Automating file export with different colored objects and file names

Question

I’ve been working with Illustrator CC 2014 on a floor map for a ~400 rooms building. To allow visitors to find rooms more quickly, I wanted to generate a series of images with highlighted rooms. The rooms are mostly rectangles with their object name corresponding with their room number.

In short, I need some sort of procedure that does the following tasks:

1. Change colour of object
2. Export to PNG using the object name within the file name
3. Change colour back
4. Go on to the next object

I have no problem with steps 1, 3 and 4 using Automating tasks, but cannot figure out how to do step 2.

Answer 1

I have done this exact same thing here's my script:

#target illustrator

var path_prefix=("d:/temp/floormap_")
var layer = app.activeDocument.layers.getByName("rooms");

function exportFileToPNG8(dest) {
    if ( app.documents.length > 0 ) {
        var exportOptions = new ExportOptionsPNG8();
        var type = ExportType.PNG8;
        var fileSpec = new File(dest);
        exportOptions.colorCount = 32;
        exportOptions.transparency = false;
        app.activeDocument.exportFile( fileSpec, type, exportOptions );
    }
}

for (var i=0; i < layer.pageItems.length; i++){
    var item = layer.pageItems[i];
    if(item.typename === "GroupItem"){
       var room_name = item.pageItems[0].contents;
       item.pageItems[1].hidden = false;
       exportFileToPNG8(path_prefix+room_name+".png")
       item.pageItems[1].hidden = true;
    }
}

In order to use you must ensure that you have a layer named rooms and under rooms you have a group for each room with the name of the room topmost and the layer to show hide after that hidden. Remeber to rename the path prefix.

Image 1: example of layer organization

The script is a bit fragile so if text is not first and the group has no second item it will fail. Here is the general outline of how the script works:

Image 2: state diagram of script