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

Dataset


Document.activeLayer

app.activeDocument.activeLayer

Description

The active layer in the document.

Type

Layer


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

CropOptions


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

Color


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

StrokeCap


Document.defaultStrokeColor

app.activeDocument.defaultStrokeColor

Description

The stroke color for new paths if default stroked is true.

Type

Color


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

StrokeJoin


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

DocumentColorSpace


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.tags

app.activeDocument.tags

Description

The tags in this document.

Type

Tags, 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

layoutStyle

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

saveOptions

SaveOptions

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

coordinate

Point

Point to convert

source

CoordinateSystem

Source coordinate system

destination

CoordinateSystem

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

exportFile

File

File to save

exportFormat

ExportType

Export file format

options

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

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

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

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

fileSpec

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

index

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

uuid

String

uuid of PageItem

Returns

PageItem.


Document.getPerspectiveActivePlane()

app.activeDocument.getPerspectiveActivePlane()

Description

Retrieves the active plane of the active perspective grid of the document.

Returns

PerspectiveGridPlaneType


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

imageFile

File

Image file to write to

clipBounds

Rect, optional

Clipping bounds

options

ImageCaptureOptions, optional

todo

Returns

Nothing.


Document.importCharacterStyles()

app.activeDocument.importCharacterStyles(fileSpec)

Description

Loads the character styles from the Illustrator file.

Parameters

Parameter

Type

Description

fileSpec

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

fileSpec

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

fileSpec

File

File to load PDF presets from

replacingPreset

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

printPreset

String

Name of preset to load

fileSpec

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

fileSpec

File

File to import variables from

Returns

Nothing.


Document.print()

app.activeDocument.print([options])

Description

Prints the document.

Parameters

Parameter

Type

Description

options

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

sourceArt

Variable

Source art to rasterize

clipBounds

Rect, optional

Clipping bounds

options

RasterizeOptions, optional

todo

Returns

RasterItem


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

artboardLayout

DocumentArtboardLayout, optional

Artboard layout

artboardRowsOrCols

Integer, optional

Number of rows or columns

artboardSpacing

Number, optional

Number of pixels for spacing

artboardMoveArtwork

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

saveIn

File

File to save the document as

options

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

saveIn

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

gridPlane

PerspectiveGridPlaneType

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

gridType

PerspectiveGridType

Grid type

presetName

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

imageFile

File

Image file to save as

windowSize

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;