Illustrator script: Create Duplicates of Selected group in a grid fitting inside a specified area setting it text to values from an array

duplicateGroupToGrid.jsx

/**
 *  @author Patrick Gutlich
 *  @year 2024
 *  @description Create Duplicates of Selected group in a grid fitting inside a specified area setting it text to values from an array
 */

/**
 *  Helpers
 */
function cmToPoints(cm) {
  return cm * 28.3464567;
}
function pointsToCm(pt) {
  return pt * 0.035277776;
}
function trim(s) {
  return String(s).replace(/^\s+|\s+$/gm, "");
}

function firstWord(s) {
  return String(s).split(" ")[0];
}

// Variables
var doc;
var documentMarginX = 8;
var documentMarginY = 8;

var areaWidth = 40;  // default value
var areaHeight = 30; // default value
var spacingHorizontal = 8;
var spacingVertical = 8;

var red = new RGBColor();
red.red = 255;
red.green = 0;
red.blue = 0;
var noColor = new NoColor();

var names = [
  "foo","bar","dodo"
];

var fontIndex;
var fontNames_array = [];
var fontSize = 24;
var fontName = "Nobel-Bold"; //preferred font
var font;

// populate font_names array and find the index of preferred font;
// so it can be slected in the font dropdown
for (var t = 0; t < app.textFonts.length; t++) {
  fontNames_array.push(app.textFonts[t].name);
  if (fontNames_array[t] == fontName) {
    fontIndex = t;
  }
}


var original;   // selected object to duplicate
var originalName = ""; // given name of selected object
var textTarget; // the textframe to fill with value of the array
var sizeWarning = false;

// UI Variables, make them global for easy access
var dialog;
var mainGroup;
var dimensionsGroup;
var originalPanel;
var originalwidthrow;
var lblOriginalwidth;
var txtOriginalWidth;
var originalheightrow;
var lblOriginalheight;
var txtOriginalHeight;
var panelArea;
var areaWidthGroup;
var lblAreareaWidth;
var txtAreaWidth;
var areaHeightGroup;
var lblAreaheight;
var txtAreaHeight;
var textGroup;
var textPanel;
var txtNames;
var chkTrimSpaces;
var chkFirstWord;
var fontPanel;
var chkOverrideFont;
var fontOverridesGroup;
var lblFontFamily;
var lstFontNames;
var fontsizeGroup;
var lblFontsize;
var txtFontSize;
var btnGroup;
var btnCreate;

/**
 *  CREATE DUPLICATES
 */
function createDuplicates() {
  if (original == null) {
    // by now orginal should not be null, but check it anyway
    alert("No object selected");
  } else {
    // are there any textFrames in the selected object, if so select the first one.
    if (original.textFrames.length > 0) {
      textTarget = original.textFrames[0];
    }

    // make a new group to hold the duplicates
    var duplicatesGroup = doc.groupItems.add(doc, ElementPlacement.PLACEBEFORE);
    duplicatesGroup.name = "duplicates group";

    var cols = Math.floor(areaWidth / (original.width + spacingHorizontal));
    
    if(fontName!="" && fontName!=undefined){
      font = app.textFonts.getByName(fontName);
    }
    if (font == null) {
      font = app.textFonts[0] ;
    }

    for (var i = 0; i < names.length; i++) {
      var j = i + 1; //leave original intact
      var xPos =
        original.position[0] +
        (j % cols) * (original.width + spacingHorizontal);
      var yPos =
        original.position[1] -
        Math.floor(j / cols) * (original.height + spacingVertical);

      var duplicateObject = original.duplicate(
        duplicatesGroup,
        ElementPlacement.PLACEATEND
      );
      duplicateObject.name = originalName + "_" + j;
      duplicateObject.position = [xPos, yPos];
      duplicateObject.stroked = true;
      duplicateObject.strokeWidth = 0.01;
      duplicateObject.strokeColor = red;
      duplicateObject.fillColor = noColor;
      textTarget = duplicateObject.textFrames[0];

      if (textTarget != undefined) {
        textTarget.contents = chkFirstWord.value
          ? firstWord(names[i])
          : trim(names[i]);
        if (chkOverrideFont.value) {
          textTarget.textRange.characterAttributes.textFont = font;
          textTarget.textRange.characterAttributes.size = fontSize;
        }
      } else {
        // if there is no textFrame let's add one and center it
        var myTextFrame = duplicatesGroup.textFrames.add();
        myTextFrame.contents = trim(names[i]);
        myTextFrame.textRange.characterAttributes.textFont = font;
        myTextFrame.textRange.characterAttributes.size = fontSize;
        myTextFrame.position = [
          xPos + (original.width - myTextFrame.width) * 0.5,
          yPos - (original.height - myTextFrame.height) * 0.5,
        ];
      }

      if(textTarget.width > original.width || textTarget.height  > original.height){
        sizeWarning = true;
        textTarget.textRange.characterAttributes.fillColor = red;
      }

    }

    if( sizeWarning ){
      alert("Some texts exceed the area of the original\n They are colored red");
    }
  }

}

/**
 *  CREATE DIALOG UI
 */
function createDialog() {
  
  // CREATE DIALOG
  // ======
  dialog = new Window("dialog");
  dialog.text = "Original Creator";
  //ialog.orientation = "column";
  dialog.alignChildren = ["center", "top"];
  dialog.spacing = 16;
  dialog.margins = 16;

  // MAINGROUP
  // =========
  mainGroup = dialog.add("group", undefined, { name: "mainGroup" });
  mainGroup.orientation = "column";
  mainGroup.alignChildren = ["left", "center"];
  mainGroup.spacing = 8;
  mainGroup.margins = 4;

  // DIMENSIONSGROUP
  // ===============
  dimensionsGroup = mainGroup.add("group", undefined, {name: "dimensionsGroup"});
  dimensionsGroup.orientation = "row";
  dimensionsGroup.alignChildren = ["center", "center"];
  dimensionsGroup.spacing = 10;
  dimensionsGroup.margins = 4;
  dimensionsGroup.alignment = ["fill", "center"];

  // ORIGINALPANEL
  // ==========
  originalPanel = dimensionsGroup.add("panel", undefined, undefined, {name: "originalPanel"});
  originalPanel.text = "Selected Original (cm)";
  originalPanel.preferredSize.width = 201;
  originalPanel.orientation = "column";
  originalPanel.alignChildren = ["right", "top"];
  originalPanel.spacing = 10;
  originalPanel.margins = 16;
  originalPanel.alignment = ["center", "fill"];

  // ORIGINALWIDTHROW
  // =============
  originalwidthrow = originalPanel.add("group", undefined, {name: "originalwidthrow"});
  originalwidthrow.orientation = "row";
  originalwidthrow.alignChildren = ["left", "center"];
  originalwidthrow.spacing = 10;
  originalwidthrow.margins = 0;

  lblOriginalwidth = originalwidthrow.add("statictext", undefined, undefined, {name: "lblOriginalwidth"});
  lblOriginalwidth.text = "Width";

  txtOriginalWidth = originalwidthrow.add('edittext {properties: {name: "originalWidth", "readonly":true}}');
  txtOriginalWidth.text = pointsToCm(original.width);
  txtOriginalWidth.preferredSize.width = 120;

  // ORIGINALHEIGHTROW
  // ==============
  originalheightrow = originalPanel.add("group", undefined, {name: "originalheightrow"});
  originalheightrow.orientation = "row";
  originalheightrow.alignChildren = ["left", "center"];
  originalheightrow.spacing = 10;
  originalheightrow.margins = 0;

  lblOriginalheight = originalheightrow.add("statictext", undefined,undefined,{ name: "lblOriginalheight" });
  lblOriginalheight.text = "Height";

  txtOriginalHeight = originalheightrow.add('edittext {properties: {name: "originalHeight","readonly":true}}');
  txtOriginalHeight.text = pointsToCm(original.height);
  txtOriginalHeight.preferredSize.width = 120;

  // PANELAREA
  // =========
  panelArea = dimensionsGroup.add("panel", undefined, undefined, {name: "panelArea"});
  panelArea.text = "Bounding Area (cm)";
  panelArea.orientation = "column";
  panelArea.alignChildren = ["right", "top"];
  panelArea.spacing = 10;
  panelArea.margins = 16;
  panelArea.alignment = ["center", "fill"];

  // areaWidthGroup
  // ======
  areaWidthGroup = panelArea.add("group", undefined, {name: "areaWidthGroup"});
  areaWidthGroup.orientation = "row";
  areaWidthGroup.alignChildren = ["left", "center"];
  areaWidthGroup.spacing = 10;
  areaWidthGroup.margins = 0;

  lblAreareaWidth = areaWidthGroup.add("statictext", undefined, undefined, {name: "lblAreareaWidth"});
  lblAreareaWidth.text = "Width";

  txtAreaWidth = areaWidthGroup.add('edittext {justify: "right", properties: {name: "areaWidth"}}');
  txtAreaWidth.text = parseFloat(areaWidth).toFixed(2);
  txtAreaWidth.preferredSize.width = 62;

  // areaHeightGroup
  // =======
  areaHeightGroup = panelArea.add("group", undefined, {name: "areaHeightGroup"});
  areaHeightGroup.orientation = "row";
  areaHeightGroup.alignChildren = ["left", "center"];
  areaHeightGroup.spacing = 10;
  areaHeightGroup.margins = 0;

  lblAreaheight = areaHeightGroup.add("statictext", undefined, undefined, {name: "lblAreaheight"});
  lblAreaheight.text = "Height";

  txtAreaHeight = areaHeightGroup.add('edittext {justify: "right", properties: {name: "areaHeight"}}');
  txtAreaHeight.text =  parseFloat(areaHeight).toFixed(2);;
  txtAreaHeight.preferredSize.width = 62;

  // TEXTGROUP
  // =========
  textGroup = mainGroup.add("group", undefined, { name: "textGroup" });
  textGroup.orientation = "column";
  textGroup.alignChildren = ["center", "center"];
  textGroup.spacing = 12;
  textGroup.margins = 0;
  textGroup.alignment = ["fill", "center"];

  // TEXTPANEL
  // =========
  textPanel = textGroup.add("panel", undefined, undefined, {name: "textPanel"});
  textPanel.text = "Names";
  textPanel.orientation = "column";
  textPanel.alignChildren = ["fill", "top"];
  textPanel.spacing = 10;
  textPanel.margins = 16;
  textPanel.alignment = ["fill", "center"];

  txtNames = textPanel.add("edittext {properties: {name: names , multiline: true, scrollable: true }}");
  txtNames.helpTip = "comma separated names  ";
  txtNames.text = names.join(",");
  txtNames.preferredSize.height = 128;

  chkTrimSpaces = textPanel.add("checkbox", undefined, undefined, {name: "trimSpaces"});
  chkTrimSpaces.text = "Trim Spaces";
  chkTrimSpaces.value = true;

  chkFirstWord = textPanel.add("checkbox", undefined, undefined, {name: "firstWord"});
  chkFirstWord.text = "First Word Only";
  chkFirstWord.value = true;

  // FONTPANEL
  // =========

  fontPanel = textGroup.add("panel", undefined, undefined, {name: "fontPanel"});
  fontPanel.text = "Font";
  fontPanel.orientation = "column";
  fontPanel.alignChildren = ["fill", "top"];
  fontPanel.spacing = 10;
  fontPanel.margins = 16;
  fontPanel.alignment = ["fill", "center"];

  chkOverrideFont = fontPanel.add("checkbox", undefined, undefined, {name: "overrideFont"});
  chkOverrideFont.text = "Override Font";
  chkOverrideFont.value = false;
  chkOverrideFont.onClick = function () {
    fontOverridesGroup.enabled = chkOverrideFont.value;
  };

  fontOverridesGroup = fontPanel.add("group", undefined, { name: "overrides" });
  fontOverridesGroup.orientation = "column";
  fontOverridesGroup.alignChildren = ["fill", "top"];
  fontOverridesGroup.enabled = chkOverrideFont.value;

  lblFontFamily = fontOverridesGroup.add("statictext", undefined, undefined, {name: "lblFontFamily"});
  lblFontFamily.text = "FontFamily";

  lstFontNames = fontOverridesGroup.add("dropdownlist", undefined, undefined, {name: "fontName", items: fontNames_array});
  lstFontNames.selection = fontIndex;
  fontName = lstFontNames.selection;
  lstFontNames.onChange = function () {
    fontName = lstFontNames.selection;
  };

  // FONTSIZEGROUP
  // =============
  fontsizeGroup = fontOverridesGroup.add("group", undefined, {name: "fontsizeGroup"});
  fontsizeGroup.orientation = "row";
  fontsizeGroup.alignChildren = ["right", "center"];
  fontsizeGroup.spacing = 10;
  fontsizeGroup.alignment = ["left", "top"];

  lblFontsize = fontsizeGroup.add("statictext", undefined, undefined, {name: "lblFontsize"});
  lblFontsize.text = "Font Size (points)";

  txtFontSize = fontsizeGroup.add('edittext {properties: {name: "fontSize"}}');
  txtFontSize.text = fontSize;
  txtFontSize.preferredSize.width = 65;
  txtFontSize.alignment = ["right", "center"];

  // BTNGROUP
  // ========
  btnGroup = mainGroup.add("group", undefined, { name: "btnGroup" });
  btnGroup.orientation = "column";
  btnGroup.alignChildren = ["center", "center"];
  btnGroup.spacing = 10;
  btnGroup.margins = 0;
  btnGroup.alignment = ["center", "center"];

  btnCreate = btnGroup.add("button", undefined, undefined, {name: "btnCreate"});
  btnCreate.text = "Create";
  btnCreate.onClick = function () {
    areaWidth = cmToPoints(parseFloat(txtAreaWidth.text));
    areaHeight = cmToPoints(parseFloat(txtAreaHeight.text));
    fontSize = parseFloat(txtFontSize.text);
    names = txtNames.text.split(",");
    layer = doc.layers[0];

    createDuplicates();

    dialog.close();
  };
}

// Check if there is an open docuement
doc = app.activeDocument;
if (doc != null) {
  areaWidth  = pointsToCm(doc.width);
  areaHeight = pointsToCm(doc.height);
  // Check if there is something selected
  original = app.activeDocument.selection[0];
  if (original != undefined) {
    originalName = original.name; //store the name of the selected object
    //original.name = "original_" + original.name;
    createDialog();
    dialog.show();
  } else {
    alert("Select a group in an open document");
  }
} else {
  alert("Select a group in an open document");
}