Document¶
app.activeDocument
Description
An Illustrator document. Documents are contained in the Application object.
The default document settings—those properties starting with the word “default”—are global settings that affect the current document. Be sure to modify these default properties only when a document is open. Note that if you set default properties to desired values before creating new objects, you can streamline your scripts, eliminating the need to specify specific properties such as fillColor and stroked that have default properties.
A document’s color space, height, and width can only be set when the document is created. You cannot modify these properties in an existing document. See Application.open() for more information on how document color spaces are handled.
Properties¶
Document.activeDataset¶
app.activeDocument.activeDataset
Description
The currently opened dataset.
Type
Document.activeLayer¶
app.activeDocument.activeLayer
Description
The active layer in the document.
Type
Document.activeView¶
app.activeDocument.activeView
Description
The document’s current view.
Type
View, read-only.
Document.artboards¶
app.activeDocument.artboards
Description
All artboards in the document.
Type
Artboards, read-only.
Document.brushes¶
app.activeDocument.brushes
Description
The brushes contained in the document.
Type
Brushes, read-only.
Document.characterStyles¶
app.activeDocument.characterStyles
Description
The list of character styles in this document.
Type
CharacterStyles, read-only.
Document.compoundPathItems¶
app.activeDocument.compoundPathItems
Description
The compound path items contained in the document.
Type
CompoundPathItems, read-only.
Document.cropBox¶
app.activeDocument.cropBox
Description
The boundary of the document’s cropping box for output, or null if no value has been set.
Type
Array of 4 numbers.
Document.cropStyle¶
app.activeDocument.cropStyle
Description
The style of the document’s cropping box.
Type
Document.dataSets¶
app.activeDocument.dataSets
Description
The datasets contained in the document.
Type
Datasets, read-only.
Document.defaultFillColor¶
app.activeDocument.defaultFillColor
Description
The color to use to fill new paths if defaultFilled is true.
Type
Document.defaultFilled¶
app.activeDocument.defaultFilled
Description
If true, a new path should be filled.
Type
Boolean.
Document.defaultFillOverprint¶
app.activeDocument.defaultFillOverprint
Description
If true, the art beneath a filled object should be overprinted by default.
Type
Boolean.
Document.defaultStrokeCap¶
app.activeDocument.defaultStrokeCap
Description
Default type of line capping for paths created.
Type
Document.defaultStrokeColor¶
app.activeDocument.defaultStrokeColor
Description
The stroke color for new paths if default stroked is true.
Type
Document.defaultStroked¶
app.activeDocument.defaultStroked
Description
If true, a new path should be stroked.
Type
Boolean.
Document.defaultStrokeDashes¶
app.activeDocument.defaultStrokeDashes
Description
Default lengths for dashes and gaps in dashed lines, starting with the first dash length, followed by the first gap length, and so on. Set to an empty object, {}, for solid line.
Type
Object.
Document.defaultStrokeDashOffset¶
app.activeDocument.defaultStrokeDashOffset
Description
The default distance into the dash pattern at which the pattern should be started for new paths.
Type
Number (double).
Document.defaultStrokeJoin¶
app.activeDocument.defaultStrokeJoin
Description
Default type of joints in new paths.
Type
Document.defaultStrokeMiterLimit¶
app.activeDocument.defaultStrokeMiterLimit
Description
When a default stroke join is set to mitered, this property specifies when the join will be converted to beveled (squared-off ) by default. The default miter limit of 4 means that when the length of the point reaches four times the stroke weight, the join switches from a miter join to a bevel join. Range: 1 to 500; a value of 1 specifies a bevel join.
Type
Number (double).
Document.defaultStrokeOverprint¶
app.activeDocument.defaultStrokeOverprint
Description
If true, the art beneath a stroked object should be overprinted by default.
Type
Boolean.
Document.defaultStrokeWidth¶
app.activeDocument.defaultStrokeWidth
Description
Default width of stroke for new paths.
Type
Number (double).
Document.documentColorSpace¶
app.activeDocument.documentColorSpace
Description
The color specification system to use for this document’s color space.
Type
Document.fullName¶
app.activeDocument.fullName
Description
The file associated with the document, which includes the complete path to the file.
Type
File, read-only.
Document.geometricBounds¶
app.activeDocument.geometricBounds
Description
The bounds of the illustration excluding the stroke width of any objects in the document.
Type
Array of 4 numbers, read-only.
Document.gradients¶
app.activeDocument.gradients
Description
The gradients contained in the document.
Type
Gradients, read-only.
Document.graphicStyles¶
app.activeDocument.graphicStyles
Description
The graphic styles defined in this document.
Type
GraphicStyles, read-only.
Document.graphItems¶
app.activeDocument.graphItems
Description
The graph art items in this document.
Type
GraphItems, read-only.
Document.groupItems¶
app.activeDocument.groupItems
Description
The group items contained in the document.
Type
GroupItems, read-only.
Document.height¶
app.activeDocument.height
Description
The height of the document.
Type
Number (double), read-only.
Document.inkList¶
app.activeDocument.inkList
Description
The list of inks in this document.
Type
Object, read-only.
Document.kinsokuSet¶
app.activeDocument.kinsokuSet
Description
The Kinsoku set of characters that cannot begin or end a line of Japanese text.
Type
Object, read-only.
Document.layers¶
app.activeDocument.layers
Description
The layers contained in the document.
Type
Layers, read-only.
Document.legacyTextItems¶
app.activeDocument.legacyTextItems
Description
The legacy text items in the document.
Type
LegacyTextItems, read-only.
Document.meshItems¶
app.activeDocument.meshItems
Description
The mesh art items contained in the document.
Type
MeshItems, read-only.
Document.mojikumiSet¶
app.activeDocument.mojikumiSet
Description
A list of names of predefined Mojikumi sets which specify the spacing for the layout and composition of Japanese text.
Type
Object, read-only.
Document.name¶
app.activeDocument.name
Description
The document’s name (not the complete file path to the document).
Type
String, read-only.
Document.nonNativeItems¶
app.activeDocument.nonNativeItems
Description
The non-native art items in this document.
Type
NonNativeItems, read-only.
Document.outputResolution¶
app.activeDocument.outputResolution
Description
The current output resolution for the document in dots per inch (dpi).
Type
Number (double), read-only.
Document.pageItems¶
app.activeDocument.pageItems
Description
The page items (all art item classes) contained in the document.
Type
PageItems, read-only.
Document.pageOrigin¶
app.activeDocument.pageOrigin
Description
The zero-point of the page in the document without margins, relative to the overall height and width.
Type
Array of 2 numbers.
Document.paragraphStyles¶
app.activeDocument.paragraphStyles
Description
The list of paragraph styles in this document.
Type
ParagraphStyles, read-only.
Document.parent¶
app.activeDocument.parent
Description
The application that contains this document.
Type
Application, read-only.
Document.path¶
app.activeDocument.path
Description
The file associated with the document, which includes the complete path to the file.
Type
File, read-only.
Document.pathItems¶
app.activeDocument.pathItems
Description
The path items contained in this document.
Type
PathItems, read-only.
Document.patterns¶
app.activeDocument.patterns
Description
The patterns contained in this document.
Type
Patterns, read-only.
Document.placedItems¶
app.activeDocument.placedItems
Description
The placed items contained in this document.
Type
PlacedItems, read-only.
Document.pluginItems¶
app.activeDocument.pluginItems
Description
The plug-in items contained in this document.
Type
PluginItems, read-only.
Document.printTiles¶
app.activeDocument.printTiles
Description
If true, this document should be printed as tiled output.
Type
Boolean, read-only.
Document.rasterEffectSettings¶
app.activeDocument.rasterEffectSettings
Description
The document’s raster effect settings.
Type
RasterEffectOptions, read-only.
Document.rasterItems¶
app.activeDocument.rasterItems
Description
The raster items contained in this document.
Type
RasterItems, read-only.
Document.rulerOrigin¶
app.activeDocument.rulerOrigin
Description
The zero-point of the rulers in the document relative to the bottom left of the document.
Type
Array of 2 numbers.
Document.rulerUnits¶
app.activeDocument.rulerUnits
Description
The default measurement units for the rulers in the document.
Type
RulerUnits, read-only.
Document.saved¶
app.activeDocument.saved
Description
If true, the document has not been changed since last time it was saved.
Type
Boolean.
Document.selection¶
app.activeDocument.selection
Description
References to the objects in this document’s current selection, or null when nothing is selected.
A reference to an insertion point is returned when there is an active insertion point in the contents of a selected text art item. Similarly, a reference to a range of text is returned when characters are selected in the contents of a text art item.
Type
Array of objects.
Document.showPlacedImages¶
app.activeDocument.showPlacedImages
Description
If true, placed images should be displayed in the document.
Type
Boolean, read-only.
Document.splitLongPaths¶
app.activeDocument.splitLongPaths
Description
If true, long paths should be split when printing.
Type
Boolean, read-only.
Document.spots¶
app.activeDocument.spots
Description
The spot colors contained in this document.
Type
Spots, read-only.
Document.stationery¶
app.activeDocument.stationery
Description
If true, the file is a stationery file.
Type
Boolean, read-only.
Document.stories¶
app.activeDocument.stories
Description
The story items in this document.
Type
Stories, read-only.
Document.swatches¶
app.activeDocument.swatches
Description
The swatches in this document.
Type
Swatches, read-only.
Document.swatchGroups¶
app.activeDocument.swatchGroups
Description
The swatch groups in this document.
Type
SwatchGroups, read-only.
Document.symbolItems¶
app.activeDocument.symbolItems
Description
The art items in the document linked to symbols.
Type
SymbolItems, read-only.
Document.symbols¶
app.activeDocument.symbols
Description
The symbols in this document.
Type
Symbols, read-only.
Document.textFrames¶
app.activeDocument.textFrames
Description
The text frames in this document.
Type
TextFrameItems, read-only.
Document.tileFullPages¶
app.activeDocument.tileFullPages
Description
If true, full pages should be tiled when printing this document.
Type
Boolean, read-only.
Document.typename¶
app.activeDocument.typename
Description
The class name of the referenced object.
Type
String, read-only.
Document.useDefaultScreen¶
app.activeDocument.useDefaultScreen
Description
If true, the printer’s default screen should be used when printing this document.
Type
Boolean, read-only.
Document.variables¶
app.activeDocument.variables
Description
The variables defined in this document.
Type
Variables, read-only.
Document.variablesLocked¶
app.activeDocument.variablesLocked
Description
If true, the variables are locked.
Type
Boolean.
Document.views¶
app.activeDocument.views
Description
The views contained in this document.
Type
Views, read-only.
Document.visibleBounds¶
app.activeDocument.visibleBounds
Description
The visible bounds of the document, including stroke width of any objects in the illustration.
Type
Array of 4 numbers, read-only.
Document.width¶
app.activeDocument.width
Description
The width of this document.
Type
Number (double), read-only.
Document.XMPString¶
app.activeDocument.XMPString
Description
The XMP metadata packet associated with this document.
Type
String.
Methods¶
Document.activate()¶
app.activeDocument.activate()
Description
Brings the first window associated with the document to the front.
Returns
Nothing.
Document.arrange()¶
app.activeDocument.arrange([layoutStyle])
Description
Arranges multiple documents in the given layout style.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
DocumentLayoutStyle, optional |
The layout style to arrange documents in |
Returns
Boolean.
Document.close()¶
app.activeDocument.close([saveOptions])
Description
Closes a document using specified save options.
When you close a document, you should set your document reference to null to prevent your script from accidentally trying to access closed documents.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Save options to close with |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.closeNoUI()¶
app.activeDocument.closeNoUI()
Description
Closes the specified non-UI document.
Returns
Nothing.
Document.convertCoordinate()¶
app.activeDocument.convertCoordinate(coordinate, source, destination)
Description
Converts the given point between artboard and document coordinate systems. Returns the converted point coordinates.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Point |
Point to convert |
|
Source coordinate system |
|
|
Destination coordinate system |
Returns
Point.
Document.exportFile()¶
app.activeDocument.exportFile(exportFile, exportFormat [,options])
Description
Exports the document to the specified file using one of the predefined export file formats. The appropriate file extension is automatically appended to the file name, except for Photoshop® documents. For these, you must include the file extension (PSD) in the file specification.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
File to save |
|
Export file format |
|
|
Variable, optional |
todo |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.exportPDFPreset()¶
app.activeDocument.exportPDFPreset(file)
Description
Exports the current PDF preset values to the file.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
Preset file to export to |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.exportPerspectiveGridPreset()¶
app.activeDocument.exportPerspectiveGridPreset(file)
Description
Exports the current perspective grid preset values to the file.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
Preset file to export to |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.exportPrintPreset()¶
app.activeDocument.exportPrintPreset(file)
Description
Exports the current print preset values to the file.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
Preset file to export to |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.exportVariables()¶
app.activeDocument.exportVariables(fileSpec)
Description
Saves datasets into an XML library. The datasets contain variables and their associated dynamic data.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
XML Library file to export to |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.fitArtboardToSelectedArt()¶
app.activeDocument.fitArtboardToSelectedArt([index])
Description
Resizes the artboard at the given index to fit currently selected art. Index default is 0. Returns true on success.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Number (long), optional |
Artboard index to resize |
Returns
Boolean.
Document.getPageItemFromUuid()¶
app.activeDocument.getPageItemFromUuid(uuid)
Note
This functionality was added in Illustrator 24.0. (CC2020)
Description
Retrieves the pageitem using Uuid.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
String |
uuid of PageItem |
Returns
Document.getPerspectiveActivePlane()¶
app.activeDocument.getPerspectiveActivePlane()
Description
Retrieves the active plane of the active perspective grid of the document.
Returns
Document.hidePerspectiveGrid()¶
app.activeDocument.hidePerspectiveGrid()
Description
Hides the current active grid for the document. If no grid is visible, does nothing. Returns true if a grid is hidden.
Returns
Boolean.
Document.imageCapture()¶
app.activeDocument.imageCapture(imageFile [,clipBounds] [,options])
Description
Captures the artwork content within the clipping boundaries in this document as a raster image, and writes the image data to a specified file.
If the bounds parameter is omitted, captures the entire artwork.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
Image file to write to |
|
Rect, optional |
Clipping bounds |
|
ImageCaptureOptions, optional |
todo |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.importCharacterStyles()¶
app.activeDocument.importCharacterStyles(fileSpec)
Description
Loads the character styles from the Illustrator file.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
File to load character styles from |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.importParagraphStyles()¶
app.activeDocument.importParagraphStyles(fileSpec)
Description
Loads the paragraph styles from the Illustrator file.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
File to load paragraph styles from |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.importPDFPreset()¶
app.activeDocument.importPDFPreset(fileSpec [, replacingPreset])
Description
Loads all PDF presets from a file.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
File to load PDF presets from |
|
String, optional |
Whether to replace existing presets |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.importPrintPreset()¶
app.activeDocument.importPrintPreset(printPreset, fileSpec)
Description
Loads the named print preset from the file.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
String |
Name of preset to load |
|
File |
File to load print presets from |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.importVariables()¶
app.activeDocument.importVariables(fileSpec)
Description
Imports a library containing datasets, variables, and their associated dynamic data. Importing variables overwrites existing variables and datasets.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
File to import variables from |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.print()¶
app.activeDocument.print([options])
Description
Prints the document.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
PrintOptions, optional |
todo |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.rasterize()¶
app.activeDocument.rasterize(sourceArt [, clipBounds] [, options])
Description
Rasterizes the source art(s) within the specified clip bounds. The source art(s) is disposed of as a result of the rasterization.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Source art to rasterize |
|
|
Rect, optional |
Clipping bounds |
|
RasterizeOptions, optional |
todo |
Returns
Document.rearrangeArboards()¶
app.activeDocument.rearrangeArboards([artboardLayout] [, artboardRowsOrCols] [, artboardSpacing] [, artboardMoveArtwork])
Description
Rearranges artboards in the document. All arguments are optional.
Default layout style is DocumentArtboard Layout.GridByRow.
The second argument specifies the number of rows or columns, as appropriate for the chosen layout style, in the range 1..docNumArtboards-1, or 1 (the default) for single row/column layouts.
Spacing is a number of pixels, default 20.
When last argument is true (the default), artwork is moved with the artboards.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
DocumentArtboardLayout, optional |
Artboard layout |
|
Integer, optional |
Number of rows or columns |
|
Number, optional |
Number of pixels for spacing |
|
Boolean, optional |
Whether to move artwork with the artboards |
Returns
Boolean.
Document.save()¶
app.activeDocument.save()
Description
Saves the document in it current location.
Returns
Nothing.
Document.saveAs()¶
app.activeDocument.saveAs(saveIn [, options])
Description
Saves the document in the specified file as an Illustrator, EPS, or PDF file.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
File to save the document as |
|
SaveOptions, optional |
Save options to close with |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.saveNoUI()¶
app.activeDocument.saveNoUI(saveIn)
Description
Saves the non-UI document at the specified path
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
File to save the document as |
Returns
Nothing.
Document.selectObjectsOnActiveArtboard()¶
app.activeDocument.selectObjectsOnActiveArtboard()
Description
Selects the objects on the currently active artboard. Returns true on success.
Returns
Boolean.
Document.setActivePlane()¶
app.activeDocument.setActivePlane(gridPlane)
Description
Sets the active plane of the active perspective grid of the document. Returns true on success.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Grid plane type |
Returns
Boolean.
Document.selectPerspectivePreset()¶
app.activeDocument.selectPerspectivePreset(gridType, presetName)
Description
Selects a predefined preset to define grid for the current document. Returns true on success.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Grid type |
|
|
String |
Preset name to select |
Returns
Boolean.
Document.showPerspectiveGrid()¶
app.activeDocument.showPerspectiveGrid()
Description
Shows the current active grid for the document, or if no grid is active, shows the default grid. Returns true on success.
Returns
Boolean.
Document.windowCapture()¶
app.activeDocument.windowCapture(imageFile, windowSize)
Description
Captures the current document window to the target TIFF image file.
Parameters
Parameter |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File |
Image file to save as |
|
Array of 2 numbers |
Window size |
Returns
Nothing.
Example¶
Deselecting all objects in the current document¶
Note
The frontmost document can be referred to as either activeDocument or documents[0.
var docRef = activeDocument;
docRef.selection = null;
Closing a document¶
// Closes the active document without saving changes
if ( app.documents.length > 0 ) {
var aiDocument = app.activeDocument;
aiDocument.close( SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES );
aiDocument = null;
}
Creating a document with defaults¶
// Creates a new document if none exists then sets fill and stroke defaults to true
var doc;
if (app.documents.length == 0) {
doc = app.documents.add();
} else {
doc = app.activeDocument;
}
doc.defaultFilled = true;
doc.defaultStroked = true;