Transformation Scripts is another category for which I anticipate hacking out additional scripts. One can imagine a wide range of re-iterative transformation routines, applicable at the object/path/points/handles level beyond those already in Illustrtor's feature set.

Link to zip archiveDownload The .zip Archive

The RotateAboutOrigin script provides a means by which to quickly position a "transformation anchor" that can be retained for as long as I desire. The StackTopToBottom script is part of the CAD text import solution mentioned on the TextScripts page, and it is demonstrated in the same PDF. I have since found it useful for stacking other objects in order from top to bottom, and that's why I've included it on this page. I anticipate it being modified to perform several other but similar stacking operations.

JET_RotateAboutOrigin.jsx
Rotates selected pageItems about the ruler origin by a user-specified amount (in degrees). This allows the user to use and re-use the ruler origin as a remembered rotation center.

To Use: Drag the ruler origin to the point about which you want to make repeated rotations. Select the objects you wish to rotate. Run the script. The script prompts you for the rotation amount in degrees.

JET_ConcatenateTextAtStart.jsx
Adds text from the frontmost selected text object to the start of the content of each of the other selected text objects. Useful for inserting tabs or other characters at the starts of many PointType objects prior to joining them by copying and pasting into a single textFrame.

To Use: Create a textFrame object (can be either Area Type or Point Type) containing the text that you want to add to the start of other text objects. Select the new textFrame and all the other text objects you wish to affect. Run the script.

Link to example image Link to PDF file JET_StackTopToBottom.jsx
This script re-stacks the selected objects according to their vertical positions, top to bottom. After running the script, the selected object positioned highest on the page will be rearmost; the one lowest on the page will be frontmost. This is mainly useful for correcting the stacking order of individual PointType textFrames in imported CAD drawings before concatenating them into a single AreaType textFrame, as in a parts list.

To Use: Select the individual text objects which are visually in the correct order, but which are not actually stacked in the correct z-order. Run the script. The text objects will be re-stacked, but will not be moved. Copy the text objects and paste into a single textFrame.