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Posted on 16/05/12 00:13:50 AM |
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tank172
ThreeDee Thriller Posts: 692 Reply  |
Illustrator CS5 - Scripting question
I'm trying to figure out a solution in Illustrator to take several groups of vector artwork (like logos, etc) and "at the click of a button" have it magically do the following: Select All artwork --> Merge (Unite) the vector elements so only their outermost borders remain.... like a now empty logo with only an outer border. --> Then Select All borders (masks) --> Create 100pt Stroke --> Outline Stroke --> Blend (create gradient feathered border with certain ink combinations) So the result is only an outline of the old artwork, with a gradient feather that fades from one color to the background (which is black) I tried to create a script in Illustrator that will handle this automatically, but I'm having so many problems getting it to work properly. Has anyone experience with automated functions in Illustrator? Perhaps another solution (InDesign, Photoshop?) would produce the same results easier? This can obviously be acheived manually, but the problem is this process needs to be repeated in a production environment, several times a day. I've been searching around for Illustrator scripting tutorials. Sadly, not much luck yet. Thank you, Chris |
Posted on 16/05/12 00:16:05 AM |
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tank172
ThreeDee Thriller Posts: 692 Reply |
Re: Illustrator CS5 - Scripting question
Also, the incoming files will range from PDF, EPS, AI, etc. Vector artwork. The final file (after running script) will have 400% registration black for the background and equal mixture of ink for the masks and the gradient fade. |
Posted on 16/05/12 08:05:13 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 6997 Reply  |
Re: Illustrator CS5 - Scripting question
This is certainly something you could do in Photoshop, especially using CS6, where you can now apply Layer Styles to groups. I've never looked into scripting in Illustrator, which doesn’t have any equivalent of Photoshop's Actions panel. I suspect this might be the wrong forum in which to ask! |
Posted on 16/05/12 3:18:19 PM |
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tank172
ThreeDee Thriller Posts: 692 Reply |
Re: Illustrator CS5 - Scripting question
Thank you Steve. You bring out an interesting idea. I could limit the script in Illustrator to only simplify the artwork into basic shapes (masks). Which I have been able to accomplish already. Then bring the file into Photoshop and setup an action that takes those simple shapes, fills them and applies the gradient fade. It would be a 2-step process, but I think you found me a workable solution! Now I wonder, if I could drop a file into a folder on the desktop "hotfolder" that will open it into Illustrator --> apply the script --> and saves the file into a second hotfolder that will then be opened in Photoshop for the final step in the process. Perhaps I need to explore Apple's Automator for mac, but I have no idea what would do the same thing for Windows. Maybe a macro? I'm sure this topic may be a foreign language to some, but it's worth a shot to post anyway for thoughts and ideas, never know who might read it. 
Thanks Steve! I think the Illustrator to Photoshop process would work well. |
Posted on 17/05/12 07:48:48 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 6997 Reply |
Re: Illustrator CS5 - Scripting question
If you're going to end up in Photoshop, then surely there's no need for the Illustrator stage at all - it doesn't matter how complicated the artwork is when you open it in Photoshop, all you need to do is fill the layer with a single colour. |