Skip navigation

Illustrator Scripting

Currently Being Moderated

Batch Change Color Swatch Name in EPS files

Mar 20, 2012 8:19 AM

Hi all -- I have a couple thousand AI authored EPS files with a specific swatch name (SpotBlack) that I would like to rename (black) -- is there any method to do this en masse, preferrably outside of Illy using a text editor?

Thanks for your thoughts!

-g-

755 Views 7 Replies Latest reply: garisimola, Mar 27, 2012 6:52 AM

Replies

Currently Being Moderated

1. CarlosCanto,

Mar 24, 2012 12:35 AM in reply to garisimola

Report

try with a couple of files first, before you run a gazillion of them.

var folder = Folder.selectDialog("Select Source Folder..."); // select folder
 
 
if (folder==null) {
                    alert("Good Bye");
}
 
 
else {
          var files = folder.getFiles ("*.eps");
          var fileCount = files.length;
 
 
          if (fileCount>0) {
                    for (i=0; i<fileCount; i++) {
                              var idoc = app.open(files[i]);
             try {
                    var iswatch = idoc.swatches["SpotBlack"];
                    iswatch.name = "black";
              }
            catch (e){}
 
            idoc.close(SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES);
            idoc = null;
                    }
          }
          else {
                    alert("There are no EPS files in this folder.");
          }
}

Mark as:

Currently Being Moderated

2. garisimola,

Mar 26, 2012 7:22 AM in reply to CarlosCanto

Report

Thanks CC -- I tried the script on a folder with a few EPS files, which didn't recognize the files -- so I edited the script to look for EPS files, but it still didn't work... I see you changed the script for the original (AI); did you make other edits, or just the two lines where EPS is indicated?

-g-

|
Mark as:
Currently Being Moderated

3. garisimola,

Mar 26, 2012 7:29 AM in reply to CarlosCanto

Report

PS -- The whole reason I am in this pickle with SpotBlack vs black (vs the protected process color Black) is b/c AI won't let you name anything Black as as spot color (Black where the first letter is capitalized). So I created a spot called SpotBlack and have been using that for 2+ years. However, the rip I use isn't smart enough to realize that SpotBlack = Black, so I have to manually assign it to a specific ink. It wasn't until recently did I realize that I can assign a spot color in AI called 'black' (lowercase 'b') that doesn't upset its sensibilities and works in the rip. So now I have a few (thousands!) files where SpotBlack is indicated. Hence my plea. Back to the point: sometimes when I rename spot colors, even when using the l/c 'b' AI throws up an alert re: protected process color names -- so, I don't know if this is happening here, but it might.

Cheers!

-g-

|
Mark as:
Currently Being Moderated

4. [Jongware],

Mar 26, 2012 12:59 PM in reply to garisimola

Report

>.. preferrably outside of Illy using a text editor?

If (a) you are on a Mac and (b) you are SURE all of these EPSes contain pure EPS text (*no* binary information *at all*) -- then you could take look at TextWrangler. It's a straight-on plain text editor (hence, no binary data embedded in your files please) for the Mac (hence, uh, the "Mac required") and it has the option of doing find-and-replaces on a selection of files.

As with Carlos' script: make sure you have a copy of the entire set of files before you let it rip through them.

|
Mark as:
Currently Being Moderated

5. CarlosCanto,

Mar 26, 2012 2:39 PM in reply to CarlosCanto

Report

I have to confess I kind of cheated, I wrote the script and tested it with AI files, and it was after I posted that I realized you needed eps, then I just assumed it would work and just edited my post to read eps, without testing.

anyway, I just tested with eps I created and it works as expected.

can you share a couple of samples so we can have a look and try to find out why is not working on your end?.

|
Mark as:
Currently Being Moderated

6. Muppet Mark,

Mar 27, 2012 1:19 AM in reply to CarlosCanto

Report

Carlos, it worked here too… I usually pass a regex to getFiles() but the string appeared to work… Do the files end with the extension or do they have it hidden…

|
Mark as:
Currently Being Moderated

7. garisimola,

Mar 27, 2012 6:52 AM in reply to CarlosCanto

Report

Ok, I am an ideeot. I told you SpotBlack and it was really BlackSpot -- I changed the swatch name and bingo! Thank you, Carlos, it worked great.

Cheers!

-g-

|
Mark as:

Forum guidelines

Answers + Points = Status

10 points awarded for Correct Answers
5 points awarded for Helpful Answers
10,000+ points
1,001-10,000 points
501-1,000 points
5-500 points

Illustrator Scripting

Batch Change Color Swatch Name in EPS files

Mar 20, 2012 8:19 AM

More Like This

Bookmarked By (0)

Answers + Points = Status