to set an action up to do something like this (copy from the master doc>clear original box on certain layer>paste new box>center on artboard>save as illustrator cs 4 ai, pdf compatible). Every time I record that workflow, it just tells me that I don't know what I am doing. Sad.
- ESKEMA0
lol @ last sentence. sorry, never used AI actions...
- horton0
hard knowing what you're trying to do here: [copy from the master doc>clear original box on certain layer>paste new box]
... but you won't be able to specify an object selection unless it's the only object on a layer.
if you can just delete the layer with object to clear that's doable, so long as layer naming is consistent across 800 files.
last 3 command are easy.
- spifflink0
ah yeah, the signature box is not the only object, it is supposed to be on the same layer as the dieline template. weak!
- marychain0
Should be doable.
Can you be a tad more specific....or send the file along?
- horton0
or just load all pages into acrobat, crop off the old signature box, save as pdf and place onto new pages.
- frozendeadgumby0
ive learned more things from horton dropping down the illy tips and tricks than i ever did during school.
thanks horton you are a god amongst vectors.
- bored2death0
You're probably going to have to write a javascript for it.
Utilities > Adobe Utilities > ExtendScript Toolkit
- haha maybe a good time to learn it then!spifflink
- It's really a shame that Illustrator actions are not as easy to make as Photoshop ones.bored2death
- horton0
could you possibly just paste a new signature box overtop the old one without deleting? that'd be doable with actions.
- spifflink0
More specifically we have these about 850 different template/dieline documents that we use when making mockups for people or when people send in artwork to have their stuff printed on pvc film. We have that many because we've adjusted the sizing and just saved it out as a new template. We have an approval box where we have all the client info and spot colors and a place for them to sign on approval. We have a new master document with a brand new box with some new legalese added in there and we have to go through and swap the old one with this new one. The problem is that its not the only thing on that layer and not all templates are the same artboard size.
- acescence0
well obviously you'll want to update this system to use symbols so you'll never have this headache again ;)
the only way you'll be able to do this is via scripting, but to act on objects you need to be able to select them consistently from doc to doc, meaning they have to all be in the same position in the stacking order, or have some unique graphic style so they can be selected.
at the very worst, you could write a script that basically swaps selected items for your new symbol, so you'd then have to go thru every doc and select the thing you want to replace, but the rest would be automated.
- making it a symbol may work, but it might be a pain to have to expand it every time you want to update text in the client info fieldsspifflink
- horton0
sounds like a good time to start over and build your company's templates the right way.
illustrator dielines linked into indesign pages with specs on masters might also be a good way to manage.
- NONEIS0
hindsight is 20/20, but elements being used this many times should be linked in, not copied in, so you can update it once...