CompoundPathItem

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index]

Description

A compound path. These objects are composed of multiple intersecting paths, resulting in transparent interior spaces where the component paths overlap. The pathItems property provides access to the paths that make up the compound path.

Paths contained within a compound path or group in a document are returned as individual paths when a script asks for the paths contained in the document. However, paths contained in a compound path or group are not returned when a script asks for the paths in a layer that contains the compound path or group.

All paths within a compound path share property values. Therefore, if you set the value of a property of any one of the paths in the compound path, the properties of all other component paths are updated with the new value.

Properties

CompoundPathItem.artworkKnockout

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].artworkKnockout

Description

Is this object used to create a knockout, and if so, what kind of knockout.

Type

KnockoutState

CompoundPathItem.blendingMode

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].blendingMode

Description

The mode used when compositing an object.

Type

BlendModes

CompoundPathItem.controlBounds

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].controlBounds

Description

The bounds of the object including stroke width and controls.

Type

Array of 4 numbers; read-only.

CompoundPathItem.editable

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].editable

Description

If true, this item is editable.

Type

Boolean; read-only.

CompoundPathItem.geometricBounds

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].geometricBounds

Description

The bounds of the object excluding stroke width.

Type

Array of 4 numbers; read-only.

CompoundPathItem.height

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].height

Description

The height of the compound path item excluding stroke width.

Type

Number (double).

CompoundPathItem.hidden

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].hidden

Description

If true, this compound path item is hidden.

Type

Boolean.

CompoundPathItem.isIsolated

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].isIsolated

Description

If true, this object is isolated.

Type

Boolean.

CompoundPathItem.layer

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].layer

Description

The layer to which this compound path item belongs.

Type

Layer; read-only.

CompoundPathItem.left

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].left

Description

The position of the left side of the item (in points, measured from the left side of the page).

Type

Number (double).

CompoundPathItem.locked

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].locked

Description

If true, this compound path item is locked.

Type

Boolean.

CompoundPathItem.name

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].name

Description

The name of this compound path item.

Type

String.

CompoundPathItem.note

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].note

Description

The note assigned to this item.

Type

String.

CompoundPathItem.opacity

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].opacity

Description

The opacity of the object.

Range: 0.0 to 100.0

Type

Number (double).

CompoundPathItem.parent

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].parent

Description

The parent of this object.

Type

Layer or GroupItem; read-only.

CompoundPathItem.pathItems

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].pathItems

Description

The path art items in this compound path.

Type

PathItems; read-only.

CompoundPathItem.position

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].position

Description

The position (in points) of the top left corner of the compoundPathItem object in the format [x, y]. Does not include stroke weight.

Type

Array of 2 numbers.

CompoundPathItem.selected

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].selected

Description

If true, this compound path item is selected.

Type

Boolean.

CompoundPathItem.sliced

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].sliced

Description

If true, the item is sliced.

Default: false

Type

Boolean.

CompoundPathItem.tags

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].tags

Description

The tags contained in this object.

Type

Tags; read-only.

CompoundPathItem.top

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].top

Description

The position of the top of the item (in points, measured from the bottom of the page).

Type

Number (double).

CompoundPathItem.typename

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].typename

Description

The class name of the referenced object.

Type

String; read-only.

CompoundPathItem.uRL

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].uRL

Description

The value of the Adobe URL tag assigned to this compound path item.

Type

String.

CompoundPathItem.visibilityVariable

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].visibilityVariable

Description

The visibility variable bound to the item.

Type

Variant.

CompoundPathItem.visibleBounds

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].visibleBounds

Description

The visible bounds of the compound path item including stroke width.

Type

Array of 4 numbers; read-only.

CompoundPathItem.width

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].width

Description

The width of the compound path item excluding stroke width.

Type

Number (double).

CompoundPathItem.wrapInside

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].wrapInside

Description

If true, the text frame object should be wrapped inside this object.

Type

Boolean.

CompoundPathItem.wrapOffset

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].wrapOffset

Description

The offset to use when wrapping text around this object.

Type

Number (double).

CompoundPathItem.wrapped

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].wrapped

Description

If true, wrap text frame objects around this object (text frame must be above the object).

Type

Boolean.

CompoundPathItem.zOrderPosition

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].zOrderPosition

Description

The position of this art item within the stacking order of the group or layer (Parent) that contains the art item.

Type

Number (long); read-only.

Methods

CompoundPathItem.duplicate()

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].duplicate([relativeObject][,insertionLocation])

Description

Creates a duplicate of the selected object.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`relativeObject`	Object, optional	Object to duplicate to
`insertionLocation`	ElementPlacement, optional	Location to insert element

Returns

CompoundPathItem

CompoundPathItem.move()

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].move(relativeObject, insertionLocation)

Description

Moves the object.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`relativeObject`	Object	Object to move element within
`insertionLocation`	ElementPlacement, optional	Location to move element to

Returns

Nothing.

CompoundPathItem.remove()

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].remove()

Description

Deletes this object.

Returns

Nothing.

CompoundPathItem.resize()

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].resize(
    scaleX,
    scaleY
    [,changePositions]
    [,changeFillPatterns]
    [,changeFillGradients]
    [,changeStrokePattern]
    [,changeLineWidths]
    [,scaleAbout]
)

Description

Scales the art item where scaleX is the horizontal scaling factor and scaleY is the vertical scaling factor. 100.0 = 100%.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`scaleX`	Number (double)	Horizontal scaling factor
`scaleY`	Number (double)	Vertical scaling factor
`changePositions`	Boolean, optional	Whether to effect art object positions and orientations
`changeFillPatterns`	Boolean, optional	Whether to transform fill patterns
`changeFillGradients`	Boolean, optional	Whether to transform fill gradients
`changeStrokePattern`	Boolean, optional	Whether to transform stroke patterns
`changeLineWidths`	Number (double), optional	The amount to scale line widths
`scaleAbout`	Transformation, optional	The point to use as anchor, to transform about

Returns

Nothing.

CompoundPathItem.rotate()

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].rotate(
    angle
    [,changePositions]
    [,changeFillPatterns]
    [,changeFillGradients]
    [,changeStrokePattern]
    [,rotateAbout]
)

Description

Rotates the art item relative to the current rotation. The object is rotated counter-clockwise if the angle value is positive, clockwise if the value is negative.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`angle`	Number (double)	The angle amount to rotate the element
`changePositions`	Boolean, optional	Whether to effect art object positions and orientations
`changeFillPatterns`	Boolean, optional	Whether to transform fill patterns
`changeFillGradients`	Boolean, optional	Whether to transform fill gradients
`changeStrokePattern`	Boolean, optional	Whether to transform stroke patterns
`rotateAbout`	Transformation, optional	The point to use as anchor, to transform about

Returns

Nothing.

compoundPathItem.transform()

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].transform(
    transformationMatrix
    [,changePositions]
    [,changeFillPatterns]
    [,changeFillGradients]
    [,changeStrokePattern]
    [,changeLineWidths]
    [,transformAbout]
)

Description

Transforms the art item by applying a transformation matrix.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`transformationMatrix`	Matrix	Transformation matrix to apply
`changePositions`	Boolean, optional	Whether to change Positions
`changeFillPatterns`	Boolean, optional	Whether to change Fill Patterns
`changeFillGradients`	Boolean, optional	Whether to change Fill Gradients
`changeStrokePattern`	Boolean, optional	Whether to change Stroke Pattern
`changeLineWidths`	Number (double), optional	The amount to scale line widths
`transformAbout`	Transformation, optional	The point to use as anchor, to transform about

Returns

Nothing.

CompoundPathItem.translate()

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].translate(
    deltaX
    [,deltaY]
    [,transformObjects]
    [,transformFillPatterns]
    [,transformFillGradients]
    [,transformStrokePatterns]
)

Description

Repositions the art item relative to the current position, where deltaX is the horizontal offset and deltaY is the vertical offset.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`deltaX`	Number (double), optional	Horizontal offset
`deltaY`	Number (double), optional	Vertical offset
`transformObjects`	Boolean, optional	Whether to transform Objects
`transformFillPatterns`	Boolean, optional	Whether to transform Fill Patterns
`transformFillGradients`	Boolean, optional	Whether to transform Fill Gradients
`transformStrokePatterns`	Boolean, optional	Whether to transform Stroke Patterns

Returns

Nothing.

CompoundPathItem.zOrder()

app.activeDocument.activeLayer.compoundPathItems[index].zOrder(zOrderCmd)

Description

Arranges the art item’s position in the stacking order of the group or layer (parent) of this object.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`zOrderCmd`	ZOrderMethod	Stacking order arrangement method

Returns

Nothing.

Example

Selecting paths in a document

// Selects all paths not part of a compound path
if ( app.documents.length > 0 ) {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    var count = 0;
    if ( doc.pathItems.length > 0 ) {
        var thePaths = doc.pathItems;
        var numPaths = thePaths.length;
        for ( var i = 0; i < doc.pathItems.length; i++ ) {
        var pathArt = doc.pathItems[i];
        if ( pathArt.parent.typename != "compoundPathItem" ) {
            pathArt.selected = true;
            count++;
        }
    }
}

Creating and modifying a compound path item

// Creates a new compound path item containing 3 path
// items, then sets the width and the color of the stroke
// to all items in the compound path

if (app.documents.length > 0) {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    var newCompoundPath = doc.activeLayer.compoundPathItems.add();

    // Create the path items
    var newPath = newCompoundPath.pathItems.add();
    newPath.setEntirePath(Array(Array(30, 50), Array(30, 100)));

    newPath = newCompoundPath.pathItems.add();
    newPath.setEntirePath(Array(Array(40, 100), Array(100, 100)));

    newPath = newCompoundPath.pathItems.add();
    newPath.setEntirePath(Array(Array(100, 110), Array(100, 300)));

    // Set stroke and width properties of the compound path
    newPath.stroked = true;
    newPath.strokeWidth = 3.5;
    newPath.strokeColor = app.activeDocument.swatches[3].color;
}