OK, I've had a little time this morning to take a look at this for you and here is what I have… It is working just fine for me but you will be required to make 1 or 2 little typo changes yourself…

In line 7… You need to change the folders path string…

var traceFolder = new Folder ('~/Desktop/Live Trace/');

In line 71… You may want to change the save options to 13 for CS3 compatibility…

compatibility = Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR13;

#target illustrator
 
while (app.documents.length) {
  app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.PROMPTTOSAVECHANGES);
}
 
var traceFolder = new Folder ('~/Desktop/Live Trace/');
 
var fileList = traceFolder.getFiles(/\.psd$/i);
 
if (fileList.length > 0) {
     main(fileList);
} else {
     alert('This Folder contained NO Photoshop PSD files!');
     return;
}     
 
function main(fileObjs) {
 
     with (app) {
     
          var orginalUIL = userInteractionLevel;
          
          userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevel.DONTDISPLAYALERTS;
          
          for (var i = 0; i < fileObjs.length; i++) {
          
               if (fileList[i] instanceof File) {
               
                    var fileName = fileList[i].name.slice(0, -4);
                    
                    var docRef = documents.add(DocumentColorSpace.RGB, 576, 720);
                    
                    with (docRef) {
                    
                         var thisPlace = placedItems.add();
                         
                         thisPlace.file = fileObjs[i];
                         
                         var thisImage = placedItems[0].trace();
                         
                         redraw();
                                                       
                         thisImage.tracing.tracingOptions.loadFromPreset('Color 16');
 
                         thisImage.tracing.expandTracing();
                         
                         redraw();
                         
                         /*///////////////////////////////////
                         We need to add your border here…
                         *////////////////////////////////////
                         
                         var aiOptions = saveAsAiFile();
                         
                         newFilePath = new File(traceFolder.fsName.toString() + '/' + fileName + '.ai');
                         
                         saveAs(newFilePath, aiOptions);
                         
                         close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);                         
                    }
               }
          }
          userInteractionLevel = orginalUIL;
     }
}
 
function saveAsAiFile() {
     var aiOptions = new IllustratorSaveOptions();
     with (aiOptions) {
          compatibility = Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR12;
          compressed = true;
          embedICCProfile = true;
          embedLinkedFiles = true;
          flattenOutput = OutputFlattening.PRESERVEAPPEARANCE;
          fontSubsetThreshold = 0;
          overprint = PDFOverprint.PRESERVEPDFOVERPRINT;
          pdfCompatible = true
     }
     return aiOptions;
}

As is, the script is looking for all files in the target folder that have the '.psd' file extension…

If this works for you then get back and I will see what can be done about the border thing…

I will go check that error meantime try this… The Photoshop export looks OK to me but I have no idea about SVG files as I don't use them… This should be getting closer… You will need to make the same 2 typo changes…

#target illustrator
 
while (app.documents.length) {
  app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.PROMPTTOSAVECHANGES);
}
 
var traceFolder = new Folder ('~/Desktop/Live Trace/');
 
var fileList = traceFolder.getFiles(/\.psd$/i);
 
if (fileList.length > 0) {
 
     var svg = new Folder(traceFolder.fsName+'/SVG Files');
     if (!svg.exists) svg.create(); 
 
     var psd = new Folder(traceFolder.fsName+'/PSD Files');
     if (!psd.exists) psd.create();
 
     var ai = new Folder(traceFolder.fsName+'/AI Files');
     if (!ai.exists) ai.create();
     
     main(fileList);
     
} else {
 
     alert('This Folder contained NO Photoshop PSD files!');
     
}     
 
function main(fileObjs) {
 
     with (app) {
     
          var orginalUIL = userInteractionLevel;
          
          userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevel.DONTDISPLAYALERTS;
          
          for (var i = 0; i < fileObjs.length; i++) {
          
               if (fileList[i] instanceof File) {
               
                    var fileName = fileList[i].name.slice(0, -4);
                    
                    var docRef = documents.add(DocumentColorSpace.RGB, 576, 720);
                    
                    with (docRef) {
                    
                         var thisPlace = placedItems.add();
                         
                         thisPlace.file = fileObjs[i];
                         
                         var thisImage = placedItems[0].trace();
                         
                         redraw();
                                                       
                         thisImage.tracing.tracingOptions.loadFromPreset('Color 16');
 
                         thisImage.tracing.expandTracing();
                         
                         redraw();
                         
                         var svgOptions = exportAsSVGFile();
                         
                         svgFilePath = new File(svg.fsName + '/' + fileName + '.svg');
                         
                         exportFile(svgFilePath, ExportType.SVG, svgOptions);
                         
                         var psdOptions = exportAsPSDFile();
                         
                         psdFilePath = new File(psd.fsName + '/' + fileName + '.psd');
                         
                         exportFile(psdFilePath, ExportType.PHOTOSHOP, psdOptions);
                         
                         var aiOptions = saveAsAiFile();
                         
                         aiFilePath = new File(ai.fsName + '/' + fileName + '.ai');
                         
                         saveAs(aiFilePath, aiOptions);
                         
                         close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);                         
                    }
               }
          }
          userInteractionLevel = orginalUIL;
     }
}
 
function exportAsSVGFile() {
     var svgOptions = new ExportOptionsSVG();
     with (svgOptions) {
            compressed = true;
          coordinatePrecision = 3;
          //cssProperties = SVGCSSPropertyLocation.ENTITLES;
          documentEncoding = SVGDocumentEncoding.UTF16
          //DTD = SVGDTDVersionSVG1_0;
          embedRasterImages = true;
          fontSubsetting = SVGFontSubsetting.ALLGLYPHS;
          fontType = SVGFontType.CEFFONT;
          includeFileInfo = false;
          includeVariablesAndDatasets = false;
          optimizeForSVGViewer = true;
          preserveEditability = true;
          slices = true;
          sVGAutoKerning = true;
          sVGTextOnPath = true;
     }
     return svgOptions;
}
 
function exportAsPSDFile() {
     var psdOptions = new ExportOptionsPhotoshop();
     with (psdOptions) {
          antiAliasing = true;
          compatibility = PhotoshopCompatibility.PHOTOSHOP8;
          editableText = true;
          embedICCProfile = true;
          maximumEditability = true;
          resolution = 150;
          warnings = true;
          writeLayers = true;
     }
     return psdOptions;
}
 
function saveAsAiFile() {
     var aiOptions = new IllustratorSaveOptions();
     with (aiOptions) {
          compatibility = Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR12;
          compressed = true;
          embedICCProfile = true;
          embedLinkedFiles = true;
          flattenOutput = OutputFlattening.PRESERVEAPPEARANCE;
          fontSubsetThreshold = 0;
          overprint = PDFOverprint.PRESERVEPDFOVERPRINT;
          pdfCompatible = true
     }
     return aiOptions;
}

Hello Muppet Mark,

I was searching for a solution for this for long time and I wondering if I could use your help too.

I'm also new to scripting and I think I understand most of what you've done, but for sure not enough to make changes to fit it for what I want to do.

I have a folder with 22 subfolders, each containing 360 PNG's.

I want to batch trace and expand PNGs into one Illustrator file (one for every subfolder) by a trace preset that I saved in illustrator.

And If there is a way to add to it a path/simplify action with Straight Lines and 0 Angle Threshold it would be incredible.

I would appreciate it greatly if you could help.

Hello Muppet Mark,

Thank you for the quick response!

Well, I've been using the Bridge Illustrator Trace tool to mass trace these PNG's into one layered AI. (Like you said, 360 rotation of a rendered C4D )

Its working but it gets really slow and inefficient as it reaches the hundreds.

Now I'm working with thousands of PNG's in one file ,so dividing it to sub directories , something that the Bridge script doesn't do, I think will make it much faster.

I was thinking if there is a way to create a loop that expands the trace before it imports the next PNG file, maybe it will make it less heavy.

As for the simplify, I can do it manually, it's the really the easier part.

And if there is a way to take all the saved AI files and combine them to one AI divided to artboards it will make even better.

Thank you again!

when you said "Script can not call this plug-ins functions ( you would need to write all the processing methods in script ) Serious heavy bézier math and way over my head…" you were referring to the simplify or the expand command?

so what do I need to do to make it work?

Well this is where I got so far.

I changed the script that you wrote to import to single Ai file and it's working!

now I need to add the sub directories division

#target illustrator
 
while (app.documents.length) {
  app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.PROMPTTOSAVECHANGES);
}
 
var traceFolder = new Folder ('~/Desktop/Live Trace/');
 
var fileList = traceFolder.getFiles(/\.png$/i);
 
if (fileList.length > 0) {
 
     var ai = new Folder(traceFolder.fsName+'/AI Files');
     if (!ai.exists) ai.create();
     
     main(fileList);
     
} else {
 
     alert('This Folder contained NO Photoshop PNG files!');
     
}     
 
function main(fileObjs) {
 
     with (app) {
     
          var orginalUIL = userInteractionLevel;
          
          userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevel.DONTDISPLAYALERTS;
          
          var fileName = fileList[0].name.slice(0, -4);          
 
 
          var docRef = documents.add(DocumentColorSpace.RGB, 576, 720);
          
          for (var i = 0; i < fileObjs.length; i++) {
          
               if (fileList[i] instanceof File) {
               
                    
                    
                    with (docRef) {
                    
                         var thisPlace = placedItems.add();
                         
                         thisPlace.file = fileObjs[i];
                         
                         var thisImage = placedItems[0].trace();
                         
                         redraw();
                                                       
                         thisImage.tracing.tracingOptions.loadFromPreset('Wave');
 
                         thisImage.tracing.expandTracing();
                         
                         redraw();
                    }
               }
          }
          with (docRef) {
                         var aiOptions = saveAsAiFile();
                         
                         aiFilePath = new File(ai.fsName + '/' + fileName + '.ai');
                         
                         saveAs(aiFilePath, aiOptions);
                         
                         close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);             
     }
     }
} 
function saveAsAiFile() {
     var aiOptions = new IllustratorSaveOptions();
     with (aiOptions) {
          compatibility = Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR12;
          compressed = true;
          embedICCProfile = true;
          embedLinkedFiles = true;
          flattenOutput = OutputFlattening.PRESERVEAPPEARANCE;
          fontSubsetThreshold = 0;
          overprint = PDFOverprint.PRESERVEPDFOVERPRINT;
          pdfCompatible = true
     }
     return aiOptions;
}
 

Hello Im at home now thats much better… A quick blast of the old calculator and 7,920 live traces in the one AI file… Im NOT supprised you experience a slow down…? Thats a lot of tracing of cause I have no idea of the complexity of the actual trace result… It's been some time since that script was done and I would prefer to re-hash it even though it worked… Do you mind if its done as an AI script like above… Making it a Bridge script is doable but requires additional time… I have to bridgetalk stuff and its not so easy…

l have a go… Im NOT going to create 8k pngs to test with though… May be 20ish in a couple of folders and the rest is up to you… Beep might be a smoke alarm depending on what your using… What way up the layer stack? All folders 360 png files each?

The number of layers and their names will be determined by the files in the first sub-folder? Number of artboards will be determined by sub-folders in the chosen folder that OK? Are the files in each sub named the same way?

Oh now I may need a rethink…

Im not saying it can't be done… Just that Im going to have to go back and swap some stuff about… What I was thinking was 360 layers in the document and all artboards sharing these ( layers are document wide not artboard ) to have a layer for every placed file Im now going to need 1000's never seen a file with this before ( eeeek ) I do hope no one has to scroll these…

Those functions offered by the flyouts are NOT available to script… I have to do that… You can't set paste remember layers by script either… It help scriping no AI offers much less to work with that some of the other apps… Theres more to scripting ID's prefs than the whole of AI…

Oh ya too late now… I've got to say it slows down here with no where near the files you have… A lot will be down to the trace complexity so test as you like… I don't know if some saves would be a good idea that could free up some memory may be… This worked with 4 sub-folders of a dozen files each… Do test with less files and let me know if it does what you want…

#target Illustrator
 
threeSixtyArtboards();
 
function threeSixtyArtboards() {
  
          var fileList, i, inFolder, subFiles;
 
          inFolder = Folder.selectDialog( 'Please choose your Parent Folder…?' );
  
          if ( inFolder != null ) {
  
                    fileList = Array();
 
                    inFiles = inFolder.getFiles();
 
                    if ( inFiles.length > 0 ) {
  
                              for ( i = 0; i < inFiles.length; i++ ) {
  
                                        if ( inFiles[i] instanceof Folder ) {
  
                                                  subFiles = Folder( inFiles[i].fsName ).getFiles( /\.png$/i )
  
                                                  fileList.push( subFiles );
  
                                        };
 
                              };
  
                              placeAndTrace( fileList );
 
                    };
 
          };
 
};
 
 
function placeAndTrace( allFiles ) {
  
          var doc, i, j, lay, thisPlace, thisImage, uIL;
 
          uIL = userInteractionLevel;
          
          app.userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevel.DONTDISPLAYALERTS;
  
          app.coordinateSystem = CoordinateSystem.ARTBOARDCOORDINATESYSTEM;
  
          doc = app.documents.add(
                    DocumentColorSpace.RGB,
                    width = 720,
                    height = 576,
                    numArtboards = allFiles.length,
                    DocumentArtboardLayout.GridByCol,
                    artboardSpacing = 72,
                    artboardRowsOrCols = Math.round( Math.sqrt( allFiles.length ) )
          );
 
          for ( i = 0; i < allFiles.length; i++ ) {
 
                    doc.artboards.setActiveArtboardIndex( i );
  
                    for ( j = 0; j < allFiles[i].length; j++ ) {
 
                              lay = doc.layers.add();
  
                              lay.name = decodeURI( allFiles[i][j].name );
  
                              thisPlace = doc.placedItems.add();
                         
                              thisPlace.file = allFiles[i][j];
  
                              thisPlace.position = [ 0, 0 ];
  
                              redraw();
                         
                              thisImage = thisPlace.trace();
                         
                              redraw();
                                                       
                              thisImage.tracing.tracingOptions.loadFromPreset( 'Color 6' );
 
                              thisImage.tracing.expandTracing();
                         
                              redraw();
 
                    };
 
          };
 
          doc.layers.getByName( 'Layer 1' ).remove();
 
};

Yep you are correct redraw() will force the GUI to refresh the window… This will slow the script down so you are free to comment/remove those. I use them so I can see where the test script is at… If the main part is OK correct number of layers and artboards then the rest is just cosmetic tinkering have fun… Don't forget to add the beep() do get back and let me know how many files you have this chew over…

Well it was running all night (9 hours) and it seems like the saving doesn't help it to go faster.

It completed 15 folders while the first folder was done in 3 min. so I decided to stop the script.

The file is to heavy to work with and reopening it took too much time.

So I did a little mix and match between all the scripts so it will save each folder to a separate file in the main folder and close it.

It works like magic! after about an hour it Was all finished.

Here is the final script I used:

#target Illustrator
 while (app.documents.length) {
  app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.PROMPTTOSAVECHANGES);
}
Main();
 
function Main() {
  
          var fileList, i, inFolder, subFiles;
 
          inFolder = Folder.selectDialog( 'Please choose your Parent Folder…?' );
 
          if ( inFolder != null ) {
  
                    fileList = Array();
 
                    inFiles = inFolder.getFiles();
 
                    if ( inFiles.length > 0 ) {
  
                              for ( i = 0; i < inFiles.length; i++ ) {
  
                                        if ( inFiles[i] instanceof Folder ) {
  
                                                  subFiles = Folder( inFiles[i].fsName ).getFiles( /\.png$/i )
  
                                                  fileList.push( subFiles );
  
                                        };
 
                              };
                                                       
                              placeAndTrace( fileList , inFolder );
                    };
          };
 
};
 
 
function placeAndTrace( allFiles , inFolder) {
  
          var doc, i, j, lay, thisPlace, thisImage, uIL;
 
          uIL = userInteractionLevel;
          var orginalUIL = app.userInteractionLevel     
          app.userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevel.DONTDISPLAYALERTS; 
 
          for ( i = 0; i < allFiles.length; i++ ) {
                    
                    doc = app.documents.add(DocumentColorSpace.RGB,1024,1024);
                    
                    for ( j = 0; j < allFiles[i].length; j++ ) {
 
                              lay = doc.layers.add();
  
                              lay.name = decodeURI( allFiles[i][j].name );
  
                              thisPlace = doc.placedItems.add();
                         
                              thisPlace.file = allFiles[i][j];
                       
                              thisImage = thisPlace.trace();
                                                                
                              thisImage.tracing.tracingOptions.loadFromPreset( 'Wave' );
 
                              thisImage.tracing.expandTracing();
                                                       
                    };
                    
                     with (doc) {
                     
                           layers.getByName( 'Layer 1' ).remove();
                           
                           var aiOptions = saveAsAiFile();
                           
                           var fileName =  allFiles[i][1].name.slice(0, -10);
                           
                           aiFilePath = new File(inFolder.fsName+'/' +fileName+'.ai'); 
                           
                           saveAs(aiFilePath, aiOptions);
                           
                           redraw();
                           
                           close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
                           
                     }
                 
                     beep() // 
          };
      
      userInteractionLevel = orginalUIL;          
 
};
function saveAsAiFile() {
     var aiOptions = new IllustratorSaveOptions();
     with (aiOptions) {
          compatibility = Compatibility.ILLUSTRATOR12;
          compressed = true;
          embedICCProfile = true;
          embedLinkedFiles = true;
          flattenOutput = OutputFlattening.PRESERVEAPPEARANCE;
          fontSubsetThreshold = 0;
          overprint = PDFOverprint.PRESERVEPDFOVERPRINT;
          pdfCompatible = true
     }
     return aiOptions;
}