height parameter and math.random constraint

I made a quick search and found a function to get a random number.

Use Resize to change the height instead of changing the height property, that'll take care of problem B.

//get all the objects that are currently selected in the document

var selectedObjects = app.activeDocument.selection;

//decrease their size by a random number between 0% and 70%

for (var i=0; i<selectedObjects.length; i++){

          //get the scale (random number between 30-100)
          var scale = randomXToY (30, 100);
          // scale Y only, from top
          selectedObjects[i].resize (100, scale, true, true, true, true, 1, Transformation.TOP)

}

//function to get random number upto m, by Roshan Bhattarai
function randomXToY(minVal,maxVal,floatVal)
{
  var randVal = minVal+(Math.random()*(maxVal-minVal));
  return typeof floatVal=='undefined'?Math.round(randVal):randVal.toFixed(floatVal);
}

//alert(randomXToY (30, 100));

for problem [A], I would use a different approach. I would start with 1 object (since they're all the same) and duplicate it, scale it, and rotate it as many times as I need it to complete the circle. We can use a fixed point using these methods.

yes, the rotateAbout or scaleAbout or transformAbout all refer to those 9 points (I used TOP in the previous example), plus the document origin, which is the (0,0) you can change that manually or via script

Transformation

BOTTOM, LEFT

BOTTOMLEFT, RIGHT

BOTTOMRIGHT, TOP

CENTER, TOPLEFT

DOCUMENTORIGIN, TOPRIGHT

edit:

I re-read your previous question, the problem with rotating your object before you scale it is that it will get skewed like in you example. Scaling is only vertical and/or horizontal, you need to scale before rotate.

Message was edited by: CarlosCanto

I tried inserting BOTTOM instead of TOP, but it's still resizing based off an (imaginary to me) bounding box around the rotated rectangles

try using BOTTOM on an unrotated item, to see how it works first, as I said, resize first, then rotate, otherwise shapes will not look right.

 

doesn't Illustrator know that the object is actually a rectangle rotated 30 degrees?

no, it just looks at the bounding box of a rotated or un-rotated objects.

do you know where I can find information about the "true", "1", etc. values?:

1. Scripting Reference

2. Object Model Viewer

they're the parameters to scale patterns, gradients, strokes, etc.

is there a reason you MUST rotate first?

you lost me, I don't understand what you need. If you have to vary the rotation then no script can help you. If you have to rely on your eyes...same thing, that can't be scripted either.

post a real example of what you need, with pretty pictures like you did in your fist post, we might come up with alternatives.

Petros, Carlos is right in the fact that this is much easier if you…

dupe rectangle ( front/back what ever )

scale the duplicate while verticle or horizontal

rotate about some origin

The other opition is to calculate all the points with math and create the paths… That's Jong business…

calculating all the points is just overkill, specially when there's really no need for it.

Petros, here's a sample of the same thing we've been talking about, scale first, rotate next.

move your key object close to the (0,0), actually right above the (0,0) on the y axis or (0,radius) before running.

//select ONE object before running
var idoc = app.activeDocument;
var copies = 20;
var angle = 360/copies;


var igroup = idoc.groupItems.add();
var sel = idoc.selection[0];
sel.move (igroup, ElementPlacement.PLACEATBEGINNING);


var colorRef = new RGBColor;
colorRef.red = 255;


var ipath = igroup.pathItems[0];
for (var i=0; i<copies; i++){
                    var idup = ipath.duplicate();
          //get the scale (random number between 30-100)
          var scale = randomXToY (0, 70);
                      $.writeln(scale);
          // scale Y only, from top
          idup.resize (100, scale, true, true, true, true, 1, Transformation.BOTTOM);
                     idup.rotate(angle*i,true,true,true,true,Transformation.DOCUMENTORIGIN);
                    idup.fillColor = colorRef;
}

ipath.hidden = true;
//function to get random number upto m, by Roshan Bhattarai
function randomXToY(minVal,maxVal,floatVal)
{
  var randVal = minVal+(Math.random()*(maxVal-minVal));
  return typeof floatVal=='undefined'?Math.round(randVal):randVal.toFixed(floatVal);
}

Yep thats almost the exact same way I tested… as long as the starting shape is vertial or horizontal then it won't become a shear when scaled…

(Just dropping in on something only slightly related)

Your original random scaling factor fails because your random is no good. Instead of this

h = Math.floor((Math.random()*myHeights)+.3);

you should have used this

h = Math.floor(myHeights*(0.3 + 0.7*Math.random()));

That gives you a nice spread between 30% and 100% of the original heights.