Symbols

Symbols

app.activeDocument.symbols

Description

The collection of Symbol objects in the document.

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Properties

Symbols.length

app.activeDocument.symbols.length

Description

Number of elements in the collection.

Type

Number; read-only.

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Symbols.parent

app.activeDocument.symbols.parent

Description

The object’s container.

Type

Object; read-only.

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Symbols.typename

app.activeDocument.symbols.typename

Description

The class name of the object.

Type

String; read-only.

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Methods

Symbols.add()

app.activeDocument.symbols.add(sourceArt[, registrationPoint])

Description

Returns a symbol object created from the source art item, any of the following:

• CompoundPathItems
• GroupItems
• MeshItems
• NonNativeItems
• PageItems
• PathItems
• RasterItems
• SymbolItems
• TextFrameItems

The default registration point is SymbolRegistrationPoint.SYMBOLCENTERPOINT.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
sourceArt	PageItem	Source art to create symbol from
registrationPoint	SymbolRegistrationPoint, optional	Registration point to use

Returns

Symbol

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Symbols.getByName()

app.activeDocument.symbols.getByName(name)

Description

Get the first element in the collection with the provided name.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
name	String	Name of element to get

Returns

Symbol

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Symbols.index()

app.activeDocument.symbols.index(itemKey)

Description

Gets an element from the collection.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
itemKey	String, Number	String or number key

Returns

Symbol

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Symbols.removeAll()

app.activeDocument.symbols.removeAll()

Description

Deletes all elements in the collection.

Returns

Nothing.

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Example

Creating a symbol

// Creates a path item from each graphic style
// then adds each item as a new symbol

var docRef = documents.add();
var y = 750;
var x = 25;

var iCount = docRef.graphicStyles.length;

for (var i=0; i<iCount; i++) {

 var pathRef = docRef.pathItems.rectangle( y, x, 20, 20 );
 docRef.graphicStyles[i].applyTo(pathRef);

 // are we at bottom?
 if ( (y-=60) <= 60 ) {
 y = 750; // go back to the top.
 x+= 200
 }

 redraw();
 docRef.symbols.add(pathRef);
}