Transformations

The matrix object provides access to the power of geometric-transformation matrices.

Transformation matrices in Illustrator store the settings of an operation that scales, rotates, or moves (translates) an object on a page.

There are advantages to using matrices:

• By storing transformation values in a matrix object, you can use the values repeatedly on different objects in your script.
• By concatenating rotation, translation, and/or scaling matrices and applying the resulting matrix, you can perform many geometric transformations with only one script statement.
• You can invert matrix values.
• You can compare the values of two matrices.

The application object. has commands or methods to create, get, invert, compare, or concatenate matrices.

The command or method used to apply a matrix is the transform command, which belongs to any type of object on which transformations can be performed.