Document
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 object; 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 object; 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 object | 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 object | 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 object | 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 object | 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 object | 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)
Description
Retrieves the PageItem using its Uuid.
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
uuid | String | uuid of item to fetch |
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 |
|---|---|---|
imageFile File object | 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 object | 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 object | 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 object | 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 object | 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 object | 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
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 object | 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 object | 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 object | Image file to save as |
windowSize | Array of 2 numbers | Window size |
Returns
Nothing.
Example
Deselecting all objects in the current document
var docRef = activeDocument;docRef.selection = null;Closing a document
// Closes the active document without saving changesif ( 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 truevar doc;if (app.documents.length == 0) { doc = app.documents.add();} else { doc = app.activeDocument;}
doc.defaultFilled = true;doc.defaultStroked = true;